R. v. Vulic (D.), 2012 SKQB 221

JudgeLaing, J.
CourtCourt of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
Case DateMay 31, 2012
JurisdictionSaskatchewan
Citations2012 SKQB 221;(2012), 397 Sask.R. 235 (QB)

R. v. Vulic (D.) (2012), 397 Sask.R. 235 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2012] Sask.R. TBEd. JN.027

Her Majesty The Queen v. Denis Vulic

(2010 C.N.J. No. 53; 2012 SKQB 221)

Indexed As: R. v. Vulic (D.)

Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial Centre of Battleford

Laing, J.

May 31, 2012.

Summary:

The accused was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The accused applied under s. 24(2) of the Charter for exclusion of the evidence (cocaine) obtained in a search of his vehicle, alleging that he was arbitrarily detained (s. 9) and subjected to an unreasonable search and seizure (s. 8).

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench excluded the evidence under s. 24(2) and found the accused not guilty. The accused was arbitrarily detained, subjected to an unreasonable search and seizure and his right to counsel was infringed. Admission of the evidence in the face of multiple flagrant breaches of the Charter would bring the administration of justice into disrepute.

Civil Rights - Topic 1214

Security of the person - Lawful or reasonable search - Searches incidental to arrest or detention - The police were watching the accused's vehicle based on information from a previously reliable source that the accused was selling drugs - When the vehicle committed a traffic violation, the police stopped the vehicle in a motel parking lot - The accused appeared to place something under the dash - The accused was asked to step out of the vehicle, was immediately handcuffed and was advised that he was detained for a drug investigation - He was not advised of his right to counsel - The officer searched the accused, removing his wallet, cell phone and a cigarette package - When a marijuana cigarette was found, the accused was arrested for possession of marijuana and advised of his right to counsel - The accused's vehicle was searched - Cocaine was found - The police saw a motel key, which they used to enter the motel room and conduct a quick search for other persons - The officers left the room, returned to the police station and obtained a search warrant - The issuing justice was not informed that the police had already entered the room - The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench excluded evidence under s. 24(2) of the Charter and acquitted the accused of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking - The police possessed a reasonable suspicion sufficient for an investigative detention (i.e., questioning) - The immediate handcuffing and a search that exceeded a permissible pat-down search for weapons constituted an arbitrary detention (s. 9) and an unreasonable search and seizure (s. 8) - The accused was not advised of his s. 10(b) right to counsel immediately upon arrest or detention - Where the accused's arrest was unlawful, the search of his vehicle incidental to that arrest also constituted an unreasonable search and seizure - Finally, after excising the information obtained in violation of the accused's Charter rights, the officers lacked reasonable and probable grounds to obtain a search warrant for the motel warrant - That search, being unlawful, also violated s. 8 - Admission of the evidence in the face of multiple flagrant breaches of the Charter would bring the administration of justice into disrepute - The court had to dissociate itself from the aggressive pattern of police behaviour in this case.

Civil Rights - Topic 1217

Security of the person - Lawful or reasonable search - What constitutes unreasonable search and seizure - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 1646

Property - Search and seizure - Unreasonable search and seizure defined - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3603

Detention and imprisonment - Detention - What constitutes arbitrary detention - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 4608

Right to counsel - General - Right to be advised of - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8368

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Exclusion of evidence - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 3093

Special powers - Issue of search warrants - What constitutes reasonable grounds - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Police - Topic 3086

Powers - Arrest and detention - Detention of investigative purposes - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1214 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Grant (D.), [2009] 2 S.C.R. 353; 391 N.R. 1; 253 O.A.C. 124; 2009 SCC 32, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Mann (P.H.), [2004] 3 S.C.R. 59; 324 N.R. 215; 187 Man.R.(2d) 1; 330 W.A.C. 1; 2004 SCC 52, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Debot, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 1140; 102 N.R. 161; 37 O.A.C. 1; 52 C.C.C.(3d) 193, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Greaves (E.A.) (2004), 203 B.C.A.C. 31; 332 W.A.C. 31; 189 C.C.C.(3d) 305; 2004 BCCA 484, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Thompson, 2010 ONSC 5284 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Wilson (M.), [2011] O.T.C. Uned. 3046; 236 C.R.R.(2d) 90; 2010 ONSC 3046 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Feeney (M.), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 13; 212 N.R. 83; 91 B.C.A.C. 1; 148 W.A.C. 1; 146 D.L.R.(4th) 609, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Wiley (R.W.), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 263; 158 N.R. 321; 34 B.C.A.C. 135; 56 W.A.C. 135; 84 C.C.C.(3d) 161, refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Plant (R.S.), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 281; 157 N.R. 321; 145 A.R. 104; 55 W.A.C. 104; 84 C.C.C.(3d) 203, refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Harrison (B.), [2009] 2 S.C.R. 494; 391 N.R. 147; 253 O.A.C. 358; 2009 SCC 34, refd to. [para. 31].

