State v. Ayon

                                                        Office of the Director   New Mexico
                                                         11:10:12 2023.11.08     Compilation
                                                                       '00'07-   Commission


             IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

Opinion Number: 

Filing Date: September 5, 2023

No. S-1-SC-38937

STATE OF NEW MEXICO,

       Plaintiff-Respondent,

v.

RICKY ANTHONY AYON,

       Defendant-Petitioner.

ORIGINAL PROCEEDING ON CERTIORARI
Christina P. Argyres, District Judge

Bennett J. Baur, Chief Public Defender
Caitlin C.M. Smith, Assistant Appellate Defender
Santa Fe, NM

for Petitioner

Hector H. Balderas, Attorney General
Meryl E. Francolini, Assistant Attorney General
Santa Fe, NM

for Respondent

Law Office of Scott M. Davidson
Scott M. Davidson
Albuquerque, NM

Law Office of Jamison Barkley, LLC
Jamison Barkley
Santa Fe, NM

Angelica Hall
Albuquerque, NM

for Amicus Curiae New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
                                                OPINION

THOMSON, Justice.

{1}     Under the New Mexico Constitution, the state can bring felony charges in one of
two ways: by presenting charges and evidence to a grand jury composed of lay citizens
or to a judge at a preliminary hearing. N.M. Const. art. II, § 14. In State v. Martinez, this
Court held that a district court has no authority to review the admissibility of evidence
considered by a grand jury. 

, 

. This case
requires us to make an analogous determination in the context of a Rule 5-302 NMRA 1
preliminary examination (hereinafter “preliminary hearing”). We hold that a district court
judge presiding over a preliminary hearing has no authority to decide whether evidence
was obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure.

{2}     At his preliminary hearing, Defendant Ricky Ayon successfully challenged the
legality of the stop that led to the search incident to his arrest, and the district court
refused to bind Defendant over for trial on the charge of heroin possession. The Court
of Appeals reversed. Because we agree with the Court of Appeals that the district court
exceeded its authority at the preliminary hearing to rule on whether the evidence was
obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure, we affirm and remand for
proceedings consistent with this opinion.

I.      BACKGROUND

{3}     Defendant was walking with a bicycle and groceries on Isleta Boulevard in
Albuquerque when a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputy called out to him by
name. When Defendant approached, the deputy immediately handcuffed him. After
Defendant was in handcuffs, the deputy checked the National Crime Information Center
(NCIC) database and found that Defendant had an active warrant. The deputy placed
Defendant under arrest, then searched Defendant and found a small bag of a substance
that field-tested as opiates.

{4}     The State charged Defendant by criminal information with possession of heroin
pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 30-31-23 (2011, amended 2021). At Defendant’s
preliminary hearing, the deputy explained what led to Defendant’s arrest. He testified
that he recognized Defendant from past encounters and was aware that Defendant
frequented a house that often required the attention of the police. About a week prior to
spotting Defendant on the street, the deputy searched the judiciary’s public facing
database for warrants on people known to frequent the house, including Defendant.
Through that search, the deputy discovered that Defendant had a warrant. The deputy
testified that Defendant was immediately handcuffed because he had run away from the
deputy in the past. At the time the deputy handcuffed Defendant, the deputy did not

1Rule 5-302 NMRA (2017), effective for cases pending or filed after December 31, 2017, was in effect for
the duration of the district court proceedings that gave rise to this appeal, and this rule has been
amended twice since that time. While we have omitted date parentheticals in citations of this past rule, all
references to the rule as it applies to this case reflect its 2017 amendment. Further, our holding in this
case is consistent with the 2020 and current 2022 amendments to Rule 5-302.
know whether the warrant was still valid, and he noted that Defendant had not been
doing anything illegal.

{5}    As part of his defense at the preliminary hearing, Defendant argued that the
deputy lacked reasonable suspicion to stop him because the deputy handcuffed
Defendant before learning that Defendant had an active warrant through the NCIC
database. The district court agreed, concluded that “the search was illegal,” and
declined to bind the case over for trial. The portion of the preliminary hearing devoted to
argument on this issue was approximately two-and-one-half minutes. Neither party
provided authority to establish whether a district court judge presiding over a preliminary
hearing has authority to determine whether “the search was illegal,” in effect to decide
whether evidence was obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure. In fact, no
authority was cited by either party with reference to the deputy’s stop of Defendant, and
the district court cited no authority in explaining its decision.

{6}     The State appealed, and the Court of Appeals reversed. State v. Ayon, 2022-
NMCA-003, ¶ 1, 

. The Court of Appeals concluded that the district court is
without authority to determine at a preliminary hearing whether evidence was obtained
illegally. Id. ¶¶ 1, 17. The Court of Appeals was persuaded that the reasoning in
Martinez in the context of grand juries is applicable to preliminary hearings, given that
both are aimed at a probable cause determination. Id. ¶ 11. It further concluded that no
statute or court rule authorizes a district court to rule on the legality of the evidence
presented at a preliminary hearing and noted several practical considerations that
militate against Defendant’s position. Id. ¶¶ 11-13, 15-16.

{7}    We granted Defendant’s petition for certiorari to determine whether the district
court has the authority at a preliminary hearing to decide whether evidence was
obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure. 2

II.     DISCUSSION

{8}    Defendant contends that the Court of Appeals erred in concluding that the district
court has no authority to exclude illegally obtained evidence at a preliminary hearing for
three reasons: (1) Martinez does not control the result in this case because there are
substantial differences between grand jury proceedings and preliminary hearings; (2)
the characteristics of preliminary hearings are such that, on balance, the district court
should be allowed to exclude illegally obtained evidence at this stage in the proceeding;
and (3) Article II, Section 10 of the New Mexico Constitution provides the right to
exclude illegal evidence at preliminary hearings.

{9}    We review interpretations of our rules of criminal procedure and questions of
constitutional interpretation de novo. State v. Adame, 

, 

; Allen v. LeMaster, 

, 

.


2We do not address whether the district court correctly ruled that the evidence was obtained
unconstitutionally because we conclude that the district court exceeded its authority to make that
determination at the preliminary hearing.
A.    The Relationship and Similarities Between Grand Jury Proceedings and
      Preliminary Hearings Favor Congruent Rules as to the Power to Decide if
      Evidence Was Obtained From an Unconstitutional Search or Seizure

{10} In Martinez, two defendants filed a motion in district court challenging their grand
jury indictment on the ground that unlawful subpoenas were used to obtain information
presented to the grand jury. 

. This Court concluded that an
otherwise lawful grand jury indictment cannot be overturned “because of trial
inadmissibility or improprieties in the procurement of evidence” presented to the grand
jury. Id. ¶ 1. Accordingly, stated the Martinez Court, “suppression is a remedy for court
determination in pretrial proceedings and is not one the grand jury is either equipped or
called upon to decide.” Id. ¶ 31.

{11} The State argues that preliminary hearings “share a common purpose and an
identical function” with grand jury proceedings and that Martinez therefore controls the
result in this case. Defendant, arguing to the contrary, points out that the Martinez
analysis is deeply rooted in the specific history and development of New Mexico grand
jury practice and concludes that this analysis is inapplicable to preliminary hearings.
See Martinez, 

 (reviewing statutory and precedential history
specific to grand juries). Defendant further argues that Martinez is inapplicable because
preliminary hearings and grand juries “are different proceedings with entirely different
structures.”

{12} The structure of a preliminary hearing is indeed very different from that of a grand
jury proceeding. At a preliminary hearing, for example, the judge substantially controls
the procedure, playing a much more prominent role than the judge at a grand jury
proceeding. See generally Rule 5-302 (detailing time requirements and procedures
administered by the district court judge). At a grand jury proceeding, the prosecutor is
largely in control. See Herrera v. Sanchez, 

, 

 (“The
grand jury sits without direct supervision from the grand jury judge and fulfills its
constitutional responsibilities with help from a prosecuting attorney.”). At a preliminary
hearing, the judge decides whether the state has demonstrated probable cause. Rule 5-
302(D). But at a grand jury proceeding, a panel of “regular jurors” decides. NMSA 1978,
§ 31-6-1 (1983) (stating that at a grand jury proceeding all deliberations are conducted
by jurors). Moreover, the rules of evidence do not apply at a grand jury proceeding,
NMSA 1978, § 31-6-11(A) (2003), but are applicable at a preliminary hearing subject to
limited exceptions, Rule 5-302(B)(5); see Rule 5-302.1 (Exceptions to rules of evidence
for preliminary examinations).

{13} The rights of the target of a grand jury proceeding are more limited than the
rights of a defendant at a preliminary hearing. Cf. Herrera, 

. The
grand jury target and counsel for the target can be present only if the target testifies,
and only during that testimony. Id.; see also § 31-6-4(B)-(D) (2003). Moreover, the
target’s counsel may not speak to the grand jury. Herrera, 

; see
also NMSA 1978, § 31-6-4(D). But at a preliminary hearing, “the defendant is permitted
to be present with counsel throughout the duration of the proceedings, to cross-examine
the State’s witnesses, and to call and subpoena witnesses on the defendant’s own
behalf.” Herrera, 

 (citing generally Rule 5-302).

{14} “Grand jury proceedings are conducted in secret,” Herrera, 

 (citing § 31-6-4(B)-(D)), and are inquisitorial, Martinez, 

, ¶ 17.
Preliminary hearings are adversarial in nature, Herrera, 

, ¶ 16, and
open to the public, NMSA 1978, § 34-1-1 (1972); Rule 5-124(A) NMRA. The
aforementioned differences, among others, lead us to conclude that the grand jury
analysis in Martinez does not control the result in this case.

{15} Nevertheless, fundamental similarities between grand jury proceedings and
preliminary hearings favor our conclusion that their rules on the exclusion of illegally
obtained evidence should be congruent.

{16} Despite their differences, grand juries and preliminary hearings are directly
related. A defendant in New Mexico cannot be made to answer for a serious criminal
offense unless there has first been a determination of probable cause by a grand jury or
a judge at a preliminary hearing. State v. Lopez, 

, 

;
see also N.M. Const. art. II, § 14. The state chooses between these alternatives. State
v. Peavler, 

, ¶ 6, 

, 

. And, as already stated,
a district court cannot review the admissibility of evidence presented to the grand jury.
See Martinez, 

. Therefore, providing an avenue for defendants to
bring suppression actions in a preliminary hearing would incentivize the state to proceed
by grand jury indictment rather than preliminary hearing. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 5.1
advisory committee notes (stating that “the preliminary examination is not the proper
place to raise the issue of illegally obtained evidence” because “[o]therwise there will be
increased pressure on [prosecutors] to abandon the preliminary examination in favor of
the grand jury indictment”). We acknowledge that the differences between grand jury
proceedings and preliminary hearings may already incentivize one over the other in
certain situations. See Kathryn D. Sears, Better Balance: Why the Second Judicial
District in New Mexico Should Prioritize Use of Preliminary Hearings, 51 N.M. L. Rev
524, 538 (2021) (stating that for some cases a grand jury proceeding, where the rules of
evidence do not apply, presents a “much simpler” way to bring felony charges). We are
not inclined to add further imbalance between these two related alternatives for
probable cause findings.

{17} Preliminary hearings and grand jury proceedings are not only related but are
similar in at least two fundamental ways. They share a common primary purpose: to
provide a neutral evaluation of whether the state has met its burden of demonstrating
probable cause to prosecute a serious crime. See State ex rel. Whitehead v. Vescovi-Dial, 

, ¶ 5, 

, 

 (“The primary purpose of the
preliminary examination is to provide an independent evaluation of whether the state
has met its burden of demonstrating probable cause.”); Herrera, 

(stating that one of two primary functions of a grand jury is to “determine whether there
is probable cause to believe that the target of an investigation has committed a crime”).
And there is a significant procedural similarity: in Lopez we noted that both are nontrial,
preliminary proceedings at the threshold of criminal prosecution at which guilt or
innocence is not definitively determined. Lopez, 

.

{18} In sum, Martinez does not control the result in this case. However, the
fundamental similarities between grand jury proceedings and preliminary hearings
support our adoption of congruent rules for both proceedings regarding the district
courts’ power to determine whether evidence was obtained from an unconstitutional
search or seizure.

B.     Prudential Considerations Also Favor Our Conclusion That the District
       Court Lacks the Power to Decide at a Preliminary Hearing Whether
       Evidence Was Obtained From an Unconstitutional Search or Seizure

{19} According to Defendant, the prudential concerns raised by the Court of Appeals
should not dissuade us from concluding that preliminary hearings are an appropriate
stage to raise concerns about whether evidence was unlawfully obtained. Defendant
argues that the district court should have the authority in any proceeding to evaluate
whether evidence was illegally obtained because such authority is consistent with the
judge’s role at a preliminary hearing. Defendant emphasizes that the rules of evidence
generally apply at a preliminary hearing. See Rule 5-302(B)(5). Accordingly, notes
Defendant, judges at preliminary hearings already adjudicate and screen evidentiary
issues including, for example, hearsay and privileged material. See, e.g., Rule 11-802
NMRA (establishing, pursuant to our rules of evidence, that hearsay is generally not
admissible). Defendant concludes that courts “routinely” address evidentiary issues at
preliminary hearings, and therefore “[i]t is not clear [to Defendant] why ruling on search- and-seizure claims would be more onerous for a district court than addressing” these
other issues.

{20} It is true that district courts already adjudicate evidentiary issues, but in our view
there is much more to consider. Preliminary hearings take place on a brisk timeline,
especially when the defendant is incarcerated. See Rule 5-302(A)(1) (providing for a
ten-day time limit to hold a preliminary hearing if a defendant is in custody, and a sixtyday time limit otherwise). Actions to suppress evidence are not well-suited to such a
tight timeline. Discovery is in its early stages, and it is limited by rule to the evidence in
the state’s possession. Rule 5-302(B)(2). There is no provision for briefing in the
preliminary hearing rule, so both the facts and the arguments about whether evidence
was illegally obtained are likely to be underdeveloped. The result can be insufficiently
informed rulings. See 4 Wayne R. LaFave, et al., Criminal Procedure § 14.4(b), at 392
(4th ed. 2015) (“In jurisdictions where the [preliminary] hearing is held with exceptional
promptness, . . . there often will not be adequate time for the two sides to investigate
and prepare.”).

{21} Defendant asserts that the district court was able to handle the suppression claim
efficiently, noting that the preliminary hearing was only twenty-two minutes long.
However, preliminary hearing suppression decisions would be subject to appeal. See
NMSA 1978, § 39-3-3(B) (1972) (providing that the state can appeal orders suppressing
evidence, excluding evidence, and dismissing a criminal information or indictment); §
39-3-3(A)(3) (providing an avenue for a defendant to bring an interlocutory appeal under
limited circumstances). And such appeals can delay trials significantly. For example,
Defendant’s preliminary hearing took place more than three years ago.

