TROY DEWAYNE HUGHES V. COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
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RENDERED : AUGUST 22, 2002
TO BE PUBLISH
2000-SC-0156-MR
TROY DEWAYNE HUGHES
V.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE GARY D . PAYNE, JUDGE
99-CR-280
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
OPINION OF THE COURT BY JUSTICE COOPER
AFFIRMING
On January 3, 1999, officers of the Lexington-Fayette Division of Police
discovered the dead body of Keisha Hughes in apartment 405, 325 Bainbridge,
Lexington, Kentucky, a residence she shared with her husband, Appellant Troy
DeWayne Hughes, and her two children by a previous relationship . Appellant later
confessed to killing his wife by strangulation . He entered a conditional guilty plea, RCr
8 .09, to murder and was sentenced to forty years in prison . On appeal, he asserts that
(1) evidence of the discovery of the victim's body should have been suppressed
because it was discovered during the course of a warrantless search ; (2) his confession
should have been suppressed because the person who advised him of his Miranda
rights was not the same person who conducted the interrogation ; and (3) the "violent
offender statute," KRS 439 .3401, is unconstitutional because it provides an earlier
minimum parole eligibility date for a life sentence than for a term of forty years .
I. WARRANTLESS SEARCH .
At 8:50 a .m . on January 3, 1999, Ella Woodward, the mother of Keisha Hughes,
reported to the Lexington-Fayette Division of Police that her daughter had not been
seen for two days and had failed to pick up her children whom she had left with
relatives in Louisville . She further advised that her daughter was married to Troy
Hughes, that they lived at apartment 405, 325 Bainbridge, and that they had
experienced marital problems in the past. Officer Varney was dispatched to 325
Bainbridge . Appellant answered the door at apartment 405 and advised Varney that his
wife was inside the apartment, asleep, and did not wish to be disturbed . This
information was relayed to Mrs. Woodward who expressed dissatisfaction with
Appellant's explanation . At approximately 11 :30 a.m . that same day, another officer,
Darnell Dials, proceeded to 325 Bainbridge and obtained no response to repeated
knocks on the door of apartment 405 . Dials detected a foul odor emanating from the
apartment and initially thought the source might be soiled baby diapers . Because he
"wanted to make sure everything was OK inside the apartment," Dials asked the
apartment manager to unlock the door so that he could enter the apartment. He also
asked the manager if there were any babies in diapers living in the apartment, and she
responded that there were none. Upon opening the apartment door, Dials encountered
a rush of extremely hot air permeated with the same foul odor he had previously
detected from outside the apartment. He then suspected that the odor might be caused
by decomposing human remains . He found Keisha Hughes's dead body in the back
bedroom . Dials immediately left the apartment, locked it, and did not further search it or
remove any evidence from it until after he had obtained a search warrant .
Appellant asserts that the discovery of the victim's body should have been
suppressed because Dials illegally entered the apartment without a search warrant.
Following a suppression hearing, RCr 9.78, the trial judge found that Dials had entered
the apartment because he reasonably believed that Keisha Hughes might be in need of
immediate assistance . That is an exigent circumstance authorizing a warrantless
search.
We do not question the right of the police to respond to emergency
situations . Numerous state and federal cases have recognized that the
Fourth Amendment does not bar police officers from making warrantless
entries and searches when they reasonably believe that a person within is
in need of immediate aid .
Mincey v. Arizona , 437 U .S . 385, 392, 98 S.Ct. 2408, 2413, 57 L.Ed .2d 290 (1978) .
See Mills v. Commonwealth , Ky., 996 S.W.2d 473, 480 (1999), cert. denied , 528 U .S .
1164 (2000) ; Todd v . Commonwealth , Ky ., 716 S.W.2d 242, 247-48 (1986); Gillum v.
Commonwealth, Ky.App., 925 S .W.2d 189, 190 (1995) . In Gillum, a neighbor reported
to the police that he had not seen Gillum for some time ; that the door to Gillum's truck
had stood open from 8:00 p .m . until 2 :00 a .m . ; that lights had been left on in Gillum's
residence ; that the neighbor had repeatedly knocked on doors and windows to no avail
and had attempted unsuccessfully to contact Gillum by telephone; and that Gillum lived
alone and had a history of heart problems . These facts were deemed sufficient to
justify a warrantless entry by the police who discovered, in plain view, a large number of
marijuana plants that Gillum was cultivating on the premises . Id . at 191
The "clearly erroneous" standard of review applies to a trial court's findings on a
motion to suppress evidence obtained during a search. "If supported by substantial
evidence the factual findings of the trial court shall be conclusive ." RCr 9.78 . Dials had
information that the victim had been reported missing for two days and that she had
failed to pick up her children after leaving them with relatives in Louisville; that she and
Appellant had experienced marital problems ; that Appellant had refused Officer
Varney's earlier request to see the victim on the excuse that she was asleep ; and that
when Dials returned to the apartment, no one answered his knock on the door and an
unusual odor was emanating from inside the apartment . This was substantial evidence
supporting the trial judge's finding that Dials had a reasonable belief that Keisha
Hughes might be inside the apartment and in need of emergency assistance . We
reject Appellant's disingenuous argument that Dials should have known when he
smelled the odor of decomposing human remains that the victim was no longer in need
of assistance.
There is another reason why the motion to suppress the evidence of the
discovery of the victim's body could have been properly overruled . The victim's brother,
Leslie Woodward, testified that he arrived at 325 Bainbridge while Dials was inside the
apartment and that he would have entered the apartment, himself, if Dials had not
already done so . Even if that were not so, the victim's body inevitably would have been
discovered, especially as the odor of decomposition increased .'
In Nix v . Williams , 467 U.S . 431, 104 S.Ct. 2501, 81 L .Ed .2d 377 (1984), the
United States Supreme Court adopted the "inevitable discovery rule" to permit
admission of evidence unlawfully obtained upon proof by a preponderance of the
evidence that the same evidence would have been inevitably discovered by lawful
'Contrary to the complaint registered by the concurrence, post, we are not here
making a "finding of fact," but only recognizing the existence of an indisputable fact.
means . Id a t 444, 104 S .Ct. 2509 . Noting that the rationale behind excluding the "fruit
.
of the poisonous tree," Wong Sun v . United States , 371 U.S . 471, 488, 83 S.Ct. 407,
417, 9 L.Ed .2d 441 (1963), was that the prosecution should not be put in a better
position than it would have been if the illegality had not transpired, the Court concluded
in Nix that, conversely, the prosecution should not be put in a worse position than if no
police error or misconduct had occurred . Nix, supra , at 443, 104 S .Ct. at 2508-09 . In
Nix, the victim's body was initially discovered as a result of an unlawfully obtained
statement from the defendant; however, the body was found within an area already
being searched by two hundred volunteers who inevitably would have discovered it "in
short order." Id . at 435-37, 104 S .Ct. at 2504-06 . The doctrine has been applied to the
fruits of illegal searches as well as to the fruits of illegally obtained confessions . E .g.,
United States v . Scott , 270 F .3d 30, 42 (1st Cir. 2001), cert. denied,
U .S.
, 122
S .Ct. 1583, 152 L .Ed .2d 501 (2002) ; United States v. Kimes, 246 F .3d 800, 803-04 (6th
Cir. 2001), cert. denied ,
U .S .
, 122 S.Ct. 823, 151 L.Ed .2d 705 (2002) ; United
States v. Ford , 184 F .3d 566, 577 (6th Cir. 1999), cert . denied , 528 U.S . 1161 (2000) .
We reject the suggestion that if Dials had not discovered the victim's body when he did,
Appellant might have been able to remove and conceal it. Suffice it to say that there is
no "'constitutional right' to destroy evidence ." Segura v. United States , 468 U .S . 796,
816, 104 S .Ct. 3380, 3391, 82 L .Ed .2d 599 (1984) (applying the conceptually similar
"independent source rule").
II . CONFESSION.
Appellant was arrested by Officer Ricky Lynn at 1 :50 p.m . on January 3, 1999,
after a brief automobile and foot chase. Lynn immediately advised Appellant of his
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require readvisement) ; United States v. Diaz , 814 F.2d 454, 461 n .6 (7th Cir. 1987)
(several hours), cert. denied, 484 U .S . 857 (1987) ; Jarrell v. Balkcom , 735 F.2d 1242,
1253 (11th Cir. 1984) (three hours), cert. denied , 471 U.S . 1103 (1985) ; United States
ex rel., Henne v . Fike, 563 F .2d 809, 814 (7th Cir. 1977) (nine hours), cert. denied , 434
U .S . 1072 (1978) ; United States v. Osterburg , 423 F.2d 704 (9th Cir. 1970) (one hour
and fifteen minutes), cert. denied , 399 U .S. 914 (1970) . The purpose of the Miranda
warnings is to ensure that a suspect is aware of his constitutional rights before being
interrogated . Appellant was advised of his rights and does not claim that he had
forgotten them or was unaware of them when he was interrogated sixty-five minutes
later. Thus, his confession was not compromised by the failure to readvise him of those
rig hts.
111 . VIOLENT OFFENDER STATUTE .
As amended by the 1998 General Assembly, 1998 Ky. Acts, ch. 606, § 77, KRS
439.3401 provides in pertinent part as follows :
(1)
(2)
(3)
As used in this section, "violent offender" means any person who
has been convicted of or pled guilty to the commission of a capital
offense, Class A felony, or Class B felony involving the death of the
victim . . . .
A violent offender who has been convicted of . . . a Class A felony
and receives a life sentence . . . shall not be released on . . .
parole until he has served at least twenty (20) years in the
penitentiary. Violent offenders may have a greater minimum parole
eligibility date than other offenders who receive longer sentences,
including a sentence of life imprisonment .
A violent offender who has been convicted of a capital offense or
Class A felony with a sentence of a term of years or Class B felony
who is a violent offender shall not be released on parole until he
has served at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the sentence
imposed .
Appellant pled guilty to murder without a plea agreement and waived jury
sentencing . At the sentencing hearing, defense counsel advised the trial judge that,
pursuant to KRS 439.3401(2) and (3), Appellant would have an earlier parole eligibility
date if he were sentenced to life than if he were sentenced to a term of years in excess
of 24 .5 years, and, if the judge intended to impose a sentence in excess of 24.5 years,
Appellant would request imposition of a life sentence. The trial judge sentenced
Appellant to forty years in prison . Pursuant to the KRS 439 .3401(3), as written,
Appellant would not be eligible for parole until after serving thirty-four years of his
sentence -- fourteen years longer than a violent offender serving a life sentence and
nine years longer than a capital offender serving a term of life without benefit of
probation or parole for twenty-five years . KRS 532 .030(1) .
Prior to 1998, KRS 439.3401 contained essentially the same provisions with
respect to parole eligibility for violent offenders as it does now, except that subsection
(2) required service of a minimum of twelve years of a life sentence before being
eligible for parole and subsection (3) required service of at least fifty percent (50%) of a
term of years before being eligible for parole . Thus, under the pre-1998 version of the
statute, a violent offender sentenced to a term of years of more than twenty-four years
had a later parole eligibility date than a violent offender serving a life sentence . Except
for extending the minimum parole eligibility dates, the only relevant change made by the
1998 amendment was the addition of the last sentence in KRS 439.3401(2) : "Violent
offenders may have a greater minimum parole eligibility date than other offenders who
receive longer sentences, including a sentence of life imprisonment ."
We are not writing on a clean slate. In Huff v. Commonwealth , Ky ., 763 S .W.2d
106 (1988), the very same constitutional issues were raised with respect to the pre-
1998 version of the statute as are raised here . Noting that the classification of offenses
and the length of punishment are prerogatives of the legislature, citing Rummell v.
Estelle , 445 U .S. 263, 100 S .Ct . 1133, 63 L.Ed .2d 382 (1980) and Rudol,ph v.
Corrections Cabinet , Ky., 710 S .W.2d 235, 236 (1986), Huff held that the statute was
not unconstitutional as written .
We do not find the minimum imposed by the legislature to be
arbitrary or capricious in any way. It is the uncertainty of life itself, not a
declaration of a minimum eligibility, which creates a possible disparity .
For example, a life sentence imposed on a 60-year-old defendant is not
the same as a life sentence imposed upon a 20-year-old defendant.
763 S .W.2d at 108. (We might add that a forty-year sentence imposed on a sixty-yearold defendant is not the same as a forty year sentence imposed upon a twenty-year-old
defendant.) We have subsequently reiterated in Land v. Commonwealth , Ky., 986
S.W.2d 440 (1999), that "there is no constitutional right to parole, but rather parole is a
matter of legislative grace or executive clemency ." Id. at 442 .
The issue was raised again in Sanders v. Commonwealth , Ky., 844 S .W.2d 391
(1992) . Sanders finessed the constitutional issues decided by Huff, supra, and found a
legislative intent in KRS 439.3401(3) that a violent offender sentenced to a term of
years would be eligible for parole after serving either fifty percent (50%) of the sentence
imposed, or twelve years, whichever was less . Id. at 394 . Of course, that is not what
the statute plainly and unambiguously stated, Mullins v . Commonwealth , Ky., 956
S.W.2d 210, 212 (1997) ; and the Commonwealth points out that we have subsequently
held that, when engaged in statutory construction, a court must refer to the words used
in enacting the statute rather than surmising what may have been intended but was not
expressed . Commonwealth v. Allen, Ky., 980 S.W.2d 278, 280 (1998) ; see also
Commonwealth v . Frodc e , Ky ., 962 S.W.2d 864, 866 (1998) .
-9-
Nevertheless, the 1998 amendment of KRS 439 .3401(3) changed only the
length of the period of parole disability from fifty percent (50%) to eighty-five percent
(85%) of the imposed sentence . The amendment did not address the interpretation of
the statute set forth in Sanders . "It is a generally recognized rule of statutory
construction that when a statute has been construed by a court of last resort and the
statute is substantially reenacted, the Legislature may be regarded as adopting such
construction ." Commonwealth v. Trousdale , 297 Ky. 724, 181 S.W.2d 254, 256 (1944).
Further, "the failure of the legislature to change a known judicial interpretation of a
statute [is] extremely persuasive evidence of the true legislative intent. There is a
strong implication that the legislature agrees with a prior court interpretation when it
does not amend the statute interpreted ." Rye v. Weasel, Ky., 934 S.W.2d 257, 262
(1996).
The Commonwealth argues that a contrary legislative intent was expressed by
the added language in the amendment of KRS 439 .3401(2) : "Violent offenders may
have a greater minimum parole eligibility date than other offenders who receive longer
sentences, including a sentence of life imprisonment ." (Emphasis added .) We
disagree . The reference to "other offenders" obviously refers to offenders other than
"violent offenders ." Parole eligibility guidelines for "other offenders" are generally
established by the parole board, KRS 439.340(3), and nonviolent offenders obviously
have earlier parole eligibility dates. 501 KAR 1 :030 § 3. Furthermore, KRS
439.3401(2) pertains only to life sentences . Under current parole board guidelines, a
nonviolent first offender serving a life sentence is eligible for parole after serving eight
years . 501 KAR 1 :030 § 3(a) . Regardless, KRS 439 .3401(3), which pertains to
sentences to a term of years and which was the provision interpreted in Sanders , supra,
-1 0-
was not amended to add new language similar to that added to KRS 439.3401(2) . Nor
do we perceive any legislative intent in the 1998 amendments of KRS 532 .060(2)(a)
and KRS 532 .110(1)(c) to affect the Sanders interpretation of KRS 439.3401(3) .
Accordingly, the judgment of conviction and sentence imposed by the Fayette
Circuit Court are affirmed and the interpretation of KRS 439 .3401(3) set forth in
Sanders v . Commonwealth , supra , is reaffirmed .
Lambert, C .J . ; Graves, Johnstone and Wintersheimer, JJ ., concur.
Keller, J ., concurs by separate opinion, with Stumbo, J ., joining that concurring opinion .
COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT :
V. Gene Lewter
Fayette Co. Legal Aid, Inc.
111 Church Street
Lexington, KY 40507
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE :
A. B . Chandler, III
Attorney General
State Capitol
Frankfort, KY 40601
Susan Roncarti
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Attorney General
Criminal Appellate Division
1024 Capital Center Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601-8204
RENDERED : AUGUST 22, 2002
TO BE PUBLISHED
,*ixyrrnzr Courf of ~rnfurhV
2000-SC-0156-MR
TROY DEWAYNE HUGHES
V.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE GARY D . PAYNE, JUDGE
99-CR-280
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
CONCURRING OPINION BY JUSTICE KELLER
I concur in the result reached by the majority because I agree that "substantial
evidence support[ed] the trial judge's finding that Dials had a reasonable belief that
Keisha Hughes might be inside the apartment and in need of emergency assistance,"'
and, thus, I believe that the warrantless search of the apartment was reasonable in light
of these exigent circumstances . I write separately, however, because the majority
disregards its role as a reviewing court when it suggests that the inevitable discovery
exception to the exclusionary rule provides an alternative justification for the trial court's
denial of Appellant's suppression motion . The trial court's ruling did not address the
inevitable discovery exception, and the parties to this appeal have not alleged that the
exception has any relevance to the issues before the Court. In fact, the first suggestion
that the inevitable discovery exception had any relevance to this case came during oral
argument when the author of today's majority opinion asked Appellant's counsel to
'Majority Opinion at
S .W .3d
(200_) (Slip Op. a t 4) .
address the exception's applicability. Further, the majority's alternative rationale is, at
best, unnecessary because we affirm the trial court's ruling on the basis of the factual
findings actually made by the trial court. I write separately, however, because of my
concern that the majority opinion creates bad precedent that appears to authorize
Kentucky appellate courts to initiate their own factual determinations as to issues of
inevitable discovery .
