Whren V. US
Facts: On 6/10/93 plain clothes officers were patrolling high drug area in an unmarked car and passed a truck observing that the driver stopped for 20 seconds at a stopped sign and was looking in the lap of a passenger. When the driver sped off the cops pulled the car over and observed cocaine in the vehicle. The court denied the motion to suppress.
Issue: Whether temporary detention of a motorist who police have probable cause to believe committed a civil traffic violation is inconsistent with the 4th amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure?
Rule: The decision to stop a car is reasonable where police have probable cause to believe a traffic violation was occurred. Defendant argues that in the context of a civil traffic violation probable cause is not enough to justify a stop and that cops must have also acted reasonably. Where probable cause exists, the only cases which involve a balancing analysis involved searches and seizures conducted in an extraordinary manner and traffic stop by an out of uniform officer does not remotely qualify as such an extreme practice.
Notes:
4th amendment constrains only governmental action and does not apply to the conduct of a person acting in private capacity
If private party acts as an instrument of the state then look to reasonableness under the 4th amendment
Katz Criteria for Identifying Searches:
Generally, a search is reasonable if there is probable cause and either it is supported by a warrant or an exception to the general requirement for a warrant such as an exigent circumstance
Facts at hand: officers attached electronic equipment to a public phone booth and listened in on conversations that Katz conducted there
Rule: What a person knowingly exposes to the public is not subject to the 4th amendment but what he seeks to preserve as private, even in an area accessible to the public, may be constitutionally protected
1. Person had exhibited an actual expectation of privacy (subjective)
2. Expectation is one that society perceives as reasonable (objective)
Observations is not a search because location of the item in plain view means the owner had no reasonable expectation of privacy
Police conduct revealing only criminal information
May not be searchable information of a criminal nature, permits no reasonable expectation of privacy
Searches permissible on less than probable cause
Usually reasonable if there is a warrant and warrant is supported by probable cause
Arizona v. Hicks: moved stereo equipment to see serial number…search because it allowed the officer to obtain information otherwise unavailable to him
US v. Place: sniffing of luggage in a public place did not amount to a search and manner obtained is much less intrusive
People expose their garbage to the public sufficiently enough to defeat a claim that it is protected under the 4th amendment
Bond v. US: officer grabbed carryon bag on greyhound bus and felt a brick like object and thus opened it finding meth…conduct exceeded casual nature a person expects as a result of brining a carryon bag in which a physically invasive inspection is simply more intrusive than a visual one
4th: construed as applicable to law enforcement conduct sufficiently intruding upon privacy concerns to justify its regulation, not its prohibition, by application of reasonableness
Open Fields Doctrine
Open Fields
Police can search an open field—area outside curtilage (courtyard or equivalent)
Even though it’s a trespass…
Hester
Gave us the open fields doctrine above
Oliver- reformed the open fields doctrine
Open fields not within the ambit of Fourth Amendment protection of persons, houses, papers and effects
Property owners unable to prevent trespasses in open fields, therefore there’s no reasonable expectation of privacy in these fields
Only if activities occur in the immediate surrounding area of the house does Fourth Amendment protections apply
Open fields are outside of the protection of the Fourth Amendment
But the curtilage of a home is within Fourth Amendment protection
Dunn Factors for determining open field vs. curtilage:
Proximity to home
Whether the area is within an enclosure surrounding the home
Nature of use of the area
Steps taken to protect the area from observations by passersby
No trespassing signs, e.g.?
Fact based analysis
Plain View
Plainview Seizures
Georgetown
Police must not violate the Fourth Amendment in arriving at the place from which the evidence could plainly be viewed
Can seize plain view evidence when conducting a search warrant, arrest warrant, lawful warrantless search.
Incriminating character of the evidence must be immediately apparent
Police may not disturb or further invetsiaget an item to discern its evidentiary value without PC.
Can seize a container if its contents are in plain view
Officers egenrally allowed to seize criminal evidence or contraband they spot in plain view
The Implications of the plain view doctrine
Plain view by itself doesn’t jusify a seizure:
Was the vantage point gained by violating 4th Amendment?
If further intrusion is necessary before the items can be seized, a warrant is needed
Need probable cause to believe the items are contraband or part of a crime
Impermissible if the original viewing violated a reasonable expectation of privacy even if there was no trespass.
