FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT NOV 19, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 07- 12109 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 06 -000 01 -C R -6 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 W I L L I E F R E E , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 19, 2007) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d C A RN E S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: W illie F r e e ap p e a ls h is c o n v ic tio n f o rp o s s e s s io n w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te2

c oc a i ne ba s e a nd c oc a i ne , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) ( 1) . I n O c t obe r2005, F r e e p ic k e d u p h is r o o m m a te , O m a rM im s , a n d th e tw o w e n t to an ig h tc lu b in S t at es bo ro, G eorgi a. W hi l e they w er e there , offi ce rs fr om the S t at es bo ro P ol i ce D e pa r tm e nta rr e s t e d M i m s f orpa s s i ng c ount e r f

e i tm one y t o the ni ght c l ub. D ur i ng as e a r c h i nc i de ntt o M i m s ’ a rr e s t , the of f i c e r s di s c ove r e d tw o s m a l l ba gs of m ar i j uana on hi s per son. O ne of the offi ce rs , D et ec t i ve R ob ertB ry an, then asked F re e f or perm i ss i on t o sea rc h h i s vehi cl e; F re e c on se nt ed. A ft erno contraband w as foun d i n F re e’ s c ar , D et ec t i ve B ry an i nform ed F re e thathe coul d l ea ve, and F re e s ta te d th a t h e w o u ld b e r e tu rn in g to h is h o m e in S c r e v e n C o u n ty , aru r a l c o u n ty nor thw e s tof

S t a t e s bor o. W hi l e he w a s w r appi ng up hi s i nve s t i ga t i on a tthe ni ght c l ub, D e t e c t i ve B ry a n r e c e i ve d ac a l l f

r om a nothe rof

f i c e rw ho ha d i nt e rvi e w e d M i m s . A c c or di ng t o the of f i c e r , M i m s s a i d tha tF r e e ha d gi ve n hi m both the c ount e r f e i tm one y a nd th e m a r iju a n a , a n d th a t F r e e w o u ld b e r e tu rn in g to th e irap a r tm e n t in S ta te s b o r o to d e s tr o y th e r e m a in in g c o u n te r f e it m o n e y a n d d ru g s . A f te rr e c e iv in g th is i n fo rm at i o n , D et ect i v e B ryan d ro v e t o th e ap artm en tco m p l ex sp eci fi ed b y M i m s, w he r e he a rr i ve d a tthe s a m e t i m e a s F r e e . W he n a s ke d w ha the w a s doi ng a tthe com pl ex, F re e s ai d h e w as l oo ki ng for hi s c ou si n, B i g C am p, and h e deni ed k n o w in g w h o liv e d in th e ap a r tm e n t n e a rw h e r e h e p a rk e d h is c a r .3

A ttha tt i m e , j us ta f

t e rm i dni ght , C orpor a l K e vi n W e a the r l y a rr i ve d, a nd D e t e c t i ve B ry a n a s ke d W e a the r l y t o knoc k on the doorof the apa r tm e nt . W he n a w om an answ er ed, D et ec t i ve B ry an as ked C orpo ra l W ea therl y t o w ai tw i th F re e a n d w e n t to s p e a k w ith h e r . H e d e te rm in e d th a t th e w o m a n ’s n a m e w a s B la ir R hode s . R hode s c onf

i rm e d tha tF r e e l i ve d a tthe apa r tm e nta nd w a s the f a the rof h e rc h ild , a n d s h e g a v e c o n s e n t f o rth e o f f ic e r s a n d F r e e to e n te rth e ap a r tm e n t. D e te c tiv e B ry a n h a d C o rp o r a l W e a th e r ly b r in g F r e e in to th e ap a r tm e n t w ith th e m . B e c a us e the tw o be dr oom s w e r e da rk a nd the ba thr oom doorw a s c l os e d, D e t e c t i ve B ry a n the n i ns truc t e d C orpor a l W e a the r l y t o c onduc tapr ot e c t i ve s w e e p of the e n tir e ap a r tm e n t, w h ic h r e v e a le d as m a ll a m o u n t o f m a r iju a n ain p la in v ie w . R hode s the n de c l i ne d c ons e ntf orthe of f i c e r s t o c onduc tas e a r c h of the apa r tm e nt . A f

t e rR hode s de ni e d c ons e ntt o s e a r c h, D e t e c t i ve B ry a n l e f tthe ap a r tm e n t in o r d e rto s u b m it a n a f f id a v it f o ras e a r c h w a rr a n t b a s e d p r im a r ily o n : ( 1) M i m s ’ s t a t e m e nt s aboutthe c ount e r f e i tm one y a nd m a r i

j ua na ; a nd ( 2) the m a r i j ua naf ound dur i ng the pr ot e c t i ve s w e e p. A f t e robt a i ni ng aw a rr a nt , the o f f ic e r s s e a r c h e d th e ap a r tm e n t, a n d th e y f o u n d c o c a in e , c o c a in e b a s e , m a r iju a n a , a c o u n te r f e it $ 2 0 b ill, a n d as e m i- a u to m a tic r if le . In hi s s ub se qu entprosec ut i on for posse ss i on of cocai ne base and cocai ne, F r e e m ove d t o s uppr e s s the e vi de nc e f r om the l a t e rs e a r c h, a r gui ng tha t : ( 1)4

C o rp o r a l W e a th e r ly ’s w a rr a n tle s s p r o te c tiv e s w e e p o f th e ap a r tm e n t v io la te d h is F ou rth A m endm entri gh tagai nstun re as on abl e s ea rc hes a nd se i zure s bec ause i tw as no tcond uct ed i nci dentt o an arr es t ; and (2) the evi dence found i n the l at erse ar ch shou l d b e e xcl ud ed as frui tof the po i sono us tre e bec ause the se ar ch w arra ntw as base d o n evi dence di sc ov er ed du ri ng the un l aw ful prot ec t i ve sw ee p. T he di stri ct c o u r t d e n ie d F r e e ’s m o tio n to s u p p r e s s , f in d in g th a t th e p r o te c tiv e s w e e p w a s v a lid be c a us e , a c c or di ng t o the c our t , pr ot e c t i ve s w e e ps m a y be c onduc t e d i n s i tua t i ons n o t in c id e n t to a n a rr e s t. F r e e th e n c o n d itio n a lly p le a d e d g u ilty to p o s s e s s io n w ith i nt entt o d i stri bu t e c ocai ne base and cocai ne, i n v i ol at i on of 21 U . S . C . § 8 41 (a )( 1), re se rvi ng hi s r i gh tt o app ea l on the supp re ss i on i ss ue. F re e a rgues on app ea l that the di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by : ( 1) c onc l udi ng tha tava l i d pr ot e c t i ve s w e e p c a n oc c ur w hen i ti s noti nci dentt o an arr es t ; and (2) fai l i ng t o sup pres s a l l of the evi dence th a t w a s d is c o v e r e d d u r in g th e s e a r c h o f th e ap a r tm e n t. W e rev i ew th e d i stri ctco u rt ’ s d en i al o f a d efen d an t ’ s m o t i o n t o su p p ress unde ram i xe d s t a nda r d of r e vi e w , r e vi e w i ng the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f i ndi ngs of

f a c tf or c l e a re rr ora nd i t s appl i c a t i on of l a w t o thos e f

a c t s de novo. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. R am i re z, 47 6 F . 3d 12 31 , 12 35 –3 6 (11 th C i r. ), ce rt . deni ed, 12 7 S . C t . 29 24 (200 7). F r e e a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by c onc l udi ng tha tthe pr ot e c t i ve s w e e p w a s v a lid b e c a u s e , a c c o r d in g to F r e e , ap r o te c tiv e s w e e p c a n o n ly b e v a lid5

