USA v. Thoms et al

Filing 144

Order on Motion to Inspect

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Plaintiff,
vs.
TRACE RAE THOMS, and
JENNIFER ANNE THOMS,

3:10-cr-069-JWS-JDR
ORDER
REGARDING
MOTION FOR COURT VIEW
(Docket No. 64)

Defendants.

Defendant Trace Thoms requests the court to personally view the
premises searched pursuant to search warrant 3PA-10-56 SW. Docket 64. As a
result of the execution of that search warrant a marijuana grow operation was
discovered. In his motion to suppress Thoms argues that Investigator Kyle Young
“lied to the issuing judge” when he stated that he could smell the odor of marijuana
from outside the premises in question. The defendant seeks to have the judicial
officer see first hand the location and distances involved in Investigator Young’s
averments. See Supporting Memorandum at Docket 65.

The government filed an opposition at Docket 71 arguing that Thoms
did not raise an issue about Young’s smell of marijuana in his initial motion to
suppress or make an offer of proof that the trooper lied about smelling marijuana.
In a reply, Thoms indicated that he would seek leave to file an addendum to his
motion for a Franks hearing wherein he would raise the issue about whether Trooper
Young could have smelled marijuana as he claimed.
This issue is now before the court as part of Thoms revised motion to
suppress. The magistrate judge, however, declines to conduct a court view of the
property regarding the motion the motion to suppress.
At the Franks hearing the parties may offer testimony of an expert
witness on the ability to detect marijuana, as well as the testimony of Trooper Kyle
Young. In his proffer Thoms indicates that he intends to testify regarding the
physical location of his premises and efforts he made to conceal the odor of
marijuana emanating from those premises. The court does not need to personally
view the property in order to assess the reliability and credibility of witnesses at the
Franks hearing.
There is no specific federal rule permitting the jury (fact-finder) to make
an inspection of the premises or the place involved in the prosecution. The district
court has wide discretion granting a request for a view. Skyway Aviation Corp. v.
Minneapolis, N. & S. Ry. Co., 326 F.2d 701, 708 (8th Cir. 1964). Courts are divided

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over whether the view of the premises is evidence in the case. Compare Park-N
Theaters, Inc., v. Ochs, 75 F. Supp. 506, 512 (SD Ohio 1948) (View not to be
considered as evidence) with United States v. Harris, 141 F. Supp. 418, 419-20 (SD
Ca. 1955) (View of premises is evidence). The magistrate judge concludes that a
view by the court, whether it would constitute evidence or not, is unnecessary for the
court to follow the evidence presented by the parties at the Franks hearing and apply
the law to the facts as adduced. Accordingly, the Motion for Court View is hereby
DENIED.
DATED this 11th day of January, 2011, at Anchorage, Alaska.

/s/ John D. Roberts
JOHN D. ROBERTS
United States Magistrate Judge

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