Police can seize in plain view if:
Lawful vantage point (step-by-step analysis)
Immediately apparent it is evidence or contraband
Additional investigation does not amount to search
Close look
Arizona v. Hicks
Presmise that there is no search, but warrant required for seizure
Plain feel
Minnesota v. Dickerson
Contrabans has to be readily apparent and identifiable upon frisk
Kyllo and technology
Police used thermal imaging from public street aimed at a private home
Issue: Is this a search
Where, as here, the gov’t uses a device that’s not in general public use to explore details of the home that would previously have been unknowable without physical intrusion the surveillance is a “search” and is presumptively unreasonable without a warrant.
Issues with plain view
Examine basis for police presence then ask what can they do when they get there?
Emergency searches
Brigham City
Primary motive must not be to arrest and seize evidence under the emergency doctrine
Exigency
Kentucky v. King
Police cannot create exigent circumstances and then search a home saying there were exigent circumstances
Exigency- Hot pursuit, rendering emergency aid, preventing destruction of evidence…
Plain-View Doctrine
Divided into two parts:
Plain-View observation: that is justified normally happened without a seizure where you’re lawfully located where you’re observing.
You observed it from a lawful location
It is a reasonable to seize it without a warrant? (Look at seriousness of crime.)
Plain-View Seizure: You see people smoking a joint and get them. You still need probable cause.
*Immediately apparent that there was a crime and you can seize it.
Horton v. California
Seizure of items not listed in search warrant—guns found in plain view but claimed violated particularity requirement for search warrants
However, objectively had probable cause to search home for coins and rings
Plain view doctrine applies—1. Observation (sight, smell, feel) 2. Plain view seizure follows
Do not require inadvertent requirement for plain view
As long as plain view from lawful place then seizure is lawful—must be immediately apparent to be evidence of a crime or contraband
Thus seizure of guns is upheld as lawful
Horton Analysis:
There was state action.
The pinpoint where they met was in his house.
Yes, there was a search.
Physical invasion of someone’s property; or
Reasonable expectation of privacy
There was a search warrant although it wasn’t stated with particularity
*Make sure the warrant is legal.
-Probable cause
-Appropriately issued
Standing
Requires a determination of whether the disputed search and seizure has infringed an interest of the defendant which the 4th was designed to protect.
Standing Issues
Standing where DEF’s own constitutional rights have been violated (Alderman)
Did DEF have a subjective and reasonable expectation of privacy in area searched or evidence seized?
Rakas formulation: Did search violate the rights of the DEF who seeks to exclude the evidence?
Rakas- Shotgun shells found in Rakas’s car
Not his guns, car or bullets
Extending standing would extend the exclusionary rule
Must have a legitimate expectation of privacy violated in order to challenge the search and subsequently move to suppress evidence obtained that’s used against them stemming from the search
Overnight guest (Olson) versus (illegal) commercial renter (Carter)
Olson- Houseguest has legitimate expectation of privacy in host’s home as an overnight guest
Carter- Drug organization using an apartment to bag cocaine is a place of business, and therefore there’s a lesser expectation of privacy in commercial establishments.
Search Warrants
Always required (unless an exception)
Any search without a warrant is presumed to be unreasonable under the 4th Amendment
Even if a bad warrant or no warrant and no exception the evidence is not automatically excluded.
Has to be stated with particularity
Horton Analysis:
Application (fill it out accurately and carefully)
Affidavit- has to comply with particular information including probable cause to believe evidence of a crime or contraband.
Search warrant (order) –
has to be particular because the 4th Amendment requires it
must specify the place and items to be searched and what they’re looking for
Can seize a class of items if specified with particularity
has to be signed by a fair and neutral magistrate
Executed (carried out)- It has to be reasonable because the 4th Amendment says so
Statutory/rules about time
One week from date of issue
Evidence in support of probable cause
Has to be “fresh” evidence (otherwise probable cause can disappear)
It has to be reasonable
Damage to people
Damage to property
Knock & announce
Detention, seizure, search of people/things
No media
Return (inventory) –
supposed to correspond with the warrant
make sure police put in everything they seize
protect from false claims of theft.
*Make sure the warrant is legal.
