Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01650/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01650-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jason Flanery
Appellee
George Poole
Appellant

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-1650

___________

George Poole, *

*

Appellant, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Missouri.

Jason Flanery, Police Officer, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellee. *

___________

Submitted: January 3, 2006 

Filed: January 11, 2006

___________

Before MELLOY, HANSEN, and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

George Poole appeals the district court’s adverse grant of summary judgment

of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action against Webster Groves police officer Jason Flanery,

a five-year veteran of the force. Poole (who is African-American) alleged that in

January 2004 Flanery stopped him “for being in an all white neighborhood,” ordered

him out of his car, searched his car and person without permission, asked questions

unrelated to the traffic stop, and issued him four traffic tickets. Poole claimed that the

encounter, which lasted forty minutes, violated his due process and equal protection

rights, and constituted racial profiling.

Appellate Case: 05-1650 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/11/2006 Entry ID: 1995769
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We review de novo the district court’s grant of summary judgment. See Kasper

v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 425 F.3d 496, 502 (8th Cir. 2005). We agree with the

district court that Poole’s equal protection claim failed. The undisputed evidence

showed that Flanery approached Poole’s vehicle and questioned Poole after observing

it parked perpendicular to the road with two front wheels in the front yard of a

residence. Poole did not allege that Flanery had not approached the vehicles of white

motorists stopped sideways in the front yard of a residence. See United States v.

Gomez Serena, 368 F.3d 1037, 1040-41 (8th Cir. 2004) (rejecting defendant’s racial

profiling argument when officer had reasonable and articulable suspicion that traffic

violation had occurred); Johnson v. Crooke, 326 F.3d 995, 999-1000 (8th Cir. 2003)

(such showing requires proof of both discriminatory effect and purpose; when claim

is selective enforcement of traffic laws, African-American plaintiff must prove that

similarly situated non-African-American individuals were not stopped or arrested).

We also conclude that Poole’s due process claim fails because he has never explained

how Flanery’s conduct violated Poole’s due process rights. See Johnson, 326 F.3d at

1000 (motorist’s substantive due process claim related to traffic stop was “covered

by” Fourth Amendment); Moran v. Clarke, 296 F.3d 638, 651 (8th Cir. 2002) (en

banc) (Bye, J., concurring) (to violate substantive due process, official’s conduct must

shock conscience and violate fundamental right deeply rooted in Nation’s history and

tradition and implicit in concept of ordered liberty). 

In addition, Flanery did not violate Poole’s Fourth Amendment rights by

approaching the car, given its position, or by further questioning Poole, given the

undisputed evidence that Poole initially refused to give his name, subsequently

provided a false name, and was unable to provide proof of insurance. See United

States v. Williams, 429 F.3d 767, 771 (8th Cir. 2005) (even minor traffic violation

provides probable cause for traffic stop); United States v. Sanchez, 417 F.3d 971, 974-

76 (8th Cir. 2005) (whether officer has reasonable suspicion to expand scope of stop

is determined under totality of circumstances in light of officer’s experience).

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However, Poole also alleged below--and reiterates on appeal--that Flanery

searched Poole’s entire car and his person. Because Flanery offered no evidence as

to any searches he conducted, there is no basis for concluding, at this stage, that

Flanery had probable cause to search Poole’s vehicle and his person. Nothing in

Poole’s complaint suggests that Flanery could reasonably have believed the car

contained evidence of criminal activity, or reasonably feared for his safety. See

United States v. Kennedy, 427 F.3d 1136, 1140 (8th Cir. 2005) (searches conducted

without warrant are per se unreasonable, subject to a few exceptions; government

bears burden of establishing exception); United States v. Rodriguez, 414 F.3d 837,

843 (8th Cir. 2005) (under automobile exception, officer with probable cause may

search vehicle without warrant; probable cause exists when reasonable person could

believe there is fair probability that contraband or evidence of crime would be found);

United States v. Bailey, 417 F.3d 873, 876 (8th Cir. 2005) (Fourth Amendment

requires probable cause to search person; limited search of outer clothing aimed at

discovering weapons not subject to probable cause requirement). Similarly, nothing

in the record indicates that Poole consented to a search of his car or person. See

United States v. Sanders, 424 F.3d 768, 773 (8th Cir. 2005) (consent to search is

exception to warrant requirement). 

Accordingly, we affirm as to Poole’s equal protection and due process claims,

and reverse and remand for the district court to consider in the first instance the

allegation that Flanery searched Poole’s car and person. We deny Poole’s motion for

counsel.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 05-1650 Page: 3 Date Filed: 01/11/2006 Entry ID: 1995769