State v. Schatz

No. 80-459
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
1981

STATE OF MONTANA,
Plaintiff and Respondent,
VS.

TERRY JOHN SCHATZ,
Defendant and Appellant.

Appeal from: District Court of the Thirteenth Judicial District,
In and for the County of Yellowstone
Honorable Diane G. Barz, Judge presiding.
Counsel of Record:
For Appellant:
John L. Adams, Jr. argued, Billings, Montana
For Respondent:
Hon. Mike Greely, Attorney General, Helena, Montana
Mark Murphy argued, Assistant Attorney General, Helena,
Montana
Harold Hanser, Gounty Attorney, Billings, Montana

Submitted: September 18, 1981
Decided : flcr 1 9 198t
Mr. J u s t i c e Frank B. Morrison, J r . , d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of
t h e Court.

Defendant a p p e a l s from h i s c o n v i c t i o n on t h r e e c o u n t s

o f r o b b e r y f o r which he was s e n t e n c e d t o 30 y e a r s , 30 y e a r s

and 40 y e a r s t o r u n c o n s e c u t i v e l y . W e affirm.

Defendant r a i s e s i s s u e s c o n c e r n i n g s u f f i c i e n c y of t h e

e v i d e n c e , c h a l l e n g e s e v i d e n c e s e i z e d from d e f e n d a n t ' s v e h i c l e ,

and q u e s t i o n s w i t n e s s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n r e s u l t i n g from a photo-

graphic lineup. Because of t h e c h a l l e n g e s made by t h e

d e f e n d a n t , w e s e t f o r t h a d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e e v i -

dence received a t t r i a l .

On J u n e 1 3 , 1980, P a u l G j e f l e was working a l o n e a t t h e

L a u r e l Kwik-Way s t o r e a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 0 : O O a . m . , when h e

w a s approached by a n armed man who demanded money. When

G j e f l e e x p r e s s e d d i s b e l i e f , t h e man s t r u c k him i n t h e f a c e

w i t h a p i s t o l . G j e f l e t h e n p l a c e d money from t h e c a s h r e g i s t e r

i n t o a p a p e r s a c k . The armed r o b b e r f l e d on f o o t . Frances

Campbell, a w i t n e s s l i v i n g n e a r t h e s t o r e , n o t i c e d a man

a c t i n g p e c u l i a r l y and d e s c r i b e d him a s r u n n i n g t o a c a r

i d e n t i f i e d a s a r e d Mustang. She remembered a p a r t i a l

l i c e n s e p l a t e number of 3-1125.

On t h e evening of J u n e 1 7 , 1980, a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 1 : O O

p.m., a s i n g l e male p e r s o n armed w i t h a p i s t o l robbed t h e

B i l l i n g s Kwik-Way s t o r e . The c l e r k , E i l e e n Yansness, g a v e

t h e p o l i c e a d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e s u s p e c t .

A t h i r d r o b b e r y w a s committed a t t h e F i r s t Avenue

B i l l i n g s I G A , a t a b o u t 2:00 a.m., on J u n e 1 8 , 1980. Minutes
l a t e r a deputy s h e r i f f i n t h e v i c i n i t y , received a r a d i o

r e p o r t of t h e r o b b e r y which i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e r o b b e r had

f l e d n o r t h on North 22nd S t r e e t . While a t t e m p t i n g t o d e t e r -
mine a p r o b a b l e get-away r o u t e , t h e d e p u t y n o t i c e d a r e d
Mustang headed n o r t h a t a n u n u s u a l l y slow speed. The d e p u t y

began t o f o l l o w . The s u s p e c t c a r s u d d e n l y t u r n e d , parked

and t u r n e d o f f i t s l i g h t s . The d e p u t y p a r k e d and approached
the suspect vehicle. The d e p u t y n o t i c e d a p e r s o n , l a t e r

determined t o be t h e defendant, l y i n g motionless a c r o s s t h e

f r o n t s e a t . The d e p u t y o r d e r e d t h e d e f e n d a n t t o remove

h i m s e l f from t h e c a r , whereupon t h e d e p u t y n o t i c e d , i n p l a i n

view, a p a p e r s a c k w i t h a n I G A l o g o , t o g e t h e r w i t h a p i s t o l

and some a r t i c l e s of c l o t h i n g which w e r e s i m i l a r t o t h o s e
r e p o r t e d l y worn by t h e r o b b e r . The d e f e n d a n t was t h e n
p l a c e d under a r r e s t and t h e e v i d e n c e i n p l a i n view w a s
seized.