{22} Rule 5-212 NMRA, which provides the procedure for district court motions to
suppress evidence, is significant here for several reasons. We note first that the
procedure we have established in Rule 5-212 is more conducive to a full and fair
hearing on suppression issues because the time constraints are considerably more
relaxed, discovery is far more robust, and the rule explicitly provides for written motions.
See Rule 5-212(C) (establishing that a motion to suppress must be filed at least sixty
days before trial absent good cause shown); Rule 5-302(B)(2) (limiting discovery at the
preliminary hearing to the evidence in the state’s possession); see also Rule 5-601
NMRA (establishing rules for motions at the trial stage of a criminal case in district
court). Defendant’s case illustrates the severe limitations of the preliminary hearing
relative to our procedure for motions to suppress: no law was cited by either party in the
two-minute suppression argument at the preliminary hearing, and no law was cited by
the district court to explain its ruling.

{23} Also important is that the rules of evidence generally apply at a Rule 5-302
preliminary hearing but generally do not at a Rule 5-212 suppression hearing. Compare
Rule 5-302(B)(5) (“The Rules of Evidence apply [at a preliminary hearing], subject to
any specific exceptions in the Rules of Criminal Procedure for the District Courts.”), with
State v. Rivera, 

, 

, 

 (“At a
suppression hearing, the court may rely on hearsay and other evidence, even though
that evidence would not be admissible at trial.” (internal quotation marks and citation
omitted)). As expressed in our rules of evidence, judges have the flexibility to consider
evidence not admissible at trial in deciding suppression issues. See Rule 11-104(A); cf.
United States v. Matlock, 

 (1974) (“[I]n proceedings where the judge
himself is considering the admissibility of evidence, the exclusionary rules, aside from
rules of privilege, should not be applicable; and the judge should receive the evidence
and give it such weight as his judgment and experience counsel.”).

{24} Finally, and crucially, the availability of a Rule 5-212 suppression action already
provides defendants with a pretrial opportunity to exclude inadmissible evidence and to
avoid going to trial on the basis of inadmissible evidence. The trial is “the only point at
which guilt or innocence may be definitively determined,” and a number of other
important procedural protections applicable at trial are inapplicable at the preliminary
hearing stage of a prosecution: the right to be free from double jeopardy, the right to
confrontation, and the right to a jury as factfinder. Lopez, 

(emphasis added). We are mindful of the advantage to the defendant to be unburdened
from a nonviable prosecution at the earliest possible point. Cf. Vescovi-Dial, 1997-
NMCA-126 ¶ 6 (“[A] preliminary examination operates as a screening device to prevent
hasty and unwise prosecutions and to save an innocent accused from the humiliation
and anxiety of a public prosecution.” (citing 2 Wayne R. LaFave & Jerold H. Israel,
Criminal Procedure § 14.1(a) (1984))). But to allow a defendant to raise suppression
issues at the preliminary hearing is largely duplicative and not necessary for effective
screening. See 1 Wayne R. LaFave, Search and Seizure § 1.6(d) (6th ed. 2020) (stating
that among the practical objections to allowing defendants to raise suppression issues
at preliminary hearings is that doing so “‘would require two determinations of
admissibility’” (quoting Fed. R. Crim. P. 5.1 advisory committee notes)); 4 LaFave,
supra, § 14.4(b), at 392 (“[A]llowing the defense to raise the suppression issue [at a
pretrial hearing] is viewed as unnecessary to achieving effective screening” because a
“suppression motion can still be utilized to gain a pretrial ruling that will exclude the
evidence and thereby preclude a trial”); id. at 390 (“Like all evidentiary rulings at a
preliminary hearing, the ruling on a challenge to evidence as illegally acquired will not
be binding upon the trial court.”). To adopt Defendant’s position, this Court would risk
turning preliminary hearings into minitrials on the legality of the evidence. Cf. Lopez,

 (concluding that it was “unworkable” to provide confrontation
rights at all stages of a criminal proceeding, including preliminary hearings). We decline
Defendant’s invitation.

{25} We pause here to address one additional concern raised by Defendant.
Defendant argues that if the district court considers illegally obtained evidence at a
preliminary hearing, the judge “participate[s] in the violation of the defendant’s rights”
and, quoting State v. Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 56, 

, 

,
becomes an “accomplice[] to unconstitutional executive conduct.” Defendant further
quotes our caution in Gutierrez that “[t]he real and perceived affront to the integrity of
the New Mexico judiciary is a critical state interest that militates in favor of the
exclusionary rule.” 

 In the context of a preliminary hearing, we think Defendant is
incorrect.

{26} In Gutierrez, this Court rejected the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial as
contrary to the New Mexico Constitution. Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 56. Our opinion
does not alter or undermine the Gutierrez trial stage protections. And the use of illegal
evidence for the ultimate determination of guilt or innocence has very different
implications than the use of such evidence at a preliminary hearing because the later
protections of Defendant’s right to exclude illegal evidence still exist in full force. Our
ruling today does not require district court judges to participate in rights violations,
contrary to Defendant’s claim.

C.     The New Mexico Constitution Does Not Provide the Right at a Preliminary
       Hearing to Exclude Evidence Obtained From an Unconstitutional Search or
       Seizure

{27} Defendant’s constitutional argument is somewhat tentative: arguing under Article
II, Section 10 of the New Mexico Constitution, Defendant states that “New Mexico’s law
on the exclusionary rule strongly suggests that it attaches at the preliminary hearing
stage.” (Emphasis added.) We take Defendant’s argument to be that Article II, Section
10 provides defendants with the right to exclude illegally obtained evidence at
preliminary hearings.

{28} When analyzing a claim of right under the New Mexico Constitution, we apply the
interstitial approach. State v. Gomez, 

, 

, 

.
“Under the interstitial approach, the court asks first whether the right being asserted is
protected under the federal constitution. If it is, then the state constitutional claim is not
reached. If it is not, then the state constitution is examined.” Id. ¶ 19. The state
constitution may provide additional protections “for three reasons: a flawed federal
analysis, structural differences between state and federal government, or distinctive
state characteristics.” Id.

{29} Before addressing Defendant’s specific arguments, we note three points. First,
Defendant asserts that there is no “clear authority on whether the Fourth Amendment
exclusionary rule applies at a preliminary hearing.” We disagree. There clearly is no
federal right to exclude illegally obtained evidence at a preliminary hearing. See Fed. R.
Crim. P. 5.1(e) (“At the preliminary hearing, the defendant . . . may not object to
evidence on the ground that it was unlawfully acquired.”); see also Giordenello v. United
States, 

 (1958) (holding that the court was without power at
preliminary hearing to determine the admissibility of heroin taken from the defendant’s
person). Second, Lopez shows that not all constitutional rights are available at a
preliminary hearing. 

, ¶ 26 (“[T]he right of confrontation . . . is a trial
right that does not apply to probable cause determinations in preliminary
examinations.”). Third, Martinez shows that there is no broad right to suppress evidence
at the probable cause stage under the New Mexico Constitution. See 

. In light of these three considerations, Defendant has a narrow path to walk.

{30} Because the Fourth Amendment does not protect the right that Defendant
asserts, we examine Article II, Section 10. Defendant does not appear to argue that
Article II, Section 10 should be read more expansively than the Fourth Amendment
because the federal analysis is flawed or that there are structural differences between
state and federal government. Instead, we understand Defendant to argue that New
Mexico has distinct state characteristics in that (1) Article II, Section 10 provides a
substantive right to the exclusion of illegally obtained evidence as recognized in State v.
Gutierrez, 

; (2) Gutierrez states “that the New Mexico constitutional
prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures requires that we deny the state
the use of evidence obtained in violation of Article II, Section 10 in a criminal
proceeding,” id. ¶ 45 (emphasis added); and (3) a preliminary hearing is a criminal
proceeding. Amicus Curiae substantially agrees with this argument and adds that failure
to exclude illegally obtained evidence at the preliminary hearing stage would “[c]arv[e]
out a procedural ‘free fire zone’ where law enforcement’s violations of the constitution
are ignored.”

