Pierce v. Board of Nursing Education & Nurse Registration

After accusation and hearing before a hearing officer who recommended revocation, respondent board concurred and petitioner’s license as a nurse was revoked. He was accused and found to have taken Librium, a prescription drug, without authorization from Patton State Hospital where he was employed, and gave some of said drug to one Glenna Marie Jermain who had been a patient at the hospital and was on probation for narcotics involvement.

In February 1963, at the Patton State Hospital where petitioner was employed, he met Glenna Marie Jermain, a patient. He knew that she had been addicted to narcotics and dangerous drugs. When she left the hospital, he maintained contact with her. On or about February 11, petitioner took

Detective English was called as a witness at petitioner’s hearing and, after numerous objections and discussion, testified to the conversation above recited. Petitioner contends the search of his apartment was unlawful and therefore, as fruit of the poisoned tree, his admissions to Detective English should have been excluded.

The proceeding before the hearing officer was somewhat informal and the record is not altogether satisfactory as the basis for presentation of problems suggested by petitioner. It seems conceded, however, that the search uncovering the incriminating capsules was pursuant to the consent of Miss Jermain who was then residing with respondent. A deputy attorney general, representing respondent board, made the following statement for the record: 1 ‘Mrs. Cutler : To have it fully clear on the record, I don’t believe there is any dispute to the fact that a woman by the name of Glenna Marie Jermain was living at the residence of Tyree Pierce. This woman, Glenna Jermain, was currently on probation and the probation officer requested permission from Glenna Jermain to have the police officers search the premises where she was living. According to the report which Miss Jermain gave the probation department, her address was 132 East Bryant, San Bernardino, California, which was the residence of the respondent, Tyree Pierce,

Petitioner’s counsel made no response to the foregoing but proceeded to argue a legal point and cite an authority. Petitioner in his opening brief filed in this court states facts as follows: “The evidence shows that on or about February 18, 1963, appellant was living at 132 Bast Bryant Street, in the City of San Bernardino. On or about February 18, 1963, a Mrs. Grlenna Marie Germain [sic] gave Sheriff’s office permission to search the house of appellant at that address. The residence was that of the appellant at the time. . . . Appellant was not married to Mrs. Germain [sic] and Mrs. Germain [sic] had been a houseguest of appellant for just a few days.

“As a result of the search the police officers obtained twenty three librium capsuls [sic].” Petitioner contended at the time of the hearing and presently contends that rules applicable in criminal eases excluding evidence illegally obtained should apply in administrative proceedings like this hearing involving revocation of a nurse’s license. We do not wish to intimate a belief that these rules apply in administrative proceedings, especially in one involving fitness of a person to be licensed in a healing art where the welfare of sick and helpless persons depends on his integrity, fidelity and skill. Historically, Fourth Amendment immunities relate only to criminal proceedings. (See Camden County Beverage Co. v. Blair, 46 F.2d 648 , 650.) We are aware, however, of People v. One 1960 Cadillac Coupe, 62 Cal.2d 92 , 96-97 [ 41 Cal.Rptr. 290 , 396 P.2d 706 ], holding the Fourth Amendment exclusionary rule applicable in a forfeiture ease characterized as quasi-criminal in nature. Also in the case of Elder v. Board of Medical Examiners, 241 Cal.App.2d 246 , 260 [ 50 Cal.Rptr. 304 ], cert. den. 385 U.S. 1001 [ 17 L.Ed.2d 541 , 87 S.Ct. 701 ], it was assumed the exclusionary rule would apply in a case to revoke a physician’s right to practice medicine. This question need not be explored, however, because even assuming exclusionary principles apply here, the evidence was properly admitted for two reasons, (1) the search was made incidental to a valid arrest of Miss Jermain by her probation officer, and (2) Miss Jermain consented.

Most of what appears in the record regarding details of the

We believe the record here does show a proper search since it was in connection with and incidental to the arrest of a third person, namely, Miss Jermain, with a further showing that Miss Jermain fully and freely consented. As a probationer, Miss Jermain was in constructive custody of the probation officer. She was subject to arrest without a warrant. (Pen. Code, § 1203.2.)

The prescription drugs (Librium) were admitted into evidence as well as petitioner’s incriminating statements in reference thereto, and properly so. Law officers obtained the capsules, after the lawful arrest of Miss Jermain, in the apartment jointly occupied by her and petitioner. Possession of the capsules was taken in connection with the involvement _ of Miss Jermain. The capsules were thus legally in the officers’ custody. After taking possession of the capsules and upon inquiry of petitioner, it was ascertained that he was also connected with them. The record shows the capsules involving petitioner and leading to revocation of his nurse’s license were the identical ones incriminating Miss Jermain in the matter of her arrest. The following, elicited by petitioner’s counsel, appears in the transcript: “Q. By Mr. McDaniels: Detective English, to the best of your knowledge, was this exactly the same evidence involved with Mrs. Jermain?

“A. To the best of my knowledge, it was.” The capsules and the statement of petitioner in reference thereto were not rendered inadmissible by the process through which the capsules came into possession of respondent board. (People v. Ghimenti, 232 Cal.App.2d 76 , 81 [ 42 Cal.Rptr. 504 ]; People v. Boone, 252 Cal.App.2d 313 [ 60 Cal.Rptr. 275 ].)

The search and acquisition of the Librium are also

The judgment is affirmed.

McCabe, P. J., and Kerrigan, J., concurred.