Beeman v. State
Beeman v. State
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
delivered the opinion of the Court,
Knowel Beeman was rear-ended while driving. No injuries occurred. The officer cited the other driver for following too closely and arrested Beeman for driving while intoxicated. Beeman refused a breath test, so the officer obtained a search warrant for his blood. Over Bee-man’s objections, his blood was drawn at the local hospital. We must determine
Procedural History
After being charged with driving while intoxicated, Beeman unsuccessfully moved to suppress the blood test results, arguing that his rights had been violated under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 724, our implied consent law. Beeman then pled guilty under a plea bargain agreement. He appealed, arguing that since the requirements of the Transportation Code had not been met, the blood sample should have been suppressed. The Court of Appeals disagreed, holding that “Chapter 724 does not speak to the broader powers of a peace officer when, as here, that officer obtains a search warrant.”
Analysis
The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.
Beeman argues that, despite the existence of a search warrant, this search was invalid because it violated our state’s implied consent statute. The implied consent statute requires the State to take an arrested suspect’s blood, over his refusal, when there is an accident and someone is injured.
But Beeman misunderstands the nature of implied consent. The implied consent law does just that — it implies a suspect’s consent to a search in certain instances. This is important when there is no search warrant, since it is another method of conducting a constitutionally valid search. On the other hand, if the State has a valid search warrant, it has no need to obtain the suspect’s consent.
Beeman contends that, regardless of whether the Fourth Amendment is satisfied by the search warrant, the search is nevertheless invalid because it violates the statute. The State responds that construing the law in this manner results in giving DWI suspects more protection than other criminal suspects — an absurd result contrary to the statute’s intent. We agree.
The dissent implies that we have given carte blanche to officers to draw blood in every single DWI case.
The dissent also implies that a search of someone’s blood is more invasive than a search of his home or clothing and, as a result, we should apply a different type of review.
A few states have adopted Beeman’s and the dissent’s view that the implied consent statute offers more protection to defendants than the Constitution.
Conclusion
The warrant authorized the seizure of Beeman’s blood, and he does not contest the validity of the warrant.
MEYERS, J., filed a concurring opinion.
. Beeman v. State, No. 08-00-00390-CR, slip op. at 5, 2001 WL 303050 (Tex.App.-El Paso, opinion delivered March 29, 2001) (not designated for publication).
. Id.
. U.S. Const. Amend. IV; Minnesota v. Carter, 525 U.S. 83, 88, 119 S.Ct. 469, 142 L.Ed.2d 373 (1998).
. United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 922, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984).
. United States v. Ventresca, 380 U.S. 102, 106, 85 S.Ct. 741, 13 L.Ed.2d 684 (1965).
. Id. at 105-06, 85 S.Ct. 741; Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 110-11, 84 S.Ct. 1509, 12 L.Ed.2d 723 (1964).
. Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973).
. Tex. Transp. Code §§ 724.011, 724.012, 724.013 (Vernon 1999).
. Flores v. State, 871 S.W.2d 714, 720 (Tex.Crim.App. 1993).
. Post, op. at 619.
. Id., op. at 619-20.
. Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 86 S.Ct. 1826, 16 L.Ed.2d 908 (1966).
. Id.
. Sosa v. State, 4 P.3d 951 (Alaska 2000); State v. DiStefano, 764 A.2d 1156 (R.I. 2000); Combs v. State, 965 S.W.2d 161 (Ky. 1998).
. People v. Sloan, 450 Mich. 160, 538 N.W.2d 380 (1995), overruled on other grounds, People v. Wager, 460 Mich. 118, 594 N.W.2d 487 (1999); State v. Zielke, 137 Wis.2d 39, 403 N.W.2d 427, 428 (1987).
. See Flores, 871 S.W.2d at 720.
Dissenting Opinion
filed a dissenting opinion.
Appellant was convicted of felony driving while intoxicated (DWI). At the time appellant was arrested, he refused to give a specimen of blood or breath for testing. The arresting officer then obtained a search warrant and collected a blood sample without appellant’s consent. After the trial court denied appellant’s motion to suppress the results of the blood test, ap
Appellant appealed the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress. The court of appeals held that, because the peace officer in this case obtained a search warrant and did not violate any of appellant’s statutory rights to refuse the taking of a blood specimen, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying appellant’s motion to suppress. Beeman v. State, No. 08-00-00390-CR, 2001 WL 303050 (Tex.App.-El Paso, delivered March 29, 2001, pet. granted). Appellant asserts in his appeal to this Court that the court of appeals erred in holding that the trial court properly overruled his motion to suppress.