Each of the inevitable discovery cases cited by the majority opinion is similar in
at least one (1) respect - they all involve appellate review of a trial court's
determination that evidence was admissible under the inevitable discovery exception .
In addition, I observe that in the only reported Kentucky case addressing the inevitable
discovery exception, Commonwealth v . El liott,3 the Court of Appeals affirmed a trial
court's determination "that the prosecution could not prove by a preponderance of the
evidence that the drugs seized would have been ultimately discovered by lawful
means."' The reason for the procedural similarity across the board is that an inevitable
' See Nix v. Williams , 467 U .S . 431, 438, 104 S .Ct. 2501, 81 L .Ed .2d 377, 383
(1984) ("The trial court concluded that the State had proved by a preponderance of the
evidence that, . . . if Williams had not led the police to the victim, her body would have
been discovered 'within a short time' in essentially the same condition as it was actually
found ." (emphasis in original)) ; United States v. Scott, 270 F .3d 30, 42 (1St Cir. 2001)
("The district court found [the inevitable discovery exception] to apply to Scott's case,
and we agree."), cert. denied ,
U .S.
, 122 S .Ct . 1583, 152 L.Ed.2d 501 (2002);
United States v. Kimes, 246 F.3d 800, 803-04 (6th Cir. 2001) ("The magistrate . . .
concluded . . . that the knives were admissible under the "inevitable discovery"
exception to the exclusionary rule. The magistrate's conclusions were adopted by the
district judge ."), cert. denied ,
U.S .
, 122 S.Ct. 823, 151 L.Ed .2d 705 (2002) ;
United States v. Ford, 184 F.3d 566, 578 (6th Cir. 1999) ("The district court . . . [held]
that the seized documents would have inevitably been discovered without the illegal
search ."), cert . denied 528 U.S . 1161, 120 S.Ct. 1175, 145 L .Ed .2d 1083 (2000).
3Ky .App ., 714 S .W.2d 494 (1986) .
'Id. at 497 .
discovery determination is a mixed question of fact and law,' and trial courts are
responsible for rendering findings of fact after evaluating evidence and witness
credibility .' Although appellate courts review de novo trial courts' determinations that
illegally-obtained evidence is admissible under the inevitable discovery exception,' the
initial determination must be made by the trial court.
In this regard, I find the procedural history of the United States Supreme Court's
adoption of the inevitable discovery exception instructive. In Brewer v. Williams ,8 the
precursor to Nix v. Williams ,' the Court affirmed a grant of habeas relief where, at trial,
the prosecution had introduced Williams's post-arrest incriminating statements
concerning the location of his victim's body that were obtained in violation of Williams's
Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Acting upon the information in Williams's
incriminating statements, and with Williams's assistance, authorities located the body of
the fourteen (14) year old girl whom Williams had murdered . Although the Court found
that the erroneous admission of the unlawfully-obtained statements deprived Williams
of due process and entitled him to a new trial, it did not address the admissibility of
tangible evidence concerning the victim's body, and instead suggested that the state
courts should address the admissibility of that evidence prior to retrial:
'United States v . Kennedy , 61 F .3d 494, 497 (6th Cir. 1995), cert. denied 517
U .S . 1119, 116 S.Ct . 1351, 134 L .Ed .2d 520 (1996) .
6See RCR 9 .78; Mills v. Commonwealth , Ky., 996 S.W .2d 473 (1999), cert.
denied , 528 U .S . 1164, 120 S .Ct. 1182, 145 L .Ed .2d 1088 (2000) .
'Id ., citing United States v. BoatwriQht , 822 F .2d 862 (9th Cir. 1987) .
'430 U .S . 387, 97 S.Ct . 1232, 51 L .Ed .2d 424 (1977) .
'Supra note 2 .
