## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T

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No. 1 1- 29 79

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Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca, *

* App el le e, * App eal fro m th e Uni te d S ta te s

* Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e

v. * W es te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

*
Tho m as S. Gin n, * [UNPUBLISHED]

* App el la nt

. *

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Su bm it te d: Marc h 1 2, 2 01 2
Fi le d: Marc h 1 9, 2 01 2

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Befo re WOL LMAN, BOW MAN, an d C OLLOTO N, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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PER CURI AM.

Tho m as Gin n was ch arg ed in a th ree- co un t in di ct m en t wit h be in g a fel on in

po ss es si on of a firea

rm , po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e m ari juan a, an d po ss es si on

of a fir earm in f

u rth eran ce of a dr ug -tr affi ck in g cri m e. Afte r th e Dis tri ct Co ur t 1

de ni ed hi s m ot io n to su pp res s, Gin n pl ead ed gu il ty to th e th ird co un t, an d th e Dis tri ct

The Hon or ab le Sco tt O. W rig ht

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 1

Dis tri ct of Mi ss ou ri, ad op ti ng th e Rep or t an d Rec om m en da ti on o f th e Hon or ab le

Jo hn T. Mau gh m er, Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e fo r t h e W es te rn Dis tri ct of
Mi ss ou ri.Co ur t se nt en ced hi m to th e st at ut or y m in im um of si xt y m on th s i n p r i s o n

. Gin n 2

res erv ed th e rig ht to ch al le ng e th e de ni al of hi s m ot io n to su pp res s, an d no w do es so

in th is ap pe al . W e aff

irm.

On ap pe al fro m th e de ni al of a m ot io n to su pp res s, we rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t’s

fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear erro r an d it s l e g al co nc lu si on s de no vo

. Uni te d St at es v.

Pat te n, 66 4 F.3 d 24 7, 25 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 )

. A f t er an ev id en ti ary he ari ng on Gin n’s

su pp res si on m ot io n, co nd uc te d ov er th ree da y s, th e Mag is tra te Ju dg e fo un d th e

fo ll owi ng fact s, wh ic h wer e ad op te d b y th e Dis tri ct Co ur t.

Earl y in th e m or ni ng on Nov em be r 1, 20 09

, St

. Jo se ph

, Mi ss ou ri, po li ce of fic er

B.J

. Fi sh er was on pa tro l in m id to wn St

. Jo se ph whe n he pa ss ed an on co m in g Ch ev y

Su bu rb an an d reco gn iz ed th e dr iv er as Gin n, who m Fi sh er ha d se en at th e St

. Jo se ph
jail th ree week s earl ie r. W he n Fi sh er tri ed to read th e Su bu rb an ’s li cen se pl at e, he

no ti ced th at th e li cen se -p la te li gh t was bu rn ed ou t, an in frac ti on un de r Mi ss ou ri la w.

Fi sh e r t u r ne d hi s pa tro l car aro un d to cat ch up to Gin n, who th en be ga n dr iv in g

ev as iv el y

. Fi sh e r fin al ly fo un d th e un oc cu pi ed Su bu rