FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ay 8, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK

Honora ble David M. Ebe l, United States Circuit Judg e for the Tenth Circuit, sitting by * designation. [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 11701

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -000 68 -C V -C A R -5 U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s $175, 722. 77, i n U ni t e d S t a t e s C urr e nc y , m or e or le s s , 2 0 0 2 N is s a n Q u e s t, V I N :4 N 2 Z N 1 5 T 5 2 D 8 0 7 0 1 2 , D e f e n d a n ts , J O H N R O B E R T P A T I N O , C la im a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e M id d le D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( M ay 8, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , B L A C K an d E B E L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. * P E R C U R I A M:2

J ohn P a t i no, thr ough c ouns e l , appe a l s the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s j udgm e nti n a n in r e m f or f e i tur e pr oc e e di ng r e ga r di ng ava n a nd c a s h s e i z e d a f t e ratr a f f i c s t op by s ta te p o lic e o f

f ic e r s in H o u s to n C o u n ty , G e o r g ia . H e r a is e s f o u ris s u e s o n ap p e a l, w hi c h w e a ddr e s s i n turn. I . DI S C US S I ON P at i no fi rs tar gu es on appeal thatthe di stri ctcourtshou l d h ave s up pres se d c urr e nc y s e i z e d f

r om the va n be c aus e hi s c ont i nue d de t e nt i on a nd adog s ni f f of the v a n h e w a s d r iv in g w e r e n o t s u p p o r te d b y p r o b ab le c au s e a s r e q u ir e d b y th e F o u rth A m endm ent . P at i no al l eges thatthe do g sni ff w as an un l aw ful se ar ch and sei zure be c aus e P a t i no di d notr e c e i ve atr a f f i c c i t a t i on. F ur the r , he c l a i m s the r e w a s no b asi s fo r th e i n i t i al d o g sn i ff so th e d o g ’ s al ertw as i n su ffi ci en tt o est ab l i sh prob abl e c ause . A . Mo t i o n to Su

p p ress

“ A di s tr i c tc ourt ' s rul i ng on am ot i on t o s uppr e s s pr e s e nt s am i xe d que s t i on of l aw and fact . ” U

n ite d S ta te s v . Za

p a ta , 1 8 0 F .3 d 1 2 3 7 , 1 2 4 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) . We a c c e p tth e d i s tr i c tc o u rt ’ s f a c tu a l f i n d i n g s a s tru e u n l e s s th e f i n d i n g s a r e s h o wn to b e c le a r ly e rr o n e o u s . I d. “[ A ]ll f

a c ts a r e c o n s tru e d in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to the prevai l i ng party bel ow . ” U ni te d State s v . B e r v aldi , 2 2 6 F .3 d 1 2 5 6 , 1 2 6 2 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2000) . T he di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s appl i c a t i on of the l a w t o the f

a c t s i s r e vi e w e d de3

no vo . Id . T he F ou rth A m endm entexcl usi on ary rul e app l i es t o ci vi l forf ei ture c a s e s . O n e 1 9 5 8 P ly m o u th Se da n v . P e n n s y lv a n ia , 3 8 0 U .S . 6 9 3 , 7 0 2 , 8 5 S . C t. 1 2 4 6 , 1 2 5 ( 1 9 6 5 ) . 1 . T he I ni t i al T r af f i c Stop T he F ou rth A m endm entprot ec t s i nd i vi du al s f rom “ un re as on abl e s earc hes and sei zure s” by the G ov ernm ent , and i t s prot ec t i on s e xt end t o “ bri ef i nv es t i gat ory st op s of per sons or vehi cl es . ” U n i ted S ta tes v. A rvi

zu , 5 3 4 U . S. 2 6 6 , 2 7 3 , 1 2 2 S. C t. 7 4 4 , 7 5 0 ( 2 0 0 2 ) . A d e c is io n to s to p av e h ic le is r e a s o n ab le u n d e rth e F o u r th A m e ndm e ntw he r e a n of f i c e rha s pr obabl e c aus e t o be l i e ve tha tatr a f f i c vi ol a t i on o c c u rr e d . U

ni te d State s v . Si m m ons , 17 2 F . 3d 77 5, 77 8 (11 th C i r. 19 99 ). A dri ver m u s t m a in ta in ala n e o f tr a f f ic in G e o r g ia . O .C .G .A . § 4 0 - 6 - 4 8 . T h e in itia l tr a f f ic s t op of the va n w a s r e a s onabl e a nd doe s noti m pl i c a t e the F our th A m e ndm e nt because C orpo ra l C had P ay ne had p robabl e c ause t o b el i eve thatP at i no vi ol at ed G e o r g iatr a f

f ic la w b y c r o s s in g th e d iv id in g lin e tw ic e . 2 . D e lay D ur i ng T

r af f i c Stop and Subs e que nt

I nv e s t i gat i on A tra ff i c s t op m ustbe of l i m i t ed du ra t i on and m ayno tl as t“ any l on ger than ne c e s s a ry t o pr oc e s s the tr a f f i c vi ol a t i on unl e s s the r e i s a r t i c ul abl e s us pi c i on of other i l l egal ac t i vi ty. ” U n ite d S ta te s v . P u r c e ll , 23 6 F . 3d 12 74 , 12 77 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ) . T h e d u r a tio n o f

th e tr a f f ic s to p “m u s t b e lim ite d to th e tim e n e c e s s a ry to4

ef fe ctuat e the pu rpose of the st op . ” Id . H o w e v e r , w h e r e th e in itia l tr a f f ic s to p is l egal , the offi ce r has “ the du ty t o i nv es t i gat e s uspi ci ou s c i rc um st ance s thatthen [c om e] t o h i s a tt ent i on . ” U n ite d S ta te s v . H

a r r is , 92 8 F . 2d 11 13 , 11 17 (11th C i r. 19 91 ). A se i zure thati s j ust i fi ed sol el y by the i nt er es ti n i ss ui ng a w arni ng t i cket to th e d r iv e rc a n b e c o m e u n la w f u l if it is p r o lo n g e d b e y o n d th e tim e r e a s o n ab ly r e q u ir e d to c o m p le te th a t m is s io n . Il l i no is v . C ab al les , 5 4 3 U . S. 4 0 5 , 4 0 7 , 1 2 5 S. C t. 8 3 4 , 8 3 7 ( 2 0 0 5 ) . A d d itio n a lly , p o lic e a r e “e n title d u n d e rth e d e c is io n a l la w to c onduc tava r i e ty of

c he c ks on the dr i ve ra nd hi s c a r , i nc l udi ng que s t i oni ng the dr i ve raboutthe tr a f

f i c vi ol a t i on, r e que s t i ng c ons e ntt o s e a r c h the c a r , a nd runni ng a c om pu t erchec k for ou t st andi ng w arrant s. ” Si m m ons , 172 F . 3d a t778. T he S up re m e C ou rthas f

ou nd thatthere w as no F ou rth A m endm entvi ol at i on w here one of f i c e rc onduc t e d adog s ni f f of ade f e nda nt ’ s c a rw hi l e the of f i c e re xe c ut i ng th e tr a f f ic s to p w r o te th e d e f

e n d a n t aw a rn in g . C ab al les , 543 U . S . a t408- 09, 125 S . C t . a t837- 38. T he di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr i n con cl ud i ng thatthe l ength o f the i ni t i al tr a f f ic s to p w a s r e a s o n ab le . S e v e n m in u te s is ar e a s o n ab le a m o u n t o f tim e to e f f e c tua t e atr a f

f i c s t op, a nd P a y ne w a s e nt i t l e d t o c onduc tas e r i e s of c he c ks on P a tin o a n d h is lic e n s e . F u rth e r , th e d o g s n if f d id n o t u n r e a s o n ab ly d e la y th e tr a f f ic5

s t op, norw a s i ta n unr e a s onabl e s e a r c h unde rthe F our th A m e ndm e ntbe c aus e the do g sni ff occurre d si m ul t aneousl y w i th P ay ne’ s c heck of P at i no ’ s l i ce nse. 3 . T he Su bsequentSearch I f ac a ri s ope r a t i ona l a nd pr obabl e c aus e e xi s t s t o be l i e ve i tc ont a i ns c o n tr ab a n d , th e F o u rth A m e n d m e n t p e rm its p o lic e to s e a r c h th e v e h ic le w ith o u t a w a rr a n t. P e nns

y lv ani a v . L abr on , 518 U . S . 938, 940, 116 S . C t . 2485, 2487 ( 1 9 9 6 ) ; U

ni te d State s v . N

i x on , 9 1 8 F .2 d 8 9 5 , 9 0 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) . P r o b ab le c aus e e xi s t s t o s e a r c h ac a rw i thoutaw a rr a ntw he r e adrug dog ha s a l e r t e d t o drugs i n the ca r. U