Counsel:

Craig D. Neely, for the Crown;

Hersh E. Wolch, Q.C., for the accused.

This voir dire was held before Laing, J., of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial Centre of Battleford, who delivered the following judgment on May 31, 2012.

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8 practice notes
  • R. v. Lambert, 2020 NSPC 37
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • October 6, 2020
    ...103 - 108; R. v. Riley, [2009] O.J. No. 62 (OSCJ), at paras. 56-57; R. v. Lam, 2014 ONSC 3538, at paras. 335 & 341; and, R. v. Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221, at para. 27; contra. R. v. Wong, 2017 BCSC 1170, at para. 42; and, R. v. Flintroy, 2019 BCSC 35). [184] Applying MacEachern to the case be......
  • R v Love,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • August 15, 2022
    ...of, or analogous to, the rule for automatic excision of information from ITOs: R v Pelucco, 2013 BCSC 588 at paras 99-110; R v Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221 at para 27; R v Brown, Lambrecht and Manuel, 2014 BCSC 1872 at paras 52-65; R v Kyriakopoulos, 2008 CarswellOnt 348 at paras 71-76 (Sup Ct J); ......
  • R. v. Stubel (R.), (2013) 425 Sask.R. 93 (PC)
    • Canada
    • Saskatchewan Provincial Court of Saskatchewan (Canada)
    • June 28, 2013
    ...(J.C.), [2005] 2 S.C.R. 205; 336 N.R. 1; 195 Man.R.(2d) 131; 351 W.A.C. 131; 2005 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 52]. R. v. Vulic (D.) (2012), 397 Sask.R. 235 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 54]. R. v. DiMaria, [2012] O.J. No. 2067 (C.J.), dist. [para. 54]. R. v. Grant, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 139; 130 N.R. 250; ......
  • R. v. Rezansoff (C.), 2013 SKQB 384
    • Canada
    • Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
    • October 29, 2013
    ...33]. R. v. Harrison (B.), [2009] 2 S.C.R. 494; 391 N.R. 147; 253 O.A.C. 358; 2009 SCC 34, refd to. [para. 35]. R. v. Vulic (D.) (2012), 397 Sask.R. 235; 2012 SKQB 221, refd to. [para. Statutes Noticed: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 9 [para. 1]; sect. 24(2) [para. 6]. ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
7 cases
  • R. v. Lambert, 2020 NSPC 37
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • October 6, 2020
    ...103 - 108; R. v. Riley, [2009] O.J. No. 62 (OSCJ), at paras. 56-57; R. v. Lam, 2014 ONSC 3538, at paras. 335 & 341; and, R. v. Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221, at para. 27; contra. R. v. Wong, 2017 BCSC 1170, at para. 42; and, R. v. Flintroy, 2019 BCSC 35). [184] Applying MacEachern to the case be......
  • R v Love,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • August 15, 2022
    ...of, or analogous to, the rule for automatic excision of information from ITOs: R v Pelucco, 2013 BCSC 588 at paras 99-110; R v Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221 at para 27; R v Brown, Lambrecht and Manuel, 2014 BCSC 1872 at paras 52-65; R v Kyriakopoulos, 2008 CarswellOnt 348 at paras 71-76 (Sup Ct J); ......
  • R. v. Stubel (R.), (2013) 425 Sask.R. 93 (PC)
    • Canada
    • Saskatchewan Provincial Court of Saskatchewan (Canada)
    • June 28, 2013
    ...(J.C.), [2005] 2 S.C.R. 205; 336 N.R. 1; 195 Man.R.(2d) 131; 351 W.A.C. 131; 2005 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 52]. R. v. Vulic (D.) (2012), 397 Sask.R. 235 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 54]. R. v. DiMaria, [2012] O.J. No. 2067 (C.J.), dist. [para. 54]. R. v. Grant, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 139; 130 N.R. 250; ......
  • R. v. Rezansoff (C.), 2013 SKQB 384
    • Canada
    • Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
    • October 29, 2013
    ...33]. R. v. Harrison (B.), [2009] 2 S.C.R. 494; 391 N.R. 147; 253 O.A.C. 358; 2009 SCC 34, refd to. [para. 35]. R. v. Vulic (D.) (2012), 397 Sask.R. 235; 2012 SKQB 221, refd to. [para. Statutes Noticed: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 9 [para. 1]; sect. 24(2) [para. 6]. ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
1 books & journal articles
  • Digest: R v Latzkowski, 2018 SKPC 56
    • Canada
    • Saskatchewan Law Society Case Digests
    • October 18, 2019
    ...Strilec, 2010 BCCA 198, 256 CCC (3d) 403; R v Stubel, 2013 SKPC 105, 425 Sask R 93 R v Uffelman, 2018 SKPC 8, 23 MVR (7th) 309 R v Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221, 397 Sask R 235 R v Wong, 2009 BCPC 89 another machine, the accused refused to blow. After advising the accused of the consequences of refu......

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