After filing his “Motion to Suppress Blood Test” in the trial court, appellant filed an affidavit in which he swore to the following: 1) on the date alleged in the indictment, he was rear-ended by named person; 2) no one was injured in that accident; 3) the other person was cited for following too closely; 4) appellant was arrested for felony DWI; 5) while being transported to the detention center, appellant refused an officer’s request to submit a breath specimen; 6) the officer then transported him to a hospital, secured a search warrant, and had the hospital draw blood. Appellant’s affidavit also states that prior to the taking of the blood specimen, he “repeatedly refused any type of chemical test” and that “[t]he blood was withdrawn over [his] objection.” In his “Motion to Suppress Blood Test,” appellant alleged, that because he did not consent, the taking of his blood specimen was in violation of Tex. Transp. Code §§ 724.012 and 724.013 and, therefore, the results of the testing should have been suppressed under Article 38.23, Tex.Code CRim. Prog.
The Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 724, § 724.011, provides that a person “arrested for an offense arising out of acts alleged to have been committed while the person was operating a motor vehicle in a public place ... while intoxicated, ... is deemed to have consented, subject to this chapter, to submit to the taking of one or more specimens of the person’s breath or blood for analysis to determine the alcohol concentration or the presence in the person’s body of a controlled substance, drug, dangerous drug, or other substance.” (Emphasis added.) Section 724.013 states a specific prohibition against taking a specimen if a person refuses an officer’s request: “Except as provided by Section 724.012(b), a specimen may not be taken if a person refuses to submit to the taking of a specimen designated by a peace officer.” Section § 724.012(b), the only exception to the general prohibition of § 724.013, states:
A peace officer shall require the taking of a specimen of the person’s breath or blood if: 1) the officer arrests the person for an offense under Chapter 49, Penal Code, involving the operation of a motor vehicle or watercraft; 2) the person was the operator of a motor vehicle or a watercraft involved in an accident that the officer reasonably believes occurred as a result of the offense; 3) at the time of the arrest[,] the officer reasonably believes that a person has died or will die as a direct result of the accident; and 4) the person refuses the officer’s request to submit to the taking of a specimen voluntarily.
The Legislature specifically provided that a driver arrested for DWI may refuse
The state asserts that interpreting § 724.013 to preclude use of a search warrant to obtain a blood sample would produce an absurd and ridiculous result, as it would confer upon DWI suspects rights that no other class of citizens has against reasonable searches and seizures and effectively exempt DWI suspects from a reasonable search. The state argues that, while § 724.013 clearly circumscribes the power of a peace officer to take a specimen without a warrant, it does not speak at all to the question of when a peace officer can obtain a warrant, leaving that question up to the fourth amendment of the United States Constitution. The state’s argument assumes that the necessarily invasive procedure required to obtain a blood sample is a reasonable search.
My interpretation of §§ 724.012 and 724.013 does not lead to an absurd or ridiculous result. The Legislature has chosen to give DWI arrestees the right to refuse to submit a breath or blood specimen unless the rather restrictive requirements of § 724.012(b) are met. The state would have us condone broad application by permitting use of a search warrant to circumvent the legislated prohibition. It is not unreasonable or absurd for the Legislature to decline to give carte blanche to officers to demand and forcibly obtain blood samples from all persons arrestH for DWI.
The state argues that it needs blood-alcohol evidence in DWI prosecutions, but numerous DWI charges have been prosecuted successfully after refusal without resorting to the forcible taking of a specimen. From today, it is possible for a blood sample to be forcibly obtained from each and every DWI arrestee; there can now be a blood test result in literally each and every DWI case if a search warrant is obtained.
It is axiomatic that, while our constitutions limit the powers of government and
Generally, a trial court’s ruling on a motion to suppress is reviewed by an abuse of discretion standard, but when a case presents a question of law based upon undisputed facts, as in this case, we apply a de novo review. Oles v. State, 993 S.W.2d 103, 106 (Tex.Crim.App. 1999). Appellant’s affidavit, the only evidence in the record with respect to the suppression motion, establishes that the requirements of § 724.012(b) were not met. Since the un-controverted evidence shows that no one was injured in this accident, the arresting officer could not have “reasonably believed” that a person had died or would die as a direct result of the accident. Thus, the evidence was obtained in violation of statute and, pursuant to Article 38.23, was subject to suppression. I conclude that
I respectfully dissent.