{31} We agree with Defendant and Amicus that there is a salient difference between
the exclusionary rule in New Mexico and its federal counterpart, in that we have
recognized the exclusionary rule as part of the Article II, Section 10 right to be free from
unreasonable search and seizure. Compare Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 50 (“The
constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure includes the
exclusionary rule.” (emphasis omitted)), and id. ¶ 53 (“The approach we adopt today
focuses not on deterrence or judicial integrity, nor do we propose a judicial remedy;
instead, our focus is to effectuate in the pending case the constitutional right of the
accused to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.”), with United States v.
Calandra, 

 (1974) (holding that “the [federal exclusionary] rule is a
judicially created remedy designed to safeguard Fourth Amendment rights generally
through its deterrent effect, rather than a personal constitutional right of the party
aggrieved”). We do not retreat from our holding in Gutierrez in this case.

{32} However, the strength of the personal right to the exclusionary rule in New
Mexico does not mandate the timing for a suppression motion. The statement in
Gutierrez that we must deny the state the use of illegally obtained evidence “in a
criminal proceeding,” must be understood in the larger context of that case. 1993-
NMSC-062, ¶ 45. Gutierrez arose from the district court’s suppression of evidence after
a suppression hearing. Id. ¶ 7. No suppression issue was raised in that case at an
earlier stage than the suppression hearing, and therefore Gutierrez cannot be read to
require suppression at an earlier stage. See Dominguez v. State, 

, 

 (“[C]ases are not authority for propositions not considered.” (internal
quotation marks and citation omitted)). Moreover, we read Gutierrez’s requirement for
exclusion “in a criminal proceeding” to refer more generally to the entire criminal case
rather than each separate pretrial hearing. We expressly stated that “[d]enying the
government the fruits of unconstitutional conduct at trial best effectuates the
constitutional proscription of unreasonable searches and seizures by preserving the
rights of the accused to the same extent as if the government’s officers had stayed
within the law.” Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 55 (emphasis added). From that
statement, we infer that Gutierrez contemplated exclusion of illegally obtained evidence
at the guilt determination stage. 3 See also, e.g., id. ¶ 51 (noting that, in another case, it
was constitutional error to admit illegally obtained evidence “upon the trial” of the
defendant (quoting Weeks v. United States, 

 (1914))). Therefore,
Defendant’s reliance on Gutierrez is unavailing. Because Defendant does not point to
any other distinctive state characteristics, we are not persuaded that Article II, Section
10 supports the right to exclude illegally obtained evidence at a preliminary hearing

D.      Response to the Dissent

{33} The dissent contends that the ruling established today by the majority “ignores a
judge’s duty to protect a defendant’s constitutional rights.” Dissent ¶ 67; see also
dissent ¶ 42 (stating that this Court “fails to acknowledge the fundamental importance of
protecting the constitutional rights of the accused”). It does nothing of the sort. The
majority opinion simply reserves any question regarding the legality by which the
evidence was obtained for a later date than the preliminary hearing when the matter can
be carefully considered.

{34} Defendants have an existing pretrial mechanism to vindicate their right to be free
from unconstitutional searches and seizures: a motion to suppress. See Rule 5-212.

3We leave for another day the question raised by Defendant of whether the exclusionary rule applies at a
preliminary hearing to statements obtained in violation of the Fifth Amendment and/or Article II, Section
15 of the New Mexico Constitution protections against self-incrimination. See, e.g., Vogt v. City of Hays,

 (10th Cir. 2017) (holding that statements obtained in violation of the Fifth
Amendment must be suppressed at preliminary hearing). This case only requires that we determine
whether evidence may be suppressed at a preliminary hearing when the evidence was obtained through
an unreasonable search and seizure in violation of Article II, Section 10.
Today’s ruling does nothing to diminish this remedy or change the majority’s
commitment to protecting the right to be free from unconstitutional searches and
seizures. Although one might not know it from the dissent, the sky has not fallen. A
preliminary hearing bindover based on illegally obtained evidence, unlike a bindover
based on other inadmissible evidence (e.g., hearsay), will not force the defendant to trial
on incompetent evidence. 4 LaFave, supra, § 14.4(b).

{35} Our federal courts follow the approach established by the majority in this opinion.
Fed. R. Crim. P. 5.1 (stating that the defendant may cross-examine adverse witnesses
and may introduce evidence but may not object to evidence on the ground that it was
unlawfully acquired); see also Fed R. Crim. P. 5.1 advisory committee notes
(“[S]ubdivision (a) [of Fed R. Crim. P. Rule 5.1] provides that the preliminary
examination is not the proper place to raise the issue of illegally obtained evidence. This
is current law.” (citing Giordenello v. United States, 

 (1958))). And
according to a leading commentator, “[t]he majority position refus[es] to allow
exclusionary rule objections [at preliminary hearings].” 4 LaFave, supra, § 14.4(b), at
392 (emphasis added). Thus, the majority of judges across the country, including all of
our federal judges, conduct preliminary hearings without addressing the exclusion of
illegally obtained evidence. The dissent provides no substantive support for its position
that the ruling announced today, which conforms with the federal practice and the
majority of jurisdictions, would result in the judiciary ignoring their duty as judges,
undermine the very fabric of our legal principles, and compromise the integrity of our
justice system. See dissent ¶¶ 45, 67 (“Failing to consider the constitutionality of
evidence undermines the very fabric of our legal principles and compromises the
integrity of our justice system.”). Instead, they rely on broad rhetoric including heavy
reliance on United States v. MounDay, 

 (D. Kan. 1913), a district of Kansas
case dating back to 1913.

{36} The essential question answered is whether a defendant’s clear interest in being
unburdened from a nonviable prosecution as early as possible, which we recognize
outweighs the jurisprudential problems involved in determining suppression issues at a
preliminary hearing. See maj. op. ¶¶ 20-22 (noting that preliminary hearings must be
held and adjudicated within ten days, discovery is limited to the evidence in the State’s
possession, and that the preliminary hearing rule does not provide for briefing). The
instant case pointedly illustrates why a preliminary hearing is an inappropriate stage of
litigation to consider exclusionary rule objections.

{37} In the preliminary hearing in this case, no law was cited to the district court to
help determine whether the opiates found in Defendant’s possession were fruit of the
poisonous tree and therefore subject to suppression. The dissent quotes the district
court’s conclusion that “‘[t]here’s no reasonable suspicion to even stop
[Defendant] . . . so [the case] won’t be bound over’” and then states approvingly that
“the district court . . . took into account the constitutionality of the evidence’s
procurement, weighed the evidence, and then made a probable cause determination.”
Dissent ¶ 44. That said, based on the sparse record developed soon after a filing of the
information setting forth the charges, the dissent is ready to rule.
{38} However, one unaddressed issue in the district court was whether the
attenuation exception to the exclusionary rule applies, given that the officer discovered
a valid warrant after the stop. In Utah v. Strieff, the United States Supreme Court
established that the attenuation exception can apply when, after initiating an
unconstitutional investigatory stop, an officer discovers a valid arrest warrant and then
seizes incriminating evidence during the search incident to the arrest. 

, 235
(2016). 4 Our Court of Appeals has applied the Strieff attenuation framework three times,
two of which are formal opinions. 5 Yet, none of these cases were brought to the
attention of the district court during the preliminary hearing. Nor was the attenuation
exception to the exclusionary rule brought to the court’s attention. In fact, there was no
mention of this issue at the preliminary hearing.