-Probable cause
-Appropriately issued
Probable Cause
Test:
Aguilar/Spinelli test (2 prong test): Where hearsay is relied upon, affidavit must contain information about:
a. Informant’s basis of knowledge, and
b. Informant’s credibility/reliability (The veracity prong)
Conclusory statements by cops isn’t enough
No longer the test used but it’s still useful
Gates’ totality of the circumstances test is used
a. Standard: Fair probability
b. Real world, fact-based application
c. Gates- Probable cause for a warrant is that there’s a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a particular place
This approach isn’t too rigid, but rather a fluid concept
Non-lawyer justification: magistrate signing the warrant may not be a lawyer and this is easy to understand
d. Gates also gave deference to the issuing magistrate upon subsequent review of the warrant
Gates is about a commonsense application of a fluid concept
Role of the (neutral) magistrate is to defer to PC finding
a. Deference to the magistrate likely by appellate courts
Draper- Facts and circumstances within their knowledge and of which they have reasonably trustworthy information are sufficient in themselves to warrant a man of reasonable caution (prudent person) to believe an offense has been or is being committed
Illinois v. Gates
Definition of probable cause (from Justice Rehnquist)= whether given all the circumstances set forth in the affidavit before him, including the veracity and basis of knowledge of persons supplying hearsay information, there is a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a particular place
Gates argument: relying on anonymous letter; no personal knowledge and no evidence of knowledge of author (credibility); basis of knowledge, could be lying (veracity); no independent corroboration/insufficient
Illinois argument: details corroborated from letter show inside information of author of letter; common sense analysis/totality of the circumstances test
Court overrules Aguilar-Spinelli
TEST FOR PROBABLE CAUSE IS TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
Motion to Suppress
Application of Affidavit/Search Warrant filled out inaccurately, mistakes in not complying with the law
Improper/Unreasonable (the manner in which it was done)
Excessive
Unreasonable
Damaged property
The defendant was unreasonably searched and seized
No probable cause to believe the items to be seized and searched (insufficient probable cause. **Most Common
Evidence in affidavit intentionally or recklessly untrue. (Franks v. Delaware)
Challenging Warrant
If you attack credibility of a warrant you have to show substantial basis
Factors for substantial basis
Information being supplied by attorney
Affidavit from person (is there a contradictory statement)
The defendant says, under oath, he didn’t do it
Police report
Another contradiction
**Look at the trustworthiness
If affidavit is not true after severance see if there is still probable cause
If there is no probable cause you get a hearing, but that doesn’t mean you’ll win.
Franks v. Delaware
Do not get to cross examine someone for insufficient probable cause unless sufficient showing
Franks claimed the officers lied in the affidavit
Franks hearing is very rare to get—a Franks hearing is a challenge beyond the 4 corners of search warrant
4th amendment states by oath or affirmation
defendant must make a substantial preliminary showing of a lie/perjury
then take false evidence out of search warrant to determine probable cause—if probable cause still without that information then no hearing and no suppression; if no probable cause then get hearing
Breakdown of the holding
Only able to go beyond 4 corners where affidavit in support contains a lie/false statement
1. Must have a substantial showing of this; not just a mere allegation
2. Take paragraphs out that are allegedly false/a lie
3. Determine if probable cause still exists after paragraphs deleted
if yes, then no hearing
if no, then hearing (called Franks’ hearing); burden on defendant by preponderance of the evidence
Execution of Warrants
Spot search & seizure issue under 4th Amendment.
Is there state action?
Search & seizure issue occurs at this particular junction in the hypothetical –where a resident and the U.S. government met. (*The police don’t need probable cause or reasonable suspicion don’t need a warrant because anyone can knock. There is no 4th Amendment issue. The front door of your home is essentially an open field. The public can do what they want. The 4th Amendment because implicated when you come through the door.)
They had a valid search warrant
Does it meet the requirement of the 4th Amendment
Is the execution reasonably done?