w h e n it is in c id e n t to a n a rr e s t, n o t w h e n it o c c u r s a f te rth e o w n e rc o n s e n ts to en try. T h e F o u rth A m en d m en tp ro v i d es: T h e ri g h to f th e p eo p l e t o b e secu re i n th ei r p erso n s, h o u ses, p ap ers, a nd e f f e c t s , a ga i ns tunr e a s onabl e s e a r c he s a nd s e i z ur e s , s ha l l notbe vi ol at ed, and n o W arra nt s s hal l i ss ue, bu tup on prob abl e c ause , supp ort ed by O ath o r a ff i rm at i on , and p art i cul ar l y des cr i bi ng the pl ac e to b e s e a r c h e d , a n d th e p e r s o n s o rth in g s to b e s e iz e d . U . S . C on st . am end. IV . “ T he F ou rth A m endm entdem on stra t es a s trong pref er ence f o rs e a r c h e s c o n d u c t e d p u r s u a n tt o aw a rr a n t . ” O rn e l a s v . U n i t e d St a t e s , 5 1 7 U . S. 69 0, 69 9, 11 6 S . C t . 16 57 , 16 63 (199 6) (quo t at i on om i tt ed). S ea rc hes i nsi de a resi d en ce w i th o u ta w arran tare p resu m p t i v el y u n reaso n ab l e, ab sen tp ro b ab l e cau se and exi gentci rc um st ance s. U ni t ed S t at es v. S ant a, 23 6 F . 3d 66 2, 66 8 (11 th C i r. 2 0 0 0 ) . In M aryl and v . B ui e, 49 4 U . S . 32 5, 11 0 S . C t . 10 93 (199 0), w here the po l i ce d is c o v e r e d e v id e n c e w h ile c o n d u c tin g ap r o te c tiv e s w e e p o f ab a s e m e n t a f

te rf u lly e xe c ut i ng a n a rr e s tw a rr a nt , the S upr e m e C our ts t a t e d: W e al so h o l d th atas an i n ci d en tt o th e arrest th e o ffi cers co u l d , as a p r e c a u tio n a ry m a tte ra n d w ith o u t p r o b ab le c a u s e o rr e a s o n ab le s us pi c i on, l ook i n c l os e t s a nd othe rs pa c e s i m m e di a t e l y a dj oi ni ng the p la c e o f a rr e s t f r o m w h ic h a n a tta c k c o u ld b e im m e d ia te ly la u n c h e d . B e y o n d th a t, h o w e v e r , w e h o ld th a t th e r e m u s t b e a r tic u lab le f a c ts w h i ch , t ak en t o g eth er w i th th e rat i o n al i n feren ces fro m th o se fact s, w ou l d w arra nta r ea sonabl y prudentoffi ce r i n b el i evi ng thatthe ar ea t o be s w e ptha rbor s a n i ndi vi dua l pos i ng ada nge rt o thos e on the a rr e s t s c e n e .6

B ui e, 49 4 U . S . at33 4, 11 0 S . C t . at10 98 . T he C ou rti n B ui e perm i tt ed po l i ce of f i c e r s t o unde rt a ke pr ot e c t i ve s w e e ps i nc i de ntt o a rr e s tbe c a us e of the c om pe l l i ng

“ i nt er es tof the offi ce rs i n t aki ng st eps t o ass ure them se l ves thatthe ho use i n w hi ch a s uspecti s bei ng , or has j ustbeen, arre st ed i s notharbori ng other pers on s w ho ar e da nge r ous a nd w ho c oul d une xpe c t e dl y l a unc h a n a tt a c k, ” e m pha s i z i ng tha tthe i ntrusi on m ustbe “ no m ore than n ec es sa ryt o p rot ec tthe offi ce r f rom harm . ” I d. at 3 3 3 , 1 1 0 S . C t. a t 1 0 9 8 . W e have notdeci ded w hether the po l i ce m aycond ucta prot ec t i ve sw ee p onl y i nc i de ntt o al a w f

ul a rr e s t , a nd w e ne e d notdo s o he r e . E ve n a s s um i ng w ith o u t d ec id in g th at C o rp o ra l W ea th er ly’s p ro tectiv e s w ee p v io lated F re e’s F o u r th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts , th e w a rr a n t f o rth e s u b s e q u e n t s e a r c h w a s s till v a lid be c a us e pr obabl e c a us e f orthe s e a r c h w a s e s t abl i s he d by the a f f i da vi ti nde pe nde nt of i t s r e f e r e nc e t o the s m a l l a m ountof m a r i j ua nadi s c ove r e d dur i ng the pr ot e c t i ve s w e e p . T h e g o v e rn m e n t m a d e th is a r g u m e n t b e f o r e th e d is tr ic t c o u r t, b u t th e c o u r t, h a v in g c o n c lu d e d th a t th e p r o te c tiv e s w e e p w a s v a lid , d id n o t a d d r e s s it. N on ethel es s, w e m ay“ af fi rm the di stri ctcourt , even i f i ti s on a grou nd other than tha tupon w hi c h i tba s e d i t s de c i s i on. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S i m m ons , 368 F . 3d 1335, 1 3 4 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . W e r e v ie w d e n o v o w h e th e ra n a f f id a v it f o raw a rr a n t e s tab lis h e d p r o b ab le7

c a us e , but“ w e m us t‘ t a ke c a r e both t o r e vi e w f i ndi ngs of

hi s t or i c a l f

a c tonl y f

or c l e a re rr ora nd t o gi ve due w e i ghtt o i nf e r e nc e s dr a w n f

r om thos e f

a c t s by r e s i de nt j udge s a nd l oc a l l a w e nf or c e m e ntof

f i c e r s . ’ ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. J i m i ne z , 224 F . 3d 1 2 4 3 , 1 2 4 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . W he n s om e of

the e vi de nc e i n a n a f

f i da vi ti s f

ound t o ha ve vi ol a t e d the F o u r th A m e n d m e n t, “if s u f f ic ie n t u n ta in te de v id e n c e w a s p r e s e n t in th e a f f id a v it to e s t abl i s h pr obabl e c a us e , the w a rr a ntw a s va l i d. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. W ha l e y , 779 F . 2d 585, 589 n. 7 ( 11th C i r . 1985) ( c i t i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. K a r o, 468 U . S . 705, 719, 104 S . C t . 3296, 3305 ( 1985) ) . “ P r obabl e c a us e t o s uppor tas e a r c h w a rr a nt e x is ts w h e n th e to ta lity o f th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s a llo w ac o n c lu s io n th a t th e r e is af a ir prob abi l i ty of f

i nd i ng contraband or evi dence ata part i cul arl ocat i on . ” U ni t ed S t a t e s v. B rundi dge , 170 F . 3d 1350, 1352 ( 11th C i r . 1999) . “ S pe c i f i c a l l y , the a f f id a v it s h o u lde s tab lis h ac o n n e c tio n b e tw e e n th e d e f e n d a n t a n d th e r e s id e n c e to be se ar ched and a l i nk betw ee n the re si dence and any cr i m i nal ac t i vi ty. ” U ni t ed S ta te s v . M a r tin , 2 9 7 F .3 d 1 3 0 8 , 1 3 1 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . E xc l udi ng the r e f

e r e nc e i n the a f

f i da vi tt o the s m a l l a m ountof m a r i j ua na f ound dur i ng the pr ot e c t i ve s w e e p, the a f f i da vi tc ont a i ne d the f

ol l ow i ng i nf orm a t i on: ( 1) F r e e ha d a dm i tt e d he ha d pi c ke d up M i m s a nd br oughthi m t o the ni ght c l ub w he r e M i m s w a s a rr e s t e d; ( 2) a f t e rM i m s w a s a rr e s t e d he t ol d one of the8

offi ce rs thathe had g ot t en the coun t er fe i tm on eyand m ar i j uana from F re e a nd that F r e e w oul d be goi ng ba c k t o the i rapa r tm e ntt o de s tr oy the r e m a i ni ng m one y a nd drugs ; ( 3) M i m s a l s o t ol d the of f i c e r s tha tthe r e m a i ni ng m one y a nd drugs c oul d be foun d i n F re e’ s bedroom and thathe kn ew thatpeop l e w er e pay i ng $5 0. 00 of re al m o n ey fo r $ 5 0 0 . 0 0 o f th e co u n t erfei tm o n ey; (4 ) b ecau se o f M i m s’ st at em en t s, D et ec t i ve B ry an re spon ded t o the apartm entM i m s s peci fi ed; (5) D et ec t i ve B ry an a rr iv e d a t th e ap a r tm e n t a t th e s a m e tim e a s F r e e , a n d F r e e s a id h e d id n o t liv e in the apa r tm e nta nd di d notknow w ho l i ve d i n the apa r tm e nt ; ( 6) R hode s w a s l i vi ng in th e ap a r tm e n t a n d to ld D e te c tiv e B ry a n th a t s h e w a s p r e g n a n t w ith F r e e ’s c h ild and thatF re e had been i n the apartm entea rl i erthatday; and (7) R ho des perm i tt ed D et ec t i ve B ry an t o b ri ng F re e i nt o the apartm entt o d i sc uss the event s of that e ve ni ng. W e c onc l ude tha tthi s i nf orm a t i on e s t abl i s he d pr obabl e c a us e f orthe subsequentse ar ch of the apartm ent , and there fore thatthe se ar ch w arra ntw as v a lid . S e e W h a le y , 7 7 9 F .2 d a t 5 8 9 n .7 . M im s h a d p r o v id e d D e te c tiv e B ry a n w ith the address of the apartm entthathe cl ai m ed he and F re e s hare d, w hi ch B ry an corr ob orat ed as soon as he saw F re e a rr i ve atthe apartm ent . T hi s i nform at i on w as further c orrobo ra t ed w hen, i n spi t e of F re e’ s c l ai m thathe di d n otkn ow w ho l i ved in th e ap a r tm e n t, R h o d e s s a id th a t F r e e w a s th e f a th e ro f h e rc h ild a n d h a d b e e n in9

th e ap a r tm e n t e a r lie rth a t d a y . M im s ’ a d d itio n a l s ta te m e n t d e ta ilin g th e s p e c if ic l o c a t i o n o f

th e r e ma i n i n g c o u n t e r f e i tmo n e y a n d ma r i

j u a n as u g g e s t e d th a tM i ms w a s s p e a k in g f

r o m h is o w n p e r s o n a l k n o w le d g e a n d th a t h e w a s a ls o n o t lik e ly to l i e bec ause af

t er“ the w arra nti ss ued, l i es w ou l d l i kel y be di sc ov er ed i n sho rtorder and favors fa l se l y c urri ed w ou l d d i ss i pat e r api dl y. ” S ee B rund i dg e, 17 0 F . 3d at 1353 ( quot a t i on om i tt e d) . C onve r s e l y , F r e e ha d c ont i nua l l y l i e d t o D e t e c t i ve B ry a n ab o u t w h e r e h e w a s g o in g a f te rle a v in g th e n ig h tc lu b , a s w e ll a s ab o u t h is c o n n e c tio n to th e ap a r tm e n t. T hr ough the s t a t e m e nt s of M i m s a nd R hode s , a s c orr obor a t e d thr ough D e t e c t i ve B ry a n’ s ow n obs e rva t i ons , the a f f i da vi tpr ovi de d s uf

f i c i e nti nf orm a t i on to c o n n e c t F r e e to th e ap a r tm e n t ( in s p ite o f F r e e ’s e f

f o r ts to c o n c e a l h is tie s to it) a nd t o l i nk the apa r tm e ntt o the c ount e r f e i t i ng a nd drug a c t i vi t i e s . T he r e f or e , the a f f i da vi tpr ovi de d f

a c t s “ s uf f i c i e ntt o j us t i f

y ac onc l us i on tha te vi de nc e or contraband [w ou l d] prob abl y be f ou nd atthe prem i se s t o b e s ea rc hed. ” S ee M a r t i n, 297 F . 3d a t1314. A l though the di s tr i c tc our tdi d notba s e i t s de c i s i on de ny i ng the s uppr e s s i on m ot i on on the s uf f i c i e nc y of

the a f f i da vi tw i thoutthe st at em en tab o u tth e m ari j u an a fo u n d d u ri n g th e p ro t ect i v e sw eep , w e n o n eth el ess a f f irm th e d is tr ic t c o u r t o n th a t b a s is . S e e S im m o n s , 3 6 8 F .3 d a t 1 3 4 2 . A FFI R M ED