{39} District court judges need the benefit of briefing, time, and a sufficient record to
decide complex suppression issues. Asking trial courts to adjudicate these issues based
on intuition and generalities, as the dissent does, rather than law is inappropriate. In the
long run, that does not do justice to defendants, the state, the judiciary, or, ultimately,
the people of New Mexico. The better path is for these issues to receive a full, fair, and
focused suppression hearing, with the benefit of briefing, sufficient time, and a fully
developed record.

III.    CONCLUSION

{40} We hold that a district court judge has no authority at a Rule 5-302 preliminary
examination to decide whether evidence was obtained from an unconstitutional search
or seizure, and we remand for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

{41}    IT IS SO ORDERED.

DAVID K. THOMSON, Justice

WE CONCUR:

JULIE J. VARGAS, Justice

BRETT R. LOVELESS, Judge
Sitting by designation



4The skeletal facts of Strieff are very much like the facts in this case. In Strieff, an officer stopped the
defendant without reasonable suspicion. 579 U.S. at 235-36, 239. During the illegal investigatory stop, the
officer discovered that the suspect had a valid arrest warrant. Id. at 235. The officer then discovered
illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia when conducting a search incident to arrest. Id. at 235-36. The
defendant was charged with unlawful possession of the drug-related materials. Id. at 236.
5State v. Ramey, 

, 

 (engaging in the attenuation analysis and
citing Strieff, where the defendant was assumed to be seized without reasonable suspicion, followed by
the discovery of a valid arrest warrant and a search incident to arrest leading to the seizure of
incriminating evidence); State v. Edwards, 

, ¶¶ 1, 4, 6-12, 

 (similar); State
v. Baca, A-1-CA-36722, mem. op. ¶¶ 3-8 (N.M. Ct. App. Jan. 7, 2020) (nonprecedential) (similar).
C. SHANNON BACON, Chief Justice, dissenting

MICHAEL E. VIGIL, Justice, dissenting

VIGIL, Justice (dissenting).

I.      INTRODUCTION

{42} According to the majority, a district court judge conducting a preliminary
examination 6 “‘should receive the evidence and give it such weight as his judgment and
experience counsel,’” maj. op. ¶ 23 (quoting United States v. Matlock, 

 (1974)); however, the judge “has no authority to decide whether evidence was
obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure,” maj. op. ¶ 1. This contradictory
conclusion clashes with basic principles enshrined in the New Mexico Constitution and
fails to acknowledge the fundamental importance of protecting the constitutional rights
of the accused. We cannot agree to such a conclusion.

{43} The majority characterizes a district court judge’s consideration of the
constitutionality of evidence in a preliminary examination as a “suppression issue.” Maj.
op. ¶ 32. Granted, the evidence is suppressed for the purposes of the preliminary
examination, but this does not necessarily mean the evidence is suppressed for the trial
itself. A preliminary examination and a trial are distinct proceedings, each with its own
set of rules and considerations. See State v. Garcia, 

, ¶ 5, 

, 

. Moreover, the issue of whether a suppression ruling in a preliminary
examination has preclusive effect on the subsequent trial and other procedural issues
are not before us. We are confident that our Rules of Criminal Procedure for the State
Courts Committee could amend Rule 5-302 NMRA to address any procedural concerns
that may arise in the future.

{44} The issue at hand is one of authority and the proper weighing of evidence. Here,
the district court judge stated that she would not bind the case over “for a number of
reasons.” The district court judge explained,

        There was no reason to detain [Defendant] to begin with, I mean that’s
        what I’m finding. There’s no reason. [Defendant] wasn’t doing illegal
        activity, he complied with the orders. [The officer] recognized him I
        understand that, but he wasn’t doing anything. There’s no reasonable
        suspicion to even stop him. [The officer] called him out by name;
        [Defendant] complied. He wasn’t doing any criminal activity at that time so
        [the case] won’t be bound over.

Thus, the district court, in its wisdom, took into account the constitutionality of the
evidence’s procurement, weighed the evidence, and then made a probable cause


6For consistency with the language in our Constitution (N.M. Const. art. II, § 14; art. VI, § 21) and Rule 5-
302 NMRA, this dissent uses the term preliminary examination to refer to the proceeding at issue in this
case. We note that the majority uses the term preliminary hearing to refer to the same proceeding.
determination. Such actions are well within the purview of a district court judge’s
authority and duty.

{45} It is incumbent upon judges to safeguard constitutional rights and ensure that
justice is served. See State v. Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 55, 

, 

 (“The very backbone of [the judiciary’s] role in a tripartite system of
government is to give vitality to the organic laws of this state by construing constitutional
guarantees in the context of the exigencies and the needs of everyday life.”). Failing to
consider the constitutionality of evidence undermines the very fabric of our legal
principles and compromises the integrity of our justice system. See id. ¶¶ 50-56
(explaining that the exclusionary rule is not based on judicial integrity or deterrence, yet
it undeniably promotes these crucial state policies).

{46}   In light of these concerns, we respectfully dissent.

II.    DISCUSSION

{47} A district court, entrusted with the solemn task of dispensing justice, has the
authority to assess the constitutionality of evidence during a preliminary examination.
The reasoning behind our assertion is firmly rooted in the authority provided to district
courts under the New Mexico Constitution and our Rules of Criminal Procedure for
District Courts, a judge’s duty to protect constitutional rights, the disparities between a
preliminary examination and a grand jury proceeding, and this Court’s core
interpretation of Article II, Section 10 of the New Mexico Constitution.

A.     A Judge’s Authority

{48} Under the New Mexico Constitution, district courts are explicitly granted the
power to hold preliminary examinations. The New Mexico Constitution unequivocally
states that the judicial power of the state is vested in various courts, including district
courts, N.M. Const. art. VI, § 1, which possess “original jurisdiction in all matters and
causes not excepted in [the New Mexico Constitution], and such jurisdiction of special
cases and proceedings as provided by law.” N.M. Const. art. VI, § 13. One such
proceeding is a preliminary examination. See N.M. Const. art. VI, § 21 (“District judges
and other judges or magistrates designated by law may hold preliminary examinations
in criminal cases.”); see also N.M. Const. art. II, § 14 (“No person shall be so held on
information without having had a preliminary examination before an examining
magistrate, or having waived such preliminary examination.”). Further, with regard to a
district court’s original jurisdiction, “the district court has the authority to consider
constitutional claims in the first instance.” Maso v. N.M. Tax’n & Revenue Dep’t, Motor
Vehicle Div., 

, 

, 

; see Marchman v.
NCNB Texas Nat’l Bank, 

, ¶ 27, 

, 

 (“The
district court thus is a court of general jurisdiction, because it has jurisdiction over all
matters not expressly consigned to other courts.”).

{49} In light of these constitutional provisions, it becomes abundantly clear that district
courts possess the authority to hold preliminary examinations and consider
constitutional issues. This authority is not only granted by the New Mexico Constitution,
but it is also recognized as an essential aspect of our judicial system. See State ex rel.
Whitehead v. Vescovi-Dial, 

, ¶ 6, 

, 

 (“[A]
preliminary examination operates as a screening device to prevent hasty and unwise
prosecutions and to save an innocent accused from the humiliation and anxiety of a
public prosecution.”).