The f o l l o w i n g i s s u e s a r e r a i s e d on a p p e a l :

1. Whether t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t p r o p e r l y d e n i e d d e f e n -

d a n t ' s motion t o s u p p r e s s t h e e v i d e n c e s e i z e d from t h e
vehicle?

2. Whether e v i d e n c e of a p h o t o g r a p h i c l i n e u p w a s c o r -

r e c t l y a d m i t t e d a t t h e t i m e of t r i a l ?

3 . Whether d e f e n d a n t s h o u l d have been g r a n t e d a m i s -

t r i a l b e c a u s e d e f e n d a n t w a s s e e n by c e r t a i n j u r o r s , leaving

t h e courthouse, while i n handcuffs?

4 . Whether t h e r e was s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t t h e

verdict?

Defendant c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e a r r e s t i n g o f f i c e r d i d n o t
have p r o b a b l e c a u s e t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t , when

a r r e s t e d , had committed a c r i m e . Defendant a r g u e s : "How-
e v e r , s u s p i c i o n of a n o f f i c e r a l o n e u n s u b s t a n t i a t e d by some
e v i d e n c e upon which t o b a s e b e l i e f t h a t a c r i m e i s o r h a s

been committed by t h e s u s p e c t i s n o t enough t o e s t a b l i s h

p r o b a b l e c a u s e no m a t t e r what a s u b s e q u e n t s e a r c h may re-
veal." Defendant c i t e s and r e l i e s upon S t a t e v. Rader

( 1 9 7 8 ) , 177 Mont. 252, 581 P.2d 437.

I n S t a t e v. Gopher ( 1 9 8 1 ) , Mont. , 631 P.2d

293, 38 St.Rep. 1078, w e d i s c a r d e d t h e d i c t u m i n Rader, c a s t

a s i d e t h e former r e q u i r e m e n t of " p r o b a b l e c a u s e " , and a d o p t e d

t h e " p a r t i c u l a r i z e d s u s p i c i o n " t e s t found i n United S t a t e s

v. C o r t e z ( 1 9 8 1 ) , U.S. , 1 0 1 S.Ct. 690, 66 L.Ed.2d

621. S t a t e v . Gopher, s u p r a , p u b l i s h e d s i n c e t r i a l o f t h e

case a t b a r , d i s p o s e s o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c o n t e n t i o n h e r e .

I n S t a t e v . Gopher, s u p r a , J u s t i c e H a r r i s o n , s p e a k i n g

f o r a unanimous c o u r t , s a i d : " I t should be noted here t h a t

O f f i c e r J o h n s t o n i s a n e x p e r i e n c e d and knowledgeable member

o f t h e G r e a t F a l l s p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t , h a v i n g been w i t h t h e

f o r c e f o r over twelve y e a r s . This i s an important element

of t h e C o r t e z a n a l y s i s , which emphasizes t h a t e x p e r i e n c e d

law e n f o r c e m e n t a u t h o r i t i e s a r e a l l o w e d t o draw c e r t a i n

c o n c l u s i o n s which laymen c o u l d n o t p r o p e r l y draw i n d e t e r -

mining i f a s p e c i f i c v e h i c u l a r s t o p i s l e g a l l y v a l i d . " 631

P.2d a t 295, 38 St.Rep. a t 1080.

I n Gopher d e f e n d a n t ' s v e h i c l e w a s s t o p p e d a f t e r t h e

o f f i c e r n o t i c e d i t p r o c e e d i n g i n a n u n u s u a l l y slow manner,

p a s t t h e s c e n e of t h e c r i m e , a t a n e a r l y morning hour.

I n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e , S e r g e a n t Brennan, a v e t e r a n o f 9

y e a r s of e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e Yellowstone County s h e r i f f ' s

o f f i c e , r e c e i v e d a r a d i o c a l l t h a t a n armed r o b b e r y had

o c c u r r e d a t t h e F i r s t Avenue I G A s t o r e . H e w a s informed

t h a t t h e s u s p e c t had f l e d n o r t h and w e s t from t h e r e a r of

t h e IGA. Approximately t h r e e m i n u t e s a f t e r r e c e i v i n g t h e

r a d i o c a l l , S e r g e a n t Brennan observed a s m a l l r e d car

t r a v e l i n g w e s t on 6 t h Avenue North a t a n e x t r e m e l y slow

pace." U n l i k e t h e f a c t s of t h e a r r e s t i n Gopher, S e r g e a n t
Brennan d i d n o t have t o s t o p d e f e n d a n t ' s v e h i c l e . Rather

d e f e n d a n t took e v a s i v e a c t i o n by s h u t t i n g o f f h i s l i g h t s and

p u l l i n g o v e r a g a i n s t t h e c u r b where d e f e n d a n t proceeded t o

r e c l i n e motionless i n t h e f r o n t s e a t of t h e c a r . Under t h e

t e s t a d o p t e d i n S t a t e v. Gopher, s u p r a , t h i s e x p e r i e n c e d law

enforcement o f f i c e r had a " p a r t i c u l a r i z e d s u s p i c i o n " s u f f i -

c i e n t t o e f f e c t u a t e a lawful arrest. The e v i d e n c e s e i z e d

was i n p l a i n view. The t r i a l c o u r t p r o p e r l y d e n i e d d e f e n -

d a n t ' s motion t o s u p p r e s s .

