State v. Fisher
State v. Fisher
Opinion of the Court
Defendant pled guilty to four violations of ORS 165.013, forgery in the first degree. On appeal she challenges one of the conditions of her probation and asserts a three-year sentence imposed was "excessive.”
Three of the charges involved forgery of checks totalling $373. The fourth charge involved defendant’s use of a stolen credit card to charge purchases totalling $134.50. At her sentencing defendant claimed that each situation arose because of lack of supervision and because of drug use.
"* * * the Defendant shall consent to the search of her person, premises, or any vehicle she may be operating at any time of the day or night by a police officer or probation officer for the purpose of determining whether or not the Defendant has any drugs in her possession or any use of any drugs.”
Defendant contends that the requirement to submit to warrantless search for drugs "was not reasonably related to the offenses of which she was convicted or to her rehabilitation” and, further, that the condition violates her Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches. The state has made no response
In State v. Culbertson, 29 Or App 363, 369, 563 P2d 1224 (1977), we had occasion to reconsider the standards regulating the Fourth Amendment relationship of a probationer and a probation officer enunciated in State v. Davis/Travis, 9 Or App 412, 496 P2d 923, rev den (1972). In searching for "a middle way which better satisfies all interests,” we began by saying, "a probationer is a free person possessed of all civil rights except those which are taken away from him for probationary purposes. * * *” We went on to say that a court has "the broadest possible power to formulate appropriate conditions in each case,” (emphasis supplied) but noted that the discretion granted is not shapeless.
In that case there was no necessity to attempt to circumscribe precisely the limits on conditions that may be imposed on probationers, and it cannot fairly
It might be argued that the infirmities in the condition imposed here could be met by interpretation, i.e., it should be read as if it said something like "by a police officer called to assist a probation officer or by a probation officer.” Such a reading might achieve the court’s actual intention, but to place on the defendant the risk of testing that interpretation would be fundamentally unfair. Justice should not await the event. Recognition of the competing interests and the practical requirements of supervised probation could properly require that defendant consent to searches in reasonable furtherance of probation supervision by her probation officer or by a police officer assisting or acting at the request or with the knowledge and consent of the probation officer.
Defendant contends that her three-year sentence was "excessive” under Art I, §§ 15
Remanded for resentencing.
At the sentencing counsel said:
"* * * I would submit that primarily these are situations that have occurred when she’s not been under supervision, and as a result, in part, due to drug involvement. It would be Defendant’s recommendation that the probationary period be instituted with strict supervision of the Defendant, as far as any drug involvement, as far as her associates are concerned * *
Or Const, Art I, § 15 provides:
"Laws for the punishment of crime shall be founded on the principles of reformation, and not of vindictive justice.”
Or Const, Art I, § 16, provides:
"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed. Cruel and unusual punishments shall not be inflicted, but all penalties shall be proportioned to the offense * *
OES 138.050 provided at the time of judgment in pertinent part:
"A defendant who has pleaded guilty or no contest may take an appeal from a judgment on conviction where it imposes an excessive fine or excessive, cruel or unusual punishment. * * *”
No issue is raised on this appeal concerning the propriety of imposing probation to follow a term of imprisonment, and we express no opinion on the question.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
At the time of sentencing, defendant argued that drugs were part of the reason the offenses had been committed and urged that the court require close supervision. In light of the defendant’s own contentions that lack of supervision and drug use precipitated her crimes, the warrantless search condition of the sentence was, in my opinion, reasonably related to the reformation of defendant and the protection of the public, so we should affirm. Cf. People v. Mason, 5 Cal 3rd 759, 762, 97 Cal Reptr 302, 488 P2d 630 (1971), cert den 405 US 1016 (1972), in which a condition of probation requiring a narcotics offender to "submit his person, place of residence, vehicle, to search and seizure at any time of the day or night, with or without a search warrant, whenever requested to do so by the Probation Officer or any law enforcement officer” was held valid. We went too far in State v. Culbertson, 29 Or App 363, 563 P2d 1224 (1977).
I find no reason why this case should be remanded for resentencing.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE OF OREGON, Respondent, v. MARILYN K. FISHER, Appellant
- Cited By
- 35 cases
- Status
- Published