United States v. Margeson, Crim. No. 65-7.

• Decision Date: 03 June 1965
• Docket Number: Crim. No. 65-7.
• Citation: 246 F. Supp. 219
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America v. Murdo F. MARGESON.
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of Maine

246 F. Supp. 219

UNITED STATES of America v. Murdo F. MARGESON.

Crim. No. 65-7.

United States District Court D. Maine, S. D.

June 3, 1965.

William E. McKinley, U. S. Atty., Portland, Me., for plaintiff.

Manuel Katz, Daniel Klubock, Paul T. Smith, Boston, Mass., for defendant.

GIGNOUX, District Judge.

Defendant Murdo F. Margeson has filed with the Court a motion under Fed. R.Crim.P. 41(e) to suppress for use as evidence and to return to him one pair of black shoes,¹ which he alleges was unlawfully seized from him by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Concord Police Department at Concord, New Hampshire on June 8, 1964. It is undisputed that the shoes were taken from the person of the defendant in connection with his arrest by FBI agents on a charge of robbery of the Mill Creek branch of the Federal Loan and Building Association at South Portland, Maine, on June 5, 1964, in violation of the federal bank robbery statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). It is also conceded that the arresting officers were not acting pursuant to an arrest warrant and that they had no search warrant. The Government justifies the seizure as reasonably incident to a lawful arrest based upon sufficient probable cause. Ker v. State of California, 374 U.S. 23, 34-37, 83 S.Ct. 1623, 10 L.Ed.2d 726 (1963); Draper v. United States, 358 U.S. 307, 79 S.Ct. 329, 3 L.Ed.2d 327 (1959); United States v. Rabinowitz, 339 U.S. 56, 70 S.Ct. 430, 94 L.Ed. 653 (1950); Harris v. United States, 331 U.S. 145, 67 S.Ct. 1098, 91 L.Ed. 1399 (1947); cf. Preston v. United States, 376 U.S. 364, 84 S.Ct. 881, 11 L.Ed.2d 777 (1964).

From the evidence presented to it, the Court finds the circumstances of the defendant's arrest and the subsequent seizure of the shoes involved were as follows. At approximately 2:00 p. m. on Friday, June 5, 1964, two armed men entered the Mill Creek branch of the Federal Loan and Building Association at South Portland, Maine, took money from the tellers' cages and fled. FBI Agent Gibbons arrived at the scene to investigate the robbery shortly thereafter. During the course of his investigation that afternoon he was informed by Mr. Elmer Inman, a supervisory employee of a nearby supermarket, that at about 11:30 o'clock that morning he had observed a green Chevrolet automobile, with two men in it, parked in the parking lot of the shopping center which serves both the supermarket and the bank; that he had observed one of the men get out of the car and walk completely around the supermarket and along the street in front of the bank before he returned to the car; that he thought this was unusual; and that he had noted the registration number of the car, which was New Hampshire registration "MO 998." Upon receipt of this information Gibbons called FBI Agent Roedell in Concord, New Hampshire, who after inquiry reported to Gibbons that the registered owner of the car involved was the defendant Murdo Margeson, of Warner, New Hampshire. Roedell also reported to Gibbons that Margeson was at the time on bail pending his appeal from a bank robbery conviction in Massachusetts.

During the course of his investigation Gibbons also learned that Mr. Richard Morse, the assistant manager of the bank, was the bank employee who had escorted one of the robbers around the bank. Morse described this robber as a white male about six feet tall, weighing about 160 pounds, slimly built, and agile. He stated that the robber was wearing a handkerchief mask, which obscured the lower part of his face, but that he felt he could identify the man if he saw him again because of the distinctive hair growth on the back of his head at the nape of his neck. Morse also reported that this robber had jumped onto the counter in the bank in order to get to the tellers' cages. Gibbons then examined the bank counter and found two shoe prints, of which the heel impressions were particularly discernible and appeared to him to be of an unusual design. Since it was not possible to photograph the heel prints, Gibbons caused a sketch to be made. The section of the counter involved was also physically removed and preserved.

On the evening of the robbery Boston FBI agents showed to Morse and the other bank employees a number of photographs, including photographs of Margeson; these photographs of Margeson bore legends showing that they were taken by the Boston Police Department in 1958, and some of them bore his description. The bank employees were unable to identify either of the robbers from these photographs, and Gibbons was so informed. On the same evening Roedell informed Gibbons that Margeson's car with two male occupants, one of whom was Margeson, had been observed by Concord police officers at approximately 5:30 p. m. on that day at the Concord traffic circle, proceeding from the direction of Maine toward Warner. Gibbons knew that the distance from South Portland, Maine to the Concord traffic circle was between 100 and 125 miles and the normal driving time was about 1½ to 2 hours.