{50} Additionally, our Rules of Criminal Procedure for the District Courts clarify that
district courts have the responsibility and authority to adjudicate evidentiary issues
during preliminary examinations. See Rule 5-302(D) (requiring the court to make a
probable cause determination); see also Rule 5-302(B)(5) (providing that the Rules of
Evidence apply in a preliminary examination). This includes weighing the evidence
presented “and assess[ing] the existence of probable cause from a developed factual
record.” State v. Muraida, 

, 

; see State v.
Archuleta, 

, ¶ 25, 

, 

 (stating that where the
“defendant was charged by an information, he ha[s] a constitutional right to a
preliminary examination”); see also UJI 14-8001 NMRA (instructing grand jurors that a
decision on probable cause must be based “solely upon the evidence received” which
may be determined to be “true or false” and given “whatever weight . . . it deserves”).
Thus, district court judges are empowered by our own rules to conduct preliminary
examinations, adjudicate evidentiary issues, weigh the evidence presented, and make
probable cause determinations. See Muraida, 

. And, in exercising
its original jurisdiction, district courts have “the authority to consider constitutional claims
in the first instance.” Maso, 

.

{51} While the majority acknowledges the existence of this authority, maj. op. ¶¶ 20,
23, it still questions whether district courts may consider the constitutionality of the
evidence in making a probable cause determination. The answer is a resounding yes. It
is the duty of every judge, including those presiding over preliminary examinations, to
ensure that the constitutional rights of a defendant are upheld. They are empowered
and equipped to do so.

B.     A Judge’s Duty

{52} On numerous occasions, this Court has emphasized that a judge must “protect
the constitutional rights of [a d]efendant and the integrity of the court.” State v. Hildreth,

, ¶ 38, 

; see State v. Grogan, 

, 

, 

 (providing that “in cases of obvious ineffective assistance of
counsel, the trial judge has the duty to maintain the integrity of the court, and thus
inquire into the representation”). This duty to protect the constitutional rights of a
defendant is no less applicable in the context of a preliminary examination. See State v.
Vaughn, 

, ¶ 9, 

, 

 (“When violation of a
constitutional right in the proceedings before the magistrate is brought to the attention of
the trial court and found to exist, the accused’s right and the court’s duty is to abate the
information until there has been a proper preliminary examination.” (emphasis added)).
Consequently, it is not only a prerogative but also an obligation of a judge to consider
the constitutionality of the evidence presented in a preliminary examination.
{53} As guardians of justice, judges must carefully evaluate the evidence presented
and assess its legality. If judges—in their experience and judgment—believe that
evidence was obtained in an unconstitutional manner, they have the authority and duty
to give that evidence little, if any, weight in making a probable cause determination.
Such a duty is consistent with the constitutional requirement that “every person elected
or appointed to any office shall . . . subscribe to an oath or affirmation that he will
support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state,
and that he will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of his office to the best of
his ability.” N.M. Const. art. XX, § 1.

{54} Moreover, when we examine the substantial differences between a preliminary
examination and a grand jury proceeding, the importance of weighing the
constitutionality of the evidence becomes ever more apparent. This is because
preliminary examinations provide crucial procedural safeguards and afford defendants a
range of rights that are not present in a grand jury setting.

C.     Preliminary Examinations and Grand Jury Proceedings

{55} Before detailing the disparities between a preliminary examination and a grand
jury proceeding, some context is necessary. To charge a defendant with a felony, the
state may either obtain an indictment from a grand jury or file a criminal information.
See N.M. Const. art. II, § 14. “If charged by criminal information, a defendant has a right
to a preliminary examination. No such right exists if the defendant is indicted by a grand
jury.” State v. Burk, 

, ¶ 2, 

, 

. “The choice to
proceed by information or indictment is that of the [s]tate.” Id. ¶ 6. “The state may
choose to seek a grand jury indictment for the same offense following an unfavorable
preliminary examination.” State v. White, 

, 

, 

.

{56} Our Court of Appeals correctly stated that “[t]he primary purpose of the
preliminary examination is to provide an independent evaluation of whether the state
has met its burden of demonstrating probable cause.” Whitehead, 

, ¶
5. Importantly, the New Mexico Constitution “provides . . . for a preliminary examination
as a right which is personal to the accused, for his or her benefit, and accordingly one
which is waivable in its entirety by the defendant and not enforceable independently by
the prosecution.” Id. ¶ 12; see N.M. Const. art. II, § 14. This personal right of the
accused to a preliminary examination is included in the Bill of Rights of the New Mexico
Constitution, “stand[ing] shoulder to shoulder with the most basic guarantees of
individual liberty against the power of the state, such as the right of self-government
([N.M. Const.] art. II, § 3), the right to life, liberty and property ([N.M. Const.] art. II, § 4),
the right of habeas corpus ([N.M. Const.] art. II, § 7), the right to bear arms ([N.M.
Const.] art. II, § 6), the freedom of elections ([N.M. Const.] art. II, § 8), . . . the freedoms
of speech, press, and religion ([N.M. Const.] art. II, §§ 11, 17),” Whitehead, 1997-
NMCA-126, ¶ 12, and notably, the right to be free from an unreasonable search and
seizure (N.M. Const. art. II, § 10). These are all “guarantees of liberty to be invoked by
the accused in a criminal prosecution, as the accused sees fit.” Whitehead, 1997-
NMCA-126, ¶ 12. With this important context, we now turn to the many differences
between a preliminary examination and a grand jury proceeding.

{57} A preliminary examination is a critical stage of the criminal proceedings against
an accused, Vaugh, 

, ¶ 3, where “the state is required to establish, to
the satisfaction of the examining judge, two components: (1) that a crime has been
committed; and (2) probable cause exists to believe that the person charged committed
it,” White, 

. Preliminary examinations are adversarial in nature
and open to the public. Herrera v. Sanchez, 

, 

. The
defendant plays an active role and is permitted rights necessary to test the state’s case.

 These include the right to be present with counsel throughout the proceeding, to
cross-examine the State’s witnesses, to call and subpoena witnesses on the
defendant’s own behalf, and to access any evidence in the prosecution’s possession
that is material in the preparation of the defense. Rule 5-302(B)(1)-(4). Also, the New
Mexico Rules of Evidence apply. Rule 5-302(B)(5). Notably, the committee commentary
for Rule 5-302 stresses that these procedures and rights afforded to a defendant are
“not intended to be a comprehensive list of the defendant’s rights.”

{58} Unlike the public and adversarial nature of preliminary examinations, grand jury
proceedings are secretive and one-sided. Herrera, 

. On the one
hand, the prosecutor controls the grand jury process. 

 The prosecutor questions
witnesses, presents evidence, and instructs the grand jury on the law and its
application. Id. ¶¶ 15-16. On the other hand, the target of the grand jury proceeding has
limited rights: the target can choose to testify, see NMSA 1978, § 31-6-11(C)(3)-(5)
(2003), request the prosecutor inform the grand jury of exculpatory evidence and
possible defenses, see § 31-6-11(B), and consult with counsel in a manner that is not
audible to the grand jurors, see NMSA 1978, § 31-6-4(D) (2003). Other than this silent
consultation, the target’s attorney may not participate in the proceedings. Id. Moreover,
“[t]he grand jury sits without direct supervision from the grand jury judge,” Herrera,

, and the rules of evidence do not apply, Section 31-6-11(A).

{59} This stark contrast between the rights afforded, the nature of the proceedings,
the application of the rules of evidence, and a judge’s involvement, counsels in favor of
adopting a rule that district court judges have authority to take into account the
constitutionality of the evidence’s procurement during a preliminary examination. These
disparities, in concert with the authority granted to district court judges under the New
Mexico Constitution and their duty to protect a defendant’s constitutional rights, strongly
support the adoption of such a rule. Furthermore, the adoption of this rule seems
inevitable given this Court’s core interpretation of Article II, Section 10.

