State v. Pidcock

• Decision Date: 20 September 1988
• Citation: 306 Or. 335,759 P.2d 1092
• Parties: STATE of Oregon, Respondent on review, v. Thomas Henry PIDCOCK, Petitioner on review. CC 10-85-09438; CA A40456; SC S34991.
• Court: Oregon Supreme Court

Page 1092

759 P.2d 1092

306 Or. 335

STATE of Oregon, Respondent on review, v. Thomas Henry PIDCOCK, Petitioner on review.

CC 10-85-09438; CA A40456; SC S34991.

Supreme Court of Oregon,

In Banc.

Argued and Submitted June 8, 1988.

Decided Aug. 2, 1988.

Reconsideration Denied Sept. 20, 1988.

[306 Or. 336] Larry R. Roloff, Eugene, argued the cause and filed the petition for petitioner on review.

Rives Kistler, Asst. Atty. Gen., Salem, argued the cause for respondent on review.

JONES, Justice.

Defendant appealed his convictions on two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, ORS 475.992(4)(b), contending that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence. The Court of Appeals affirmed. State v. Pidcock, 89 Or.App. 443, 749 P.2d 597 (1988). We affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals.

FACTS

The Court of Appeals recited the stipulated facts of the parties as follows:

"On February 14, 1985, a Mrs. Joll and her daughter Mary were driving toward their residence, just off Crow Road, in Lane County. As they approached the mailbox adjacent to their driveway, they observed what appeared to be a pillow or pillowcase lying near the mailbox. They stopped, and Mary examined the pillowcase and found a black leather briefcase. They took the briefcase to their house and spent several minutes trying to get it open. There was no identification on the exterior. They then called the sheriff and reported finding the briefcase. They were told that ordinarily the sheriff would not respond to someone's finding lost property. Joll indicated that this particular briefcase appeared to be somewhat unusual and that it was quite nice and new leather, with combination tumbler locks. It was locked at the time, and there was something heavy inside that was sliding around.

"On February 15, 1985, at about 8:30 a.m., Deputy Larson went to the Joll residence and examined the briefcase briefly. He turned the tumblers to zero, which opened the case. Not knowing what was in it, and because there was some type of heavy object sliding around in it, he cracked it open an inch or two so that he could peer inside without fully opening the lid. He observed a large stack of money with a $100 bill on top. He also observed what appeared to be an automatic or semi-automatic handgun, a baggie that appeared to contain marijuana, manila envelopes and some other small items which he could not identify. There appeared to be a wire extending from inside the briefcase to its top.

"Because of the wire, Larson called the Eugene Police Department bomb squad to have it examine the briefcase. He thought that it might be booby-trapped. The bomb squad took the briefcase outside the Joll residence and x-rayed it. Readily apparent were a handgun, what appeared to be an extra automatic clip with ammunition, eyeglasses and other indistinct items. They were not able to determine from the x-rays whether there was an explosive device inside. The briefcase was then opened on one side, and its contents were carefully "Late that morning, the briefcase and its contents were taken to the sheriff's office. The manila envelopes were opened and examined. No identification of the owner was found. State Crime Lab technician Bekkedahl tested the substances found in the envelopes and determined that they were cocaine and methamphetamine.

removed. There were two manila envelopes, one sealed. The glasses were wire-rimmed with a fairly thin black plastic coated substance on the wire, which was the wire Larson had observed. The briefcase was not booby-trapped.

"After the property was returned to the sheriff's office from the crime lab, the money was determined to be about $9,000. Defendant's fingerprints were found on the envelopes. The weapon was a .45-caliber automatic, fully loaded, which appeared to be in working order.

"The sheriff was concerned about the welfare of citizens in the area where the briefcase was found, fearing that someone who had lost it might harass or threaten residents to get it back. Because of that concern, in mid-afternoon of February 15, the news media were invited to come to the sheriff's office for a press conference. On the morning of that day, a telephone call had come to the Eugene Register-Guard from a person requesting that a classified ad be placed concerning a briefcase lost in the Crow Road area. That afternoon, a second phone call was received from an adult female who indicated that she wanted the classified ad withdrawn. She asked that the bill be sent to "Tom Pidcock" and she gave defendant's address and phone number.

" * * * [B]etween 6 and 6:30 p.m. on St. Valentine's Day, people had been observed in the Crow Road area driving a vehicle slowly up and down the road apparently looking for something. The vehicle was registered to defendant.

"After being advised of the 'finders-keepers law,' ORS 98.005 et seq, Joll placed an advertisement in the Register-Guard advertising the finding of the briefcase and how it could be obtained. She specifically rented a separate post office box for the sole purpose of responses to her advertisement. Other than junk mail, she received no responses. The Register-Guard published news stories at least twice between February 16 and February 20 about the briefcase." 89 Or.App. at 445-47, 749 P.2d 597.

The record establishes that defendant never claimed the briefcase, apparently fearing apprehension.

MOTION TO SUPPRESS

The sheriff did not obtain a warrant for the search of the briefcase or its contents. Defendant moved to suppress the briefcase and its contents, relying on Article I, section 9, of the Oregon Constitution and the federal Fourth Amendment. Defendant argues: (1) The police had no authority to open and search the briefcase; (2) the police had no probable cause to believe that the briefcase contained contraband; and (3) once the police opened the briefcase, they needed a warrant to open and search the manila envelopes. The Court of Appeals rejected these arguments and held that when defendant made no effort to claim or recover the briefcase after he learned the briefcase and contents were in police custody, that defendant "abandoned" the property in a constitutional sense. The Court of Appeals stated: "One who acts to abandon property cannot claim a constitutional violation, even if the act was done to avoid police action." 89 Or.App. at 448, 749 P.2d 597.

We disagree with the Court of Appeals' analysis, although we affirm the result. Defendant did not "abandon" the briefcase until after the deputies had opened the briefcase and opened the envelopes and tested their contents without a warrant. When the deputies opened the briefcase and tested the contents, defendant was still actively attempting to recover that property. Defendant nevertheless loses the motion to suppress, because the deputies were not searching the briefcase or contents for contraband related to any criminal activity. Rather, when the police opened the briefcase and the envelopes they were simply trying to identify the owner.

Finders of lost property have a statutory duty to attempt to return the property to its owner. When the finder of the property turned it over to law enforcement officers, on the finder's own initiative, the deputies were placed in the position of the finder. ORS 98.005 provides:

"(1) If any person finds money or goods valued at $25 or more, and if the owner of the money or goods is unknown, such person, within 10 days after the date of the finding, shall give notice of the finding in writing to the county clerk of the county in which the money or goods was found. Within 20 days after the date of the finding, the finder of the money or...