THOMAS FINDLAY, PETITIONER,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, RESPONDENT
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The Florida Supreme Court upheld a marijuana possession conviction, holding that a search warrant affidavit is legally sufficient when it contains substantial independent observations by the affiant based on personal knowledge, even if it also references tips from confidential informants whose reliability was not independently established.
The affidavit was legally sufficient. An affidavit that is otherwise sufficient based on the affiant's personal observations and independent facts is not tainted or invalidated merely by reference to confidential tips, even if those tips alone would be inadequate under Aguilar and Spinelli standards. The detective's substantial independent surveillance observations provided sufficient probable cause independent of any informant information.
[1] An affidavit for a search warrant is not rendered insufficient by the inclusion of information from an unreliable informant if the affidavit also contains sufficient inde…
[2] Personal surveillance by a law enforcement officer observing known drug users frequenting a premises and carrying small bags of unknown substances can contribute to proba…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“An affidavit which is otherwise sufficient is not tainted by reference to a confidential tip, even though that tip be inadequate in itself under the Aguilar and Spinelli cases.”
Establishes the core holding that independent probable cause can support a warrant even when accompanied by unverified informant information
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceDetective Sardella obtained a search warrant for Findlay's home based on an affidavit containing information from neighbors and confidential informant…
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OVERTON, Justice.
This cause is before us on petition for writ of certiorari to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, which affirmed per cu-riam without opinion the petitioner’s lower court conviction of possession of marijuana.1 We originally granted certiorari because of alleged conflict with Wolff v. State, 291 So. 2d 15 (Fla.App.3d 1974), which was subsequently reversed by this Court in State v. Wolff, 310 So. 2d 729 (Fla.1975). At issue is the legal sufficiency of an affidavit containing alleged informant information to support a search warrant of the petitioner’s home.
From our examination of the search warrant, it is clear that the affiant, Detective Joseph J. Sardella, personally conducted a surveillance of the petitioner’s premises after receiving information from neighbors and other confidential informants. On at least eight different occasions the affiant personally observed known users of drugs going to and from the premises carrying small paper or plastic bags of an unknown substance, believed to be marijuana. The affiant further stated that the petitioner, owner of the premises to be searched, was known to the affiant as a dealer and user of marijuana, having previously been arrested for possession of marijuana in Indian River County. Finally, the affiant observed several vehicles going to the premises, with the occupants carrying small bags from the premises to their vehicles.
Petitioner alleges that the affidavit is insufficient as a matter of law because of the use of informant information contrary to the Third District Court’s decision in Wolff v. State, supra. Petitioner further alleges that the affidavit failed to establish the reliability of the neighbors and confidential informants contrary to Spinelli v. United States, 393 U.S. 410, 89 S.Ct. 584, 21 L.Ed.2d 637 (1968); Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 84 S.Ct. 1509, 12 L.Ed.2d 723 (1964). The first contention is without merit, having been disposed of in our reversal of the District Court’s decision in Wolff v. State, supra. The second argument would have merit under the standards set down by this Court in Wolff and in the federal cases cited if the affidavit had contained material reliance upon tips from neighbors and confidential informants for issuance of a search warrant without establishing the informants’ reliability. But, as this Court stated in State v. Smith, 233 So. 2d 396, 398 (Fla.1970):
“We have carefully reviewed the decisions of the United States Supreme Court in Spinelli v. United States and Aguilar v. Texas. The affidavits held insufficient in those cases were based almost entirely on reports received from informers without supporting factual allegations showing reliability and ‘underlying circumstances.’ The interpretation of Spinelli and Aguilar urged by respondents herein, would require the striking of a search warrant based on affidavits referring to tips from confidential informers not meeting Aguilar’s test, even though the affidavit contained sufficient independent statements based on personal knowledge of the affiant. We are unwilling to adopt such a rule and do not believe Aguilar and Spinelli require it. An affidavit which is otherwise sufficient is not tainted by reference to a confidential tip, even though that tip be inadequate in itself under the Aguilar and Spinelli cases.” [Emphasis supplied]
Our holding in Smith is not inconsistent with our opinion in State v. Wolff, supra. The present affidavit could have omitted all reference to the neighbors and confidential informants without affecting the determination of probable cause. On relatively similar facts, a federal court has stated:
“Spinelli is no authority for the proposition that the search warrant is invalid because an investigation is begun as a result of a tip. Weak, anonymous and even untrustworthy information may serve as the opening clue to uncovering criminal acts. . . . ” DiPiazza v. United States, 415 F. 2d 99, 105 (6th Cir. 1969).
We have considered petitioner’s further contention regarding the State’s alleged failure to demonstrate that he was in constructive possession of the contraband. It is without merit.
We find no present conflict with the controlling law of this state.
Writ discharged.
ADKINS, C. J., and ROBERTS, BOYD and ENGLAND, JJ., concur. . Findlay v. State, 288 So. 2d 592 (Fla.App. 4th 1974).
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Antone v. State, 382 So. 2d 1205 (Fla. 1980)…t in this cause. It is so ordered. ENGLAND, C. J., and ADKINS, BOYD, OVERTON and SUNDBERG, JJ., concur. . Art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla.Const. . Florida courts have also been called upon to apply the Aguilar-Spinelli test. See, e. g., Findlay v. State, 316 So. 2d 33 (Fla.1975); State v. Smith, 233 So. 2d 396 (Fla. 1970); St. John v. State, 356 So. 2d 32 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978); Davis v. State, 350 So. 2d 834 (Fla.2d DCA 1977), cert. denied, 355 So. 2d 517 (Fla.1978). . Wilson and Henry are distinguishable from our…
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State v. Gieseke, 328 So. 2d 16 (Fla. 1976)…his cause is remanded for further action in the trial court consistent herewith. It is so ordered. ADKINS, C. J., and ROBERTS, ENGLAND and HATCHETT, JJ., concur. . Article V, Section 3(b)(3), Florida Constitution. . 233 So. 2d 396 (Fla.1970). . 316 So. 2d 33 (Fla.1975). . Supra, Note 2 at 398. . 403 U.S. 573, 91 S.Ct. 2075, 29 L.Ed.2d 723 (1971). . 225 So. 2d 170 (Fla.App.1969) ; cert. den. 232 So. 2d 178 (Fla.). . 292 So. 2d 596 (Fla.App.1974). . 310 So. 2d 729 (Fla.1975).…
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Davis v. State, 346 So. 2d 141 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977)…contribute to reliability. See State v. Jacobs, 320 So. 2d 45 (Fla. 2 DCA 1975), and State v. Patterson, 309 So. 2d 555 (Fla. 2 DCA 1975). Also reliability may be established by corroboration from an independent source. [*143] See Findlay v. State, 316 So. 2d 33 (Fla.1975), and State v. Henderson, 318 So. 2d 524 (Fla. 2 DCA 1975). Reversed and remanded with directions to vacate the order denying appellant’s motion to suppress the evidence and to grant same. RAWLS, Acting C. J., and SMITH, J., concur.…
Previewing 3 of 10 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108 (U.S. 1964)
- Spinelli v. United States, 393 U.S. 410 (U.S. 1969)
- State v. Wolff, 310 So. 2d 729 (Fla. 1975)
- Sam (Salvatore) DiPIAZZA v. United States, 415 F.2d 99 (6th Cir. 1969)
- State v. Smith, 233 So. 2d 396 (Fla. 1970)
- Wolff v. State, 291 So. 2d 15 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974)
- Ford v. State, 288 So. 2d 592 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974)
- In re Est. of Anthony Buscaino, Sr. v. Boss Buscaino, 288 So. 2d 592 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974)