D.     Article II, Section 10

{60} We now turn to this Court’s precedent, particularly Gutierrez, 

,
and its interpretation of Article II, Section 10. As will soon be clear, the majority’s
conclusion is in direct opposition to the Gutierrez Court’s ruling, rationale, and
understanding of the exclusionary rule.
{61} In Gutierrez, this Court analyzed “whether the New Mexico Constitution
contemplates a good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule.” 

, ¶ 15.
The Gutierrez Court concluded that the federal good-faith exception was incompatible
with the New Mexico Constitution. Id. ¶ 45. In arriving at this conclusion, the Court
thoroughly examined the history and application of the federal exclusionary rule, New
Mexico search and seizure jurisprudence, the framers’ intent as to the scope, meaning,
and effect of Article II, Section 10, and search and seizure law as it was in 1911.
Gutierrez, 

, ¶¶ 16-43. In the end, the Gutierrez Court held that at its
core, the “constitutional prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures
requires that we deny the state the use of evidence obtained in violation of Article II,
Section 10 in a criminal proceeding.” Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 45.

{62} The Gutierrez Court, id. ¶ 46, observed that “[a]s a starting point, Article II,
Section 10 expresses the fundamental notion that every person in this state is entitled to
be free from unwarranted governmental intrusions.” The Court explained that “[t]his
broad right . . . implicit in Article II, Section 10, considered in the context of criminal
prosecution brought to bear after violation of that right,” was paramount to its rejection
of the federal good-faith exception. 

, ¶ 46. The Gutierrez Court, id. ¶¶
48-50, then utilized two cases to illustrate “the essential core” of its interpretation of
Article II, Section 10—United States v. MounDay, 

 (D. Kan. 1913) and United
States v. Wong, 

 (D. Vt. 1899). MounDay is particularly illuminating to the
issue at hand.

{63} In MounDay, the defendants were arrested and private property was seized
pursuant to an unconstitutional search. 

. “Thereafter [the] defendants
were bound over to await the action of the grand jury.” 

. After the arrest, but
prior to the grand jury indictment, the defendants in MounDay filed an application to the
district court requesting that the unconstitutionally obtained evidence be returned. 

The district attorney filed a cross-application requesting authorization to present the
illegally obtained evidence to the grand jury to secure an indictment. 

 The question
before the MounDay Court was whether the state in a criminal prosecution may use
illegally obtained evidence for the purpose of securing an indictment when “the question
is presented and inquired of . . . in advance of investigation by the grand jury, or
indictment returned[.]” 

. The MounDay Court concluded that the evidence
could not be used either “before the grand jury or at the trial,” and it granted the
defendants’ application and ordered the property to be returned. 

. The
MounDay Court stated its rationale:

       How, therefore, can the rights of defendants “to be secure in their persons,
       houses, papers and effects” be asserted by and granted to them, as the
       Constitution guarantees, in this court? Can it be done by placing in the
       hands of the government officials charged by law with the prosecution of
       defendants as offenders against its laws the fruits of this unlawful invasion
       of constitutional rights of defendants by the agents of the government, and
       this in the very teeth of that provision of article 5 above quoted, which
       declares “no person . . . shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a
       witness against himself; nor be deprived of life, liberty or property without
        due process of law”? As yet, defendants stand charged with the
        commission of no criminal offense in this court. Even if so charged, this
        court must and will presume their innocence until the contrary is proven
        beyond reasonable doubt. In order to secure such proof and assist the
        government in overcoming the presumption of innocence which attends
        upon defendants and all other citizens until lawful conviction had, shall this
        court wink at the unlawful manner in which the government secured the
        proofs now desired to be used, and condone the wrong done defendants
        by the ruthless invasion of their constitutional rights, and become a party
        to the wrongful act by permitting the use of the fruits of such act? Such is
        not my conception of the sanctity of rights expressly guaranteed by the
        Constitution to a citizen.

MounDay, 

.

{64} The Gutierrez Court quoted with approval the language above and expressed
that it “suggest[s] the essential core of [the Court’s] interpretation of Article II, Section
10.” 

, ¶¶ 48, 50. The Court elaborated: “We ask, much as the court in
MounDay asked, how this Court can effectuate the constitutional right to be free from
unreasonable search and seizure. The answer to us is clear: to deny the government
the use of evidence obtained pursuant to an unlawful search.” Id. ¶ 50.

{65} Gutierrez teaches that at its core, Article II, Section 10 conveys a “broad right” to
every person in this state “to be free from unwarranted governmental intrusions.” Id. ¶
46. It is not a right that is incumbent on a criminal prosecution or a phase where guilt or
innocence is definitively determined. It is “a passive right” that all carry with them; it “lies
in waiting, to curb the state’s zeal in execution of the criminal laws.” Id. ¶ 54. As
succinctly stated by Chief Justice Bacon during oral argument, “We are talking about a
constitutional right that we carry on our backs everywhere we go. Unlike many
constitutional rights which are triggered once action is taken, this is something that we
are imbued with in our everyday lives.” The only way for this Court, or a district court for
that matter, to “effectuate the constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search
and seizure . . . is . . . to deny the government the use of evidence obtained pursuant to
an unlawful search.” Id. ¶ 50. This includes the use of illegally obtained evidence to get
a probable cause determination in a preliminary examination. 7



7We note that this conclusion is consistent with this Court’s holding in State v. Martinez, 2018-NMSC-
031, ¶ 1, 

, that “a court may not overturn an otherwise lawful grand jury indictment because
of trial inadmissibility or improprieties in the procurement of evidence that was considered by the grand
jury.” The distinction between Martinez and MounDay is that, in the latter case, the question of the legality
of evidence was presented to a judge prior to obtaining a grand jury indictment. Thus, while a district
court does not have the authority to overturn an otherwise lawful grand jury indictment which is based on
illegal evidence, it does have the authority and duty to consider constitutional claims presented prior to an
indictment. See MounDay, 

 (“Where it is conceded evidential matters material to the inquiry
made have been seized, as in this case, may or should the court, on being inquired of, permit such use of
such matters as is desired by the representative of the government, as is shown by his application in this
case?” (emphasis added )).
E.     The Majority Opinion

{66} The majority acknowledges that “[t]he structure of a preliminary [examination] is
indeed very different from that of a grand jury proceeding,” maj. op. ¶ 12; however, the
majority does not wish “to add further imbalance between these two related alternatives
for probable cause findings,” maj. op. ¶ 16, by ruling that a district court judge has the
authority to consider the constitutionality of evidence in a preliminary examination. This
procedural concern is unconvincing for several reasons.

{67} First, the differences between a preliminary examination and a grand jury
proceeding already incentivize the state to proceed by grand jury indictment. See Burk,

, ¶ 5. Such is the state’s prerogative. Id. ¶ 2. Second, the majority’s
conclusion ignores a judge’s duty to protect a defendant’s constitutional rights. See
Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 55. Third, to “wink at the unlawful manner in which the
government secured the proofs now desired to be used, and condone the wrong done
[to Defendant] by the ruthless invasion of [his] constitutional rights, and become a party
to the wrongful act by permitting the use of the fruits of such act,” MounDay, 

, runs counter to this Court’s holding in Gutierrez, 

.