United States v. Banks
Police knocked and announced; waited 15-20 seconds and then went in
Argument is that they did not wait long enough; defendant claims in shower
Prosecutor entered evidence that officers heard the knock from the front door at the back doors—shows its was loud; inference defendant heard it too
Also no evidence police knew he was in shower important because shows police did not intentionally disregard 4th amendment
15-20 seconds deemed reasonable here because drugs could have been destroyed if waited later
Hudson v. Michigan
Police waited 3-5 seconds before entering home
Here, court found violation of knock and announce by the police
However, evidence is not suppressed because majority feels knock and announce is small and police would have found the evidence anyways—thus no exclusionary rule
Close opinion (5-4) but Justice Kennedy concurs with a warning about if exclusionary rule never applies then police will always violate and no deterrence—thus no bright line rule that exclusionary rule never applies to violations of knock and announce
Maryland v. Garrison
Police had warrant to search apartment on 3rd floor but there were 2 apartments on the 3rd floor—only had warrant for one
Officers searched Garrison’s apartment without a warrant
The warrant was good and executed in good faith
Court says look at reasonableness and if officers did not know 2 separate apartments, then its ok
Sounds weird that police didn’t know that but not enough for suppression
Officers made a mistake but deemed reasonable mistake—reasonableness is the test; look at totality of circumstances
Bailey v. United States
Bailey left the house as search warrant was being executed and police chased him in the car
Majority held that Summers and its rationale permit only detention of occupants encountered in the immediate vicinity of the premises
With regard to meaning of “immediate vicinity”, the court stated:
“Bailey was detained at a point beyond any reasonable understanding of the immediate vicinity of the premises in question and so this case presents neither the necessity nor the occasion to further define the meaning of immediate vicinity. In closer cases courts can consider a number of factors to determine whether an occupant was detained within the immediate vicinity of the premises searched, including the lawful limits of the premises, whether the occupant was within the line of sight of his dwelling, the ease of reentry from the occupant’s location and other relevant factors”
He was away from the house and thus no longer associated with it and could not be detained by officers
Ybarra v. Illinois
Search warrant executed on a bar where Ybarra was present and had cocaine on his person
Officers detained him and searched him twice but were not allowed to do this as warrant did not say search any persons on site
Detentions of Persons and Related Searches
Seizures and 4th amendment—is this person objectively/reasonably not free to leave/go on their way?
Factors court consider when looking at seizure vs. temporary stop:
Language used by police—order vs. ask questions
Tone of voice
Physical movement of detainee—where moved to?
Length of time of detention—3 hours vs. 20 min
A seizure occurs where the circumstances of the encounter are so intimidating as to demonstrate that a reasonable person would have believed he was not free to leave
Cases
Atwater v. City of Lago Vista
Atwater sued city after being arrested for not having her child wear a seatbelt
Claims officer violated the 4th amendment when he arrested her for a misdemeanor
A minor offense criminal offense committed in front of officer warrants arrest
While officer in this case may have lacked good judgment, not unreasonable
History of allowing arrests for misdemeanor—better solution is to go to the legislation
California v. Hodari D. asked whether at the time he dropped the drugs, Hodari had been seized within the meaning of the 4th amendment?
Supreme Court holds not seized just because police were in pursuit of him
Searches Incident to Arrest
Cases
Chimel v. California
Chimel was seized because arrested in living room—officers had arrest warrant
Officers searched entire house without search warrant
Government claims this is a search incident to lawful arrest and thus exception to search warrant requirement
Arrest warrant allows police to enter home when they reasonably suspect the person to be in their own home and/or if they have consent
Can only search areas within reasonable reach of defendant—that is the doctrine of search incident to lawful arrest; thus officers could not search entire house
New York v. Belton
Car of 4 kids pulled over by officer for speeding—lawful seizure
Officer has plain smell observation of marijuana and plain view of rolling papers on floor—now officer has probable cause to arrest the kids
After arrest, officer searches the car
Goes to Supreme Court because officer searched pocket of jacket found in car
Court says can search interior compartment of car—takes Chimel one step further
Arizona v. Gant
One justification for search incident is if the person is not handcuffed and locked up
Second justification for search incident if officers reasonably looking for evidence of the crime for which the individual is arrested for
Maryland v. King
Maryland has law that anyone arrested for a felony is allowed to have a DNA test done on him/her pursuant to court order
King claims police lacked probable cause
Court upholds it (5-4 decision) because court says DNA is for identity
Thus no warrant needed and no probable cause issue
General law enforcement purposes is not a valid justification for a search under 4th amendment without probable cause
Riley v. California
Resolves issue of when police seize individual with cell phone or technology what can they do
Cannot go through phone log/phone calls/text messages
Can open the phone
Government argues that information on phone can be wiped clean thus emergency
No emergency found here by court—thus need a warrant to get into phone even if search incident to lawful arrest
Field Detentions for Investigation and Related Searches
Investigatory stops are seizures of suspects for purposes of questioning or other investigation
Frisks are searches to locate weapons to prevent suspects from harming investigating officers
No 4th amendment requirement to identify yourself to police
Any time police move suspect creates risk because could turn an investigatory stop into a detention
Movement alone cannot amount to an arrest
Stop and Frisk
Defined as a seizure/detention
Reasonable suspicion needed—not probable cause; lower standard
Need to ask what type of seizure—arrest or temporary detention?
