People v. Nelson, Cr. 3505

• Decision Date: 16 June 1959
• Docket Number: Cr. 3505
• Citation: 171 Cal.App.2d 356,340 P.2d 718
• Court: California Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
• Parties: PEOPLE of the State of California, Plaintiff and Respondent, vs. William P. NELSON, Defendant and Appellant.

Page 718

340 P.2d 718

171 Cal.App.2d 356

PEOPLE of the State of California, Plaintiff and Respondent, vs. William P. NELSON, Defendant and Appellant.

Cr. 3505.

District Court of Appeal, First District, Division 1, California.

June 16, 1959.

Gregory S. Stout, San Francisco, for appellant.

Stanley Mosk, Atty. Gen., Clarence A. Linn, Chief Asst. Atty. Gen., Raymond M. Momboisse, Deputy Atty. Gen., Thomas C. Lynch, Dist. Atty., Philip J. Hanley, Asst. Dist. Atty., San Francisco, for respondent.

HANSON, Justice pro tem.

The two main questions presented by this appeal are whether (1) the evidence which gave rise to the conviction of the defendant for having possession of marihuana and with unlawfully plainting and cultivating the narcotic plant, was obtained as the result of an illegal search and seizure, and (2) whether the evidence is legally sufficient to sustain appellant's convictions. The case was tried by the court, a jury having been waived.

The basic facts upon which the judgment rests will now be stated. On or about April 4, 1957, and again in the first week of May 1957, the State Division of Narcotic Enforcement received information from an unknown informer that marihuana was being grown and used on the premises where the defendant and his family, along with his father and mother, were residing. On the basis of these reports Agent Lennon, on or about the 10th of May, observed from a vacant lot next door to defendant's home that plants were growing in the rear yard of the premises which, at his distance from them, appeared to be marihuana. Subsequently, on May 24, 1957, the agent Lennon again observed that the plants were still growing on the Nelson premises, but at twice the height of his first observation of them. On May 18, 1957, the division received information from an informer (evidently the same informer mentioned above) that marihuana was being kept and smoked in the Nelson home.

In the early part of May 1957 the division had information that Nelson's license had been cancelled and accordingly it arranged with the police that when Nelson drove his car from his home on the evening of May 24, 1957, as he was expected to do, that he would be arrested by the police if he failed to produce a valid driver's license, and that immediately thereafter he would be arrested by the officers of the Narcotic Division for violating the narcotics law. Meanwhile on May 24, 1957, Agent Lennon swore to an affidavit which was presented to a municipal court judge who on the basis of the affidavit issued on that date a search warrant which authorized search of the Nelson premises. The officers being thus fortified were able to carry their plan into execution. Nelson was arrested first by the police officer and next by the division officers. He was then taken to his home. The officers entered the Nelson home, but the facts as to the manner of entry and the statements of the officers and of the father of the defendant as to what was said and what occurred is disputed. The search by the officers revealed 19 marihuana cigarettes in a jewel box on or in a dresser in the bedroom occupied by defendant and his wife and the growing marihuana plants in the back yard. All the parties living at the Nelson house denied any knowledge as to the presence of the cigarettes or plants. On the day following the arrest of the defendant, marihuana debris was found in the floor board and in the ash tray of the automobile which was under defendant's sole control and occupied only by him at the time of his arrest.

The first contention of appellant is that the evidence was obtained as the result of an illegal search and seizure. The alleged illegality is predicated on the fact that the affidavit of Lennon referred to two informers whereas the evidence showed there was but one informer; but, that information was relayed to the division on two separate dates is not disputed. Another claim of illegality is that the statements in the affidavit were based not on current information, but on 'stale' information too remote in time to justify the issuance of a search and seizure warrant, and therefore the search and seizure was illegal.

In the instant case the date given upon which information was first received from undisclosed informants was April 4, 1957. It is to be noted that it is not alleged when the informants themselves saw violations being committed. (Cf. Waggener v. McCanless, 1946, 183 Tenn. 258, 191 S.W.2d 551, 162 A.L.R. 1402). However, the affiant further alleged that information was received subsequent to that date, and that he had observed marihuana plants growing in the defendant's back yard. See People's Ex. 6. It is obvious that the latter two events occurred after the date given (April 4, 1957). Further, the affiant alleged that the informants gave the information in the present tense 'That on April 4, 1957, and on subsequent dates affiant has been advised by two informers that marijuana is being grown in the backyard and secreted in the room of William Nelson, located at 141 Joost Street, in the City and County of San Francisco; that marihuana is being smoked and kept at said address; * * *.' (People's Ex. 6; emphasis added.)

It has been held where the affidavit states no exact date but is based upon the observation of the affiant, and the offense being committed was stated in the present tense, that the warrant is sufficient. Hanson v. State, 1933, 55 Okl.Cr. 138, 26 P.2d 436. It could thus be reasoned that the information given by the informants was to the effect that the facts were as stated on the date the information was received, i. e., April 4, 1957, and dates subsequent to that time.

The agent Lennon, as appears from the reporter's transcript, saw the marihuana plants growing on defendant's premises on May 10, 1957, and received further information from the informer on or about May 18, 1957. The lapse of time was at most 14 days, if we take May 10 as the date to be considered, or six days if ...