Defendant u r g e s e r r o r i n t h e a d m i s s i o n of two photo-

graphic lineups. A p h o t o g r a p h i c l i n e u p was shown t o E i l e e n

Yansness, t h e c l e r k a t t h e B i l l i n g s Kwik-Way. She looked a t

a n a r r a y of 7 p h o t o g r a p h s and i d e n t i f i e d t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s

photograph a s being, " t h e b e s t one". The o t h e r p h o t o g r a p h i c

l i n e u p c o n t a i n e d a n a r r a y of 6 p h o t o g r a p h s and was shown t o

P a u l G j e f l e and F r a n c e s Campbell. Mrs. Campbell p i c k e d t h e

d e f e n d a n t ' s photograph from t h e a r r a y b u t w a s n o t p o s i t i v e

i n her i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . Mr. Gjefle correctly selected the

d e f e n d a n t ' s p i c t u r e from t h e a r r a y . Mrs. Campbell made no

i n - c o u r t i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . M r . G j e f l e and E i l e e n Yansness made

positive in-court identifications. The law e n f o r c e m e n t

o f f i c e r s , who showed t h e p h o t o g r a p h i c l i n e u p s t o t h e v a r i o u s

w i t n e s s e s , t e s t i f i e d t h a t p h o t o g r a p h s w e r e s e l e c t e d of o t h e r

p e r s o n s having s i m i l a r p h y s i c a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t o t h e

defendant. They a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s photo-

g r a p h was n o t i n d i c a t e d t o t h o s e making t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n .

The q u e s t i o n h e r e r a i s e d was d i s p o s e d of i n S t a t e v .

P e n d e r g r a s s (1980) , -Mont. -, 615 P.2d 201, 37 S t - R e p .

1370. The d e t e r m i n i n g f a c t o r i s whether t h e a r r a y i s unduly

suggestive. The p h o t o g r a p h i c l i n e u p s i n q u e s t i o n a r e p a r t
of t h i s r e c o r d and have been reviewed by t h e C o u r t . W e do
n o t f i n d them t o be unduly s u g g e s t i v e .

Defendant c o n t e n d s p r e j u d i c e r e s u l t e d from j u r o r s

seeing defendant i n handcuffs. Defendant was viewed momen-

t a r i l y by c e r t a i n j u r o r s when b e i n g t a k e n from t h e courtroom

back t o confinement. The viewing took p l a c e o u t s i d e t h e

courtroom.

S t a t e v . Baugh ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 174 Mont. 456, 463, 571 P.2d

779, 783, d e a l t w i t h t h e i s s u e of j u r o r s viewing t h e d e f e n d a n t ,

i n c o u r t , i n handcuffs. This Court t h e r e s a i d :

" . . . Most c o u r t s now a g r e e w i t h Sawyer t h a t
a d e f e n d a n t i s n o t d e n i e d a f a i r t r i a l and i s
n o t e n t i t l e d t o a m i s t r i a l s o l e l y b e c a u s e he
was momentarily and i n a d v e r t e n t l y s e e n i n
h a n d c u f f s by j u r y members."

T h i s l a n g u a g e was q u o t e d w i t h a p p r o v a l and r e l i e d upon i n

S t a t e v. P e n d e r g r a s s , s u p r a . H e r e t h e r e was no showing of

p r e j u d i c e t o t h e d e f e n d a n t r e s u l t i n g from t h e momentary

viewing.

Defendant had contended t h a t i f p h y s i c a l e v i d e n c e

s e i z e d from d e f e n d a n t ' s c a r was s u p p r e s s e d , t h e n t h e r e would

be i n s u f f i c i e n t evidence t o support t h e conviction. This

i s s u e h a s been r e n d e r e d moot by o u r r u l i n g t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e

was a d m i s s i b l e . There w a s s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o c r e a t e a

j u r y i s s u e on e a c h c o u n t .

The judgment o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i s a f f i r m e d .
We concur: