State v. Ritte

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

LUM, C.J.

This is an appeal by Appellant Walter Ritte, Jr., from the denial of his motion to suppress evidence seized at his arrest and the denial of his motion to dismiss charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. We hold that the trial court erred in concluding that Hawaii Revised Statutes § 134-7 (Supp. 1984) applied to Appellant Ritte and that exigent circumstances justified the State’s search and seizure. We therefore reverse.

I

On the evening of March 24, 1983, State Conservation Officers were atop Kualapuu Hill near the center of the island of…