Reduction in amount of evidence needed by law enforcement to justify the stop
Time for detention must be less than arrest (Terry stop is limited)
Elements:
Time
Movement of suspect (physically moving is for arrest)
Touching of suspect (touching comes with arrest generally)
Language used
Weapons
Number of police/location
Cannot frisk person that has been stopped unless independently justified—presently armed and dangerous
2 part analysis: 1. Was the seizure lawful? 2. If a frisk, was it independently justified?
Pat frisk of outer clothing for weapons ONLY—not for evidence
Future offenses raise danger regarding reasonable suspicion
Because offense did not occur seems wrong to detain someone
Can detain someone for a crime that is about to take place or that did just take place
Minor crimes may not warrant a temporary detention
Tennessee v. Garner
Garner is a juvenile who broke into a home then fled; officer shoots him in back of head and kills him
14th amendment violation—shooting unarmed kid shocks the conscience of the public
4th amendment violation—unreasonable seizure
done justifiably—the statute protecting public and stop fleeing felon
balancing test to determine reasonableness—states’ interest vs. the right of privacy/intrusion
reasonable seizure at common law in Tenn—Supreme Court changes this
reasonable suspicion of escapee having weapon/being dangerous—not the case here
Scott v. Harris
Unreasonable seizure to ram car off road which resulted in quadriplegia
Is it unreasonable?—no. in this case was necessary to stop him; driving like a maniac; concern for public safety; contributed to it
Decided on summary judgment—officer justified in ramming him off road; video clearly shows driving recklessly and needed to be stopped
Cases
Florida v. Royer
**Good example of hypothetical for exam**
not every encounter between citizen and police is a seizure
when officers keep his ticket and ID as well as tell Royer who they are, it becomes a seizure
temporary detention though at this point but eventually goes too far
Davis v. Mississippi
Dicta that has been affirmed in Hayes v. Florida
Detention for fingerprinting might be permissible
No case says what length is too much
30-40 minutes generally on the outer limits of a detention
however if defendant adds to length of detention, then may not be an arrest/detention
items may be held for a brief period of time based on reasonable articulable facts
Alabama v. White
Reasonable suspicion less than probable cause but more than mere suspicion
Definition of reasonable suspicion
“reasonable suspicion is a less demanding standard than probable cause not only in the sense that reasonable suspicion can be established with information that is different in quantity or content than that required to establish probable cause but also in the sense that reasonable suspicion can arise from information that is less reliable than that required to show probable cause. Reasonable suspicion, like probable cause, is dependent upon both the content of information possessed by police and its degree of reliability. Both factors, quantity and quality, are considered in the totality of circumstances, the whole picture that must be taken into account when evaluating whether there is reasonable suspicion”
Anonymous informant provides information to police
Not enough to arrest but enough to investigate—insider’s information
Illinois v. Wardlow
Running from police in a high crime area is reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct
Reasonable inference that those involved in narcotics are armed with guns
Armed and presently dangerous justifies pat frisk
Hiibel Case
2 state statutes in Nevada=1. Provide identification (at least a name) 2. Crime to obstruct officer in his/her duties
arrested for failing to provide identification
upheld state statute as constitutional that requires identification to police
when is he seized?= blue lights on, cruiser parked behind truck, officer got out of car and approached Mr. Hiibel
close call of when it becomes a seizure—becomes a seizure for sure when officer says “report of fight, come over here with me” because reasonable person would not feel free to leave
turns into arrest when Hiibel doesn’t provide officer with identification and officer tells him he is under arrest
to ask an individual to identify themselves when all a person has is reasonable suspicion of a crime is unreasonable—argument for Hiibel
Terry stop not unreasonable if required to provide name pursuant to state statute
Minnesota v. Dickerson
Temporary detention/seizure and investigation of Dickerson based on his evasive actions from a crack house
Not arrested right away but reasonable suspicion to stop and investigate
Pat frisk for weapons only
Plain feel is part of plain view
Pennsylvania v. Mimms
Can order a person out of a car for minor traffic violation
Minimal invasion of privacy since already detained justifiably
Weighed against concern for officer safety
Passengers can be ordered out of car too
Florida v. J.L.
Stop and frisk of JL after anonymous caller said young black guy at bus stop has gun
Still need some evidence of criminal conduct besides the caller—thus stop and frisk unlawful
Traffic Stops and Special Needs
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