{68} Next, the majority claims that if we were to allow district court judges to consider
the legality of evidence in a preliminary examination, the judge’s determinations would
then be subject to appeal, causing significant delays. Maj op. ¶ 21. To this point, the
majority notes that Defendant’s appeal relates to a preliminary examination which
occurred more than three years ago. Maj op. ¶ 21. However, this procedural argument
suffers the same infirmities described above. What is more, the State in this case did
not appeal from an order suppressing evidence, see NMSA 1978, § 39-3-3(B)(2)
(1972), instead the State appealed pursuant to Section 39-3-3(B)(1), which is “a
decision, judgment or order dismissing a complaint, indictment or information as to any
one or more counts.” Thus, this avenue of appeal is undisturbed by any rule this Court
articulates today. Also, we again question characterizing the district court judge’s
consideration on the constitutionality of evidence as a suppression of evidence. See
maj. op. ¶ 32. There was no order suppressing evidence. Because of this, we view the
district court’s actions as making a probable cause determination based on the
evidence presented and taking into consideration the constitutionality of the evidence’s
procurement in making its determination. As reflected above, such actions are within a
district judge’s authority and duty.

{69} Aside from these procedural concerns, the majority makes three substantive
points in support of its position: (1) State v. Lopez, 

, 

,
“shows that not all constitutional rights are available at a preliminary [examination],” (2)
“Martinez shows that there is no broad right to suppress evidence at the probable cause
stage under the New Mexico Constitution,” and (3) “Gutierrez cannot be read to require
suppression” of evidence at a stage earlier than that of a suppression hearing. Maj. op.
¶¶ 29-32. We disagree with the conclusions drawn from these cases. We address each
point in turn.
{70} In Lopez, this Court held “that the right of confrontation in Article II, Section 14 of
the New Mexico Constitution is a trial right that does not apply to probable cause
determinations in preliminary examinations.” 

, ¶ 26. This makes sense.
The right of confrontation prohibits the “admission of testimonial statements of a witness
who did not appear at trial unless he was unavailable to testify, and the defendant ha[s]
had a prior opportunity for cross-examination.” Crawford v. Washington, 

 (2004) (emphasis added). Thus, a violation of the right is triggered when the
witness is absent from trial and the defendant was given no prior opportunity to cross-examine. See 

 at 59 n.9 (“Finally, we reiterate that, when the declarant appears for
cross-examination at trial, the Confrontation Clause places no constraints at all on the
use of his prior testimonial statements.”). This is not the case for the right to be free
from an unreasonable search and seizure.

{71} A violation of the right to be free from an unconstitutional search and seizure is
not dependent on some event at trial. The right is violated at the time of the
unconstitutional search and seizure. See Soldal v. Cook Cnty., 

, 67 n.11
(1992) (“Fourth Amendment guarantees are triggered by governmental searches and
seizures without regard to the use to which houses, papers, and effects are applied.”
(brackets, internal quotation marks, and citation omitted)); see also Gutierrez, 1993-
NMSC-062, ¶ 46 (“As a starting point, we observe that Article II, Section 10 expresses
the fundamental notion that every person in this state is entitled to be free from
unwarranted governmental intrusions.”). Surely the majority would not suggest that
Article II, Section 10 protections only attach at trial in a criminal prosecution or a phase
where guilt or innocence is definitively determined.

{72} To the majority’s second point, it is not at all clear how the majority can conclude
“Martinez shows that there is no broad right to suppress evidence at the probable cause
stage,” maj. op. ¶ 29, and in the same breath “conclude that the grand jury analysis in
Martinez does not control the result in this case,” maj. op. ¶ 14. To the extent it is
argued that Martinez has bearing on this case, we refer to the above analysis on the
disparities between preliminary examinations and grand jury proceedings.

{73} The majority’s final point is that Gutierrez does not compel the exclusion of
evidence obtained in violation of Article II, Section 10 before a suppression hearing.
Maj. op. ¶ 32. It reasons that because Gutierrez did not involve such a scenario, its
pronouncement that we must bar the state from using unlawfully seized evidence “‘in a
criminal proceeding,’” must be confined to the facts of that case. Maj. op. ¶ 32 (quoting
Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 45). We urge the majority to follow its own counsel and
appreciate the broader principle Gutierrez established.

{74} The majority latches onto the two times the Gutierrez Court utilized language
beneficial to its position. See maj. op. ¶ 32. First, when the Gutierrez Court used the
language “at trial,” and second, when the Court quoted Weeks v. United States, 

 (1914) and its use of the language “upon the trial.” Gutierrez, 1993-
NMSC-062, ¶¶ 51, 55; see maj. op. ¶ 32. Close examination of the context in which the
quoted language was used demonstrates it does not support the majority position.
{75} Immediately preceding the use of the language “at trial,” the Gutierrez Court
explains that the only way “this Court can effectuate the constitutional right to be free
from unreasonable search and seizure . . . is . . . to deny the government the use of
evidence obtained pursuant to an unlawful search.” 

, ¶ 50. Over and
over again, the Gutierrez Court announced a broad, sweeping rule to deny the
government’s use of evidence obtained in violation of Article II, Section 10. This
comprehensive rule is sufficient to encompass preliminary examinations. See Gutierrez,

, ¶ 50. (“We ask, much as the court in MounDay asked, how this Court
can effectuate the constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
The answer to us is clear: to deny the government the use of evidence obtained
pursuant to an unlawful search.”); id. ¶ 45 (“We are satisfied . . . that the New Mexico
constitutional prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures requires that we
deny the state the use of evidence obtained in violation of Article II, Section 10 in a
criminal proceeding.”); id. ¶ 46 (“As a starting point, we observe that Article II, Section
10 expresses the fundamental notion that every person in this state is entitled to be free
from unwarranted governmental intrusions.”); id. ¶ 53 (“If, after consideration of the
substantive constitutional issue, the court decides that the state has transgressed the
constitutional rights of a person accused of a crime, we will not sanction that conduct by
turning the other cheek.”); id. ¶ 54 (“Once violation of Article II, Section 10 has been
established, we do no more than return the parties to where they stood before the right
was violated.”). Additionally, by stating that MounDay—a case where the government
was denied the use of illegally obtained evidence before any suppression hearing, 208
F. at 189—“suggest[s] the essential core of our interpretation of Article II, Section 10,”
the Gutierrez Court made clear that we are to deny the government the use of evidence
obtained pursuant to an unlawful search at any stage in a criminal proceeding. 1993-
NMSC-062, ¶ 50.

{76} As for the quoted language in Weeks, the Gutierrez Court emphasized that the
constitutional rights of the defendant in that case were violated not upon the use of
illegally obtained evidence at trial, but when the court refused to return the defendant’s
letters prior to trial:

       We therefore reach the conclusion that . . . there was involved in the order
       refusing the application [for return of the seized property] a denial of the
       constitutional rights of the accused, and that the court should have
       restored these letters to the accused. In holding them and permitting their
       use upon the trial, we think prejudicial error was committed.

Gutierrez, 

, ¶ 51 (alterations in original) (internal quotation marks
omitted) (quoting Weeks, 

). The Gutierrez Court emphasized this
language because it is wedded to the theory that the only way to vindicate the
constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure is to deny the
government the use of evidence obtained pursuant to an unlawful search. See id. ¶ 50
(“This, we believe, is the rationale at work in Weeks.”). The majority’s reliance on the
“upon the trial” language is thus misguided.
III.   CONCLUSION

{77} Our position is that district court judges have both the power and the obligation to
evaluate the constitutionality of evidence at a preliminary examination. This follows from
the authority granted to district courts by the New Mexico Constitution and our Rules of
Criminal Procedure, a judge’s responsibility to safeguard the constitutional rights of
defendants, the differences between a preliminary examination and a grand jury
proceeding, and this Court’s fundamental interpretation of Article II, Section 10 of the
New Mexico Constitution. The majority does not share this view, so we respectfully
dissent.

{78}   IT IS SO ORDERED.

MICHAEL E. VIGIL, Justice

I CONCUR:

C. SHANNON BACON, Chief Justice