AL: Lost affidavit and warrant sufficiently proved

The lost affidavit and warrant here was sufficiently supported by testimony to establish the search was lawful. C.B.D. v. State, 2011 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 81 (September 30, 2011):

Although Sgt. Rafferty could not remember verbatim the contents of the affidavit and warrant, such word-for-word recitation of the contents of a lost document is generally not required. See, e.g., Laster v. Blackwell, 128 Ala. 143, 30 So. 663, 664 (1901) (“Though a witness may be unable to recall the [exact] language of a lost paper, he may be allowed to state its substance, if remembered.”); Barranco v. Kostens, 189 Md. 94, 97-98, 54 A.2d 326, 328 (1947) (“It is not necessary that the testimony of a witness who has read a lost instrument should be able to give its exact language, but it is sufficient if it proves its substance as far as it relates to the matter in controversy.”); Walker v. Drogmund, 101 Colo. 521, 525, 74 P.2d 1235, 1236 (1937) (“Ordinarily, it is not necessary that witnesses should be able to tell the contents of the [lost] instrument with absolute verbal accuracy, it being sufficient if they are able to state it in substance.”); and Posten v. Rassette, 5 Cal. 467, 469 (1855) (“In the case of lost instruments, where no copy has been preserved, it is not to be expected that witnesses can recite its contents, word for word; — it is sufficient if intelligent witnesses, who have read the paper, understood its object and can state it with precision.”).

Rather, evidence substantially establishing the contents of the document is all that is necessary. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Ocasio, 434 Mass. 1, 5, 746 N.E.2d 469, 473 (2001) (“If all the terms of the warrant can be reliably established through secondary means … then the defendant will not be deprived of any opportunity to mount a challenge against the warrant.”); and Boyd v. State, 164 Miss. 610, 145 So. 618, 619 (1933) (when an affidavit and search warrant are lost, the State must only prove “substantially their contents”).

Opinion withdrawn and same result researched on rehearing. C.B.D. v. State, 2011 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 116 (December 16, 2011). Defendant did not preserve the issue, and, even if he did, his argument is meritless:

Although Sgt. Rafferty could not remember verbatim the contents of the affidavit and warrant, such word-for-word recitation of the contents of a lost document is generally not required. See, e.g., Laster v. Blackwell, 128 Ala. 143, 30 So. 663, 664 (1901) (“Though a witness may be unable to recall the [exact] language of a lost paper, he may be allowed to state its substance, if remembered.”); …

Rather, evidence substantially establishing the contents of the document is all that is necessary. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Ocasio, 434 Mass. 1, 5, 746 N.E.2d 469, 473 (2001) (“If all the terms of the warrant can be reliably established through secondary means … then the defendant will not be deprived of any opportunity to mount a challenge against the warrant.”); and Boyd v. State, 164 Miss. 610, 145 So. 618, 619 (1933) (when an affidavit and search warrant are lost, the State must only prove “substantially their contents”).