n ite d S ta te s v . W

a tts , 329 F . 3d 1282, 1286 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . T he p r o b ab le c au s e e s tab lis h e d b y th e d ru g d o g ’s p o s itiv e a le r t is s u f f ic ie n t to p e rm it a se ar ch of an aut om ob i l e w i tho uta w arrant . T here fore , the se ar ch of the van w as la w f u l, a n d th e d is tr ic t c o u rt d id n o t e rrin d e n y in g P a tin o ’s m o tio n to s u p p r e s s . B . Mot i on to E

xc lude E vi dence P at i no al so ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourtshou l d h ave e xcl ud ed any e vi dence r e l a t i ng t o the s e i z ur e of the c a s h be c aus e the G ove rnm e nts poi l e d the c a s h by p la c in g it in ab a n ka c c o u n t, w h e r e it w a s c o m m in g le d w ith o th e rf u n d s . W e r e vi e w the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s a dm i s s i on of e vi de nc e f

ora n abus e of d is c r e tio n . U

n ite d S ta te s v . T

r u jillo , 146 F . 3d 838, 843 ( 11th C i r . 1998) . T he D ue P r o c e s s C lau s e o f

th e F if th A m e n d m e n t r e q u ir e s th e G o v e rn m e n t to d is c lo s e to6

c r im in a l d e f

e n d a n ts f a v o r ab le e v id e n c e th a t is m a te r ia l e ith e rto g u ilt o rto p u n is h m e n t. C a lifo rn ia v . T r o m b e tta , 467 U . S . 479, 485, 104 S . C t . 2528, 2532 (198 4) (c i t at i on s om i tt ed). “ [F ] ai l ure t o p re se rve thi s ‘ po t ent i al l y use ful evi dence’ do es no tvi ol at e the du e proces s c l ause ‘ un l es s acr i m i nal defe nd antcan sho w bad fa i th o n the partof the po l i ce ’ ” Un i te d Sta te s v . R e v o lo r i o - R a mo , 468 F . 3d 771, 7 7 5 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d q u o t at i o n o m i tt ed ) (d et erm i n i n g th atC o ast G u ard ’ s d estru ct i o n o f a d ru g -sm u g g l i n g v essel d i d n o tv i o l at e d u e p ro cess b ecau se the r e w a s no ba d f

a i th on the pa rtof

the author i t i e s a nd de f

e nda ntha d the o p p o r tu n ity to c r o s s - e x a m in e o f f ic e r s w h o o b s e rv e d th e b o a t ab o u t its c o n te n ts ) . T he di s tr i c tc ourtdi d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by a l l ow i ng e vi de nc e r e l a t i ng t o the c a s h t o be a dm i tt e d a ttr i a l . P a t i no c a n s how no due pr oc e s s vi ol a t i on b e c au s e h e d o e s n o t a lle g e th a t th e H o u s to n C o u n ty S h e r if f’s d e p a r tm e n t a c te d in b ad fai th b y d ep o si t i n g th e cash i n t o th e acco u n t . C o n trary t o P at i n o ’ s arg u m en t s, the G ove rnm e ntne ve ra l l e ge d tha tthe c a s h w a s c ont a m i na t e d by drugs a nd di d not r e ly o n e v id e n c e o f

d ru g r e s id u e o n th e c a s h to c a rry its b u r d e n a t tr ia l. P a tin o f a ils to p o in t to a n y e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d s h o w in g th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t ab u s e d its d i scret i o n b y d en yi n g h i s m o t i o n t o ex cl u d e ev i d en ce rel at i n g t o th e cu rren cy.7

C . Su f f i ci encyof

the E vi dence P at i n o arg u es th atth e d i stri ctco u rtcl earl y erred i n fi n d i n g b y a prepon dera nce of the evi dence thatthe ca sh w as subst ant i al l y c on nect ed t o an ille g a l d ru g tr a n s a c tio n . W e r e vi e w the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f i ndi ngs of

f a c tf orc l e a re rr or , a nd c o n c l u s i o n s o f

l a w de no vo . U

n ite d S ta te s v . C a r r e ll , 2 5 2 F .3 d 1 1 9 3 , 1 1 9 8 ( 1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ). T o b e en t i t l ed t o ci v i l fo rfei tu re, th e G o v ern m en tm u stest ab l i sh b y a pr e ponde r a nc e of

e vi de nc e “ as ubs t a nt i a l c onne c t i on be tw e e n the pr ope r ty a nd the offe nse. ” 18 U . S . C . § 9 83 (c )( 1) and (3). A cl ai m anthas the bu rden of prov i ng that the y a r e a n i nnoc e ntow ne rof the pr ope r ty by apr e ponde r a nc e of the e vi de nc e . 18 U . S . C . § 9 8 3 (d )(1 ). A n i n n o cen to w n er d o es n o tk n o w o f th e co n d u ctg i v i n g ri se t o forfe i ture. 18 U . S . C . § 9 83 (d)( 2)(A )( i ). T h e d i stri ctco u rtd i d n o terr i n fi n d i n g th e G o v ern m en th ad p ro v en b y a p r e p o n d e r a n c e o f

th e e v id e n c e th a t th e c a s h a n d th e v a n w e r e s u b s ta n tia lly conn ec t ed t o the di stri bu t i on of drug s. T he G ov ernm entpres ent ed evi dence that the ca r had an ov erw hel m i ng od or of ai r f re shener s, and thatdrug couri er s oft en u s e d a i rf r e s h e n e r s t o ma s kth e s me l l o f d ru g s . Th e v a n w a s a l s o b o rr o w e d f r o m a thi r d pa r ty , apr a c t i c e c ons i s t e ntw i th drug tr a f f i c ki ng. S i gni f

i c a nt l y , adrug dog a l e r t e d t o the s m e l l of

drugs i n the va n, a nd tr a c e s of c oc a i ne w e r e f

ound on af

l oor8

m a t. T h e v a n c o n ta in e d a n e x tr e m e ly la r g e a m o u n t o f c a s h h id d e n a n d p a c k a g e d in a m anner consi st entw i th d rug and curr encytra ff i cki ng . P at i no and the other occupanthad al so tra vel ed 15 0 m i l es no rth o f I nd i anapol i s, and w er e t i cket ed dur i ng atr a f

f i c s t op out s i de G a ry , I ndi a na . T hi s tr a f f i c s t op w a s notf

a rf r om C hi ca go , Il l i no i s, a kno w n d rug d i stri bu t i on hu b i n the M i dw es t . F i nal l y, S ol er , the othe roc c upa ntof

the va n, ha d be e n s t oppe d i n T e nne s s e e i n 2001, dr i vi ng a s i m i l a rvan a nd c a rry i ng a nothe rl a r ge a m ountof c a s h. T hi s e vi de nc e i s s uf f i c i e nt to f in d b y ap r e p o n d e r a n c e o f th e e v id e n c e th a t th e c a s h w a s s u b s ta n tia lly c o n n e c te d to d ru g d is tr ib u tio n . A lth o u g h P a tin o a r g u e s th a t h e w a s a n in n o c e n t o w n e ro f th e c a s h , h is a r gum e nti s m e r i t l e s s . P a t i no’ s de pos i t i on a nd tr i a l t e s t i m ony w e r e i nc ons i s t e nt and d o n otes t abl i sh thathe w as the i nn ocentow ner of the ca sh by a pre po nd er ance o f th e e v id e n c e . P a tin o te s tif ie d a t h is d e p o s itio n th a t h is S e p te m b e r2 8 , 2 0 0 3 , tr ip to I n d ia n ap o lis w a s h is f ir s t, a n d th a t h e b o u g h t tic k e ts th e d a y b e f o r e th e r a c e . P at i no l at ert es t i fi ed thathe had b ee n t o Ind i anapol i s s ever al t i m es and thathe had boughtt i c ke t s dur i ng a n e a r l i e rtr i p on S e pt e m be r9, 2003. P a t i no de ni e d tha tthe m o n e y w a s h is a t th e tr a f f ic s to p , b u t la te rc la im e d th a t h e h a d w o n th e m o n e y . P a tin o a ls o f

a ile d to s h o w h o w h e r a is e d th e $ 9 ,0 0 0 g a m b lin g b u y - in g iv e n h is9

po or ec on om i c s i tuat i on . P at i no ’ s e vi dence, thu s, i s i nsuffi ci entt o est abl i sh he w as an i nn ocentow ner of the curre ncy by aprepon dera nce of the evi dence. D . Federa l

A do p t i o n o f a S ta te Sei

zu re P a t i no a r gue s tha tthe G ove rnm e ntdi d notha ve s t a ndi ng t o i ni t i a t e the f o r f e itu r e p r o c e e d in g b e c au s e G e o r g iad id n o t la w f u lly s e iz e th e c u rr e n c y . W e r e v ie w th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s f in d in g s o f

f a c t f o rc le a re rr o r , a n d its c o n c l u s i o n s o f

l a w de no vo . U

n ite d S ta te s v . C a r r e ll , 2 5 2 F .3 d 1 1 9 3 , 1 1 9 8 ( 1 1 th C i r. 20 01 ). S ei zu res m u stb e m ad e u si n g a w arran tu n l ess: A ) acom pl ai ntfor f

orfe i ture has been fi l ed i n the U ni t ed S t a t e s di s tr i c tc ourta nd the c our ti s s ue d a n a rr e s tw a rr a nt i n r e m p u r s u a n t to th e S u p p le m e n ta l R u le s f o rC e r ta in A d mi r a l ty a n d M a r i t i me Cl a i ms ( B ) th e r e is p r o b ab le c au s e to b e lie v e th a t th e p r o p e r ty is subj ec tt o forfe i ture a nd -- (i ) th e sei zu re i s m ad e p u rsu an tt o a l aw fu l arrest ors e a r c h; or ( i i ) a nothe re xc e pt i on t o the F our th A m e ndm e nt w a rr a ntr e qui r e m e ntw oul d appl y ; or (C ) the prop erty w as l aw ful l y s ei ze d b y aS t at e or l ocal l aw enforce m entagencyand transfe rr ed t o a F eder al ag en cy. 18 U . S . C . § 981 ( b) ( 2) ( A ) - ( C ) . P a t i no a r gue s tha t“ l a w f ul l y s e i z e d by aS t a t e or l oc a l l a w e nf

or c e m e nta ge nc y , ” i n s ubs e c t i on ( C ) , m e a ns the s e i z ur e m us tbe l a wf u l u n d e rs t a t e l a w. Wi th o u td e c i d i n g th e m e a n i n g o f s u b s e c t i o n ( C ) , we10

c o n c l u d e th i s s e i z u r e wa s l a wf u l u n d e rb o th th e C o n s t i tu t i o n a n d Ge o r g i al a w, r e n d e r in g P a tin o ’s c la im m e r itle s s . U nde rG e or gi al a w , pr ope r ty i s nots ubj e c tt o f or f e i tur e f oravi ol a t i on i nvol vi ng onl y one gr a m orl e s s of am i xtur e c ont a i ni ng c c oc a i ne orf ourounc e s or l es s of m ar i

j uana un l es s s ai d p roperty w as used t o fac i l i t at e atransac t i on i n o r a pur c ha s e of

ors a l e of

ac ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e orm a r i j ua na . O . C . G . A . § 16- 13- 49 (e )( 2). T he G ove rnm e ntl a w f

ul l y s e i z e d the c urr e nc y unde r18 U . S . C . § 981 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( A ) - ( C ) . A s d is c u s s e d ab o v e , th e s e a r c h a n d s e iz u r e o f th e v a n ’s c o n te n ts w e r e l a w f

ul unde rthe F ourth A m e ndm e nt . I n a ddi t i on, the s e i z ur e w a s l a w f ul un der G eorgi a l aw . T he di stri ctcourtprop er l y f ou nd the curre ncy w as su b stan ti ally co n n ec ted to d ru g d istrib u ti o n . T h is fin d in g also sa ti sf ies G eo rg ia’s re qu i re m entthatprop erty m ustbe used t o fac i l i t at e atransac t i on i n con trol l ed subst ance s i n o rdert o b e f orfe i t abl e. O . C . G . A . § 4 9(e) (2). T hu s, even un der P a tin o ’s in te rp r e ta tio n o f th e s e iz u s e s ta tu te , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin de t e rm i ni ng tha tthe f

e de r a l gove rnm e ntpr ope r l y s e i z e d the pr ope r ty a f t e ral a w f

ul st at e s ei zure un der 18 U . S . C . § 9 81 (b)( 2)(C ).11 I I . C ON C L US I ON T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt d id n o t e rrin d e n y in g P a tin o ’s m o tio n to s u p p r e s s a n d d id n o tab u se i t s d i scret i o n i n d en yi n g h i s m o t i o n t o ex cl u d e ev i d en ce. A d d i t i o n al l y, the r e w a s s uf

f i c i e nte vi de nc e tha tthe c a s h w a s c onne c t e d t o a n i l l e ga l drug tr a n s a c tio n , a n d th e G o v e rn m e n t p r o p e r ly s e iz e d th e p r o p e r ty a f te rala w f

u l s ta te s e i z u r e . A c c o r d i n g l y , w e a f f i rm. AF F I RME D.