. Art. 38.22(a) states that “[n]o evidence obtained by an officer or other person in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or laws of the State of Texas ... shall be admitted in evidence against the accused on the trial of any criminal case.”
. "The majority holds that the Court of Appeals' opinion violates the statute's plain language because its reasoning nullifies the requirements of § 724.012(b)(2). I agree. According to the Court of Appeals, the officer would only need to reasonably believe that the driver was intoxicated, without any evidence of causation. This would give carte blanche to officers to demand blood samples from intoxicated drivers.” Badgett v. State, supra, 42 S.W.3d at 142 (Keasler, J., dissenting)(footnote omitted).
. See, e.g., Health & Safety Code §§ 162.002 (requiring blood bank donors to submit to tests for infectious diseases, including tests for AIDS, HIV, hepatitis, and serological tests for contagious venereal diseases), 81.090 (requiring the taking of a pregnant woman’s blood for testing for syphilis, HIV infection, and hepatitis B infection), 81.050 (providing for mandatory testing of persons suspected of exposing certain other persons to reportable diseases, including HIV infection), 89.051 (requiring jail and community corrections facility inmates to undergo screening tests for tuberculosis infection); Family Code §§ 54.033 (requiring a child adjudicated for engaging in certain delinquent conduct to undergo a medical procedure or test to determine whether the child has a sexually transmitted disease, AIDS, or HIV infection; mandatory with court order), 54.0405 (requiring a child placed on probation for certain conduct to submit a blood sample or other specimen to create a DNA record of the child); Government Code §§ 411.150 (requiring juveniles committed to the Texas Youth Commission to provide blood samples or other specimens to create a DNA record), 411.148 (requiring prison inmates who are serving sentences for certain offenses to provide blood samples or other specimens), 508.186 (requiring as a condition of parole or mandatory supervision that certain releasees submit a blood sample or other specimen); and Code of Criminal Procedure, articles 42.12, Section 11(a)(22) (allowing trial courts to order a defendant to submit a blood sample or other specimen as a condition of community supervision) and Section 11(e) (requiring a judge granting community supervision to certain defendants to require that the defendant submit a blood sample or other specimen as a condition of community supervision), and 21.31 (requiring persons indicted for, or waiving indictment for, certain offenses to undergo a medical procedure or test to show whether the person has a sexually transmitted disease, AIDS, or HIV infection; mandatory with court order).
Concurring Opinion
filed a concurring opinion.
OPINION
Section 724.011 of the Transportation Code provides that if a person is arrested for driving while intoxicated, the person is deemed to have consented “to submit to the taking of one or more specimens of the person’s breath or blood for analysis to determine the alcohol concentration or the presence in the person’s body of a controlled substance, drug, dangerous drug, or other substance.” (Vernon 1999). In other words, under this “implied consent” statute, a person operating a motor vehicle is deemed to have given consent to testing of a specimen, without a warrant, after an arrest when an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect was driving while intoxicated. See State v. Hardy, 963 S.W.2d 516, 526 (Tex.Crim.App. 1997). Although a person is deemed to have given his or her consent to the testing of a specimen if suspected of driving while intoxicated, he or she still has the option in most situations to refuse to provide a sample. See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 724.013 (Vernon 1999). However, such refusal is not without consequence. Failure to provide a specimen results in suspension of the person’s driving privileges for a specific period of time as provided by section 724.035 of the Transportation Code. If, however, the DWI suspect causes an accident and the officer at the time of the arrest reasonably believes that a person has died or will die as a result of the accident, then the officer can take a specimen of the suspect’s blood or breath regardless of whether he or she consents. Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 724.012(b).
In the present case, appellant argues that since under the facts of his case he had a statutory right to refuse the officer’s request to provide a sample of his breath, the officer was precluded from obtaining a sample of his blood even though a constitutionally valid search warrant was obtained. However, as the majority correctly explains, the statute does not affect an officer’s right to obtain a search warrant. Just because a defendant refuses to provide a specimen of his blood or breath does not mean that the arresting officer is prohibited from obtaining a sample through other means. As in other criminal cases, the arresting officer has the option of obtaining a valid search warrant so that a sample can be drawn. Thus, as today’s majority opinion makes clear, with a valid search warrant, an arresting officer can now obtain a specimen
With these comments, I join the Court’s opinion.
. A “specimen” refers to a specimen of a person’s breath or blood.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Knowel BEEMAN, Jr., Appellant, v. the STATE of Texas
- Cited By
- 183 cases
- Status
- Published