On Saturday morning, June 6, Gibbons and Morse drove to Concord and contacted Roedell for the purpose of permitting Morse to observe Margeson and if possible, to identify him. Since they were unable to locate Margeson, they returned to Portland that evening. During the course of this trip Morse was again shown photographs of several persons, including Margeson, and was again unable to identify him as one of the robbers. He was also informed at this time that Margeson was the owner of the car which had been seen in the area of the bank on the morning of the robbery.

On the following Monday, June 8, Gibbons and Morse again drove to Concord and contacted Roedell. After lunch Roedell received word that Margeson had left his residence in Warner and was driving his car toward Concord. Gibbons and Morse, in Gibbons' car, followed Roedell, in his car, in the direction of Warner. When they were about half way from Concord to Warner, Roedell observed Margeson driving his car in the opposite direction toward Concord. He radioed this information to Gibbons, who after Margeson's car had passed him executed a U-turn, followed and overtook Margeson's car. As Gibbons was overtaking and passing Margeson's car, Morse was able to observe the back of Margeson's neck, his profile and the general shape of his head and shoulders. He stated to Gibbons that Margeson was the robber whom he had escorted around the bank. Gibbons then stopped to telephone the United States Attorney's office in Portland to inform the United States Attorney of Morse's identification and to request authority to file a complaint for an arrest warrant, which was granted. He also telephoned the FBI office in Boston, spoke to the assistant agent-in-charge, informed him that a complaint had been authorized, and requested additional help for an arrest. At Gibbons' request, FBI Agents Madden and McCarthy were sent from Nashua, New Hampshire to assist in the arrest.

While Gibbons was telephoning, Roedell continued the surveillance of Margeson. When Gibbons completed his calls, he reestablished radio contact with Roedell and was informed that Margeson's car was then parked on Main Street in Concord. Gibbons and Morse proceeded to Main Street, where Morse was able to observe Margeson walking on the sidewalk. Once again, he stated to Gibbons that he was convinced Margeson was the robber whom he had escorted around the bank. From Main Street the agents and Morse followed Margeson to the parking area of the Capital Shopping Center in Concord, where Margeson parked his car alongside Britts department store and entered the store. When Margeson did not come out of the store, Gibbons became concerned that Margeson might have observed the surveillance of the agents and might have left by another exit. He thereupon radioed the Boston FBI office, spoke to the assistant agent-in-charge and obtained approval of his decision to make an arrest, before any warrant was issued, as soon as the Nashua agents arrived. He then entered the store to look for Margeson.

In the meantime, Roedell, together with Agents Madden and McCarthy and Lieutenant Hines and Detective Joslin of the Concord police department, who had arrived to assist in the arrest, placed themselves in positions where they could observe the store entrances. At approximately 3:30 p. m. Roedell observed Margeson leave the store, get into his car and start to drive from the parking area. Roedell moved his car to intercept Margeson's car; got out of his car; approached Margeson's car; identified himself as an FBI agent; and told Margeson that he was under arrest in connection with the South Portland bank robbery. He instructed Margeson to get out of his car, which Margeson did. Roedell then "frisked" Margeson for weapons and handcuffed him. As Roedell was making the arrest, the other agents and the Concord police officers arrived at the scene; Roedell left to talk with the owner of another car which he had sideswiped in intercepting Margeson; and Gibbons took charge. He instructed Margeson to sit in the rear seat of the car with Madden; took Margeson's car keys and opened and searched the trunk; but he found nothing of significance. Gibbons then asked Margeson to remove his shoes, which were loafers. He took the shoes from Margeson and examined the heels, noting that they were of the same pattern as the heel prints which he had observed on the bank counter. He also compared the heels with a rough sketch which he had made of the heel prints, which confirmed his recollection. He then stated in Margeson's presence that the shoes were important evidence and that he was seizing them. Gibbons then returned the shoes to Margeson, saying that the officers would let him wear the shoes until they could get him something else to wear. Margeson was permitted to wear the shoes until they were finally taken from him by Agent McCarthy and Lieutenant Hines approximately one hour after Margeson's arrival at the...