The District Court stated that its decision "does not touch
upon the issue of what evidence, if any, beyond the
incriminating statements themselves must be excluded as
'fruit of the poisonous tree."' We, too, have no occasion to
address this issue, and in the present posture of the case,
there is no basis for the view of our dissenting Brethren, that
any attempt to retry the respondent would probably be futile.
While neither Williams' incriminating statements themselves
nor any testimony describing his having led the police to the
victim's body can constitutionally be admitted into evidence,
evidence of where the body was found and of its condition
might well be admissible on the theory that the body would
have been discovered in any event, even had incriminating
statements not been elicited from Williams . In the event that
a retrial is instituted it will be for the state courts in the first
instance to determine whether particular items of evidence
may be admitted ."
Prior to Williams's second trial, the state trial court allowed the prosecution to
introduce "evidence of the condition of [the victim's] body as it was found, articles and
photographs of her clothing, and the results of post mortem medical and chemical tests
on the body,"" on the theory that the evidence would have been discovered without
Williams's incriminating statements . Williams was again convicted of murder, the
Supreme Court of Iowa affirmed the conviction, and Williams again petitioned the
federal courts for habeas relief. After its own independent review of the evidence, the
United States District Court concluded that the police inevitably would have found the
body and therefore denied Williams's habeas petition . The Court of Appeals reversed
because it found the trial court's findings inadequate . The United States Supreme
Court granted certiorari, held that inevitable discovery represented an exception to the
"Brewer v. Williams , supra note 8 at 430 U .S . 387, 406 n.12, 51 L.Ed .2d 424,
441 n .12 (citations omitted and emphasis added) .
" Nix v . Williams , supra note 2 at 467 U.S . 431, 437, 81 L .Ed .2d 377, 383 .
exclusionary rule, '2 and, after analyzing the appropriate burden of proof" and reviewing
the evidence introduced at the suppression hearing, agreed with the trial court's
conclusion that the authorities inevitably would have found the girl's body :
[T]hree courts independently reviewing the evidence have
found that the body of the child inevitably would have been
found by the searchers. Williams challenges these findings,
asserting that the record contains only the "post hoc
rationalization" that the search efforts would have proceeded
two and one-half miles into Polk County where Williams had
led police to the body.
On this record it is clear that the search parties were
approaching the actual location of the body, and we are
satisfied, along with three courts earlier, that the volunteer
search teams would have resumed the search had Williams
not earlier led the police to the body and the body inevitably
would have been found . The evidence asserted by Williams
as newly discovered, i .e ., certain photographs of the body
and deposition testimony of Agent Ruxlow made in
connection with the federal habeas proceeding, does not
demonstrate that the material facts were inadequately
developed in the suppression hearing in state court or that
Williams was denied a full, fair, and adequate opportunity to
present all relevant facts at the suppression hearing ."
In contrast, today's majority has before it no trial court determination relating to
inevitable discovery, yet nonetheless concludes that the exception supports the trial
court's ruling denying Appellant's motion to suppress. In doing so, the majority engages
in inappropriate appellate fact-finding and offers what is, in essence, an advisory
opinion . The majority's assertion that the evidentiary conclusion it reaches is
''Id . at 467 U .S . 431, 448, 81 L.Ed .2d 377, 390 ("[W]hen . . . the evidence in
question would inevitably have been discovered without reference to the police error or
misconduct, there is no nexus sufficient to provide a taint and the evidence is
admissible .") .
" Id . at 467 U .S. 431, 444 n .5, 81 L.Ed .2d 377, 388 n .5 .
14
Id . a t 467 U .S . 431, 448-450, 81 L.Ed .2d 377, 390-391 .
-5-
"indisputable" does not alter the fact that, by evaluating testimony and predicting what
would have happened if the officers had not searched the apartment when they did, the
majority acts as a fact-finder, not as an appellate court. Accordingly, I write separately
from the majority to express my opinion that this Court should limit its consideration of
the inevitable discovery exception to those cases where the trial court's findings of fact
and conclusions of law raise an inevitable discovery issue . The Commonwealth has the
burden of proving "by a preponderance of the evidence that the information ultimately
or inevitably would have been discovered by lawful means ."" Accordingly, if the
Commonwealth predicates the admissibility of an item of evidence upon the exception,
it should advance that argument - and introduce evidence in support of it - at an
evidentiary hearing so that the trial court can consider the issue and make a
determination subject to meaningful appellate review .
Stumbo, J ., joins this concurring opinion .
"
Id. at 467 U.S. 431, 444, 81 L. Ed .2d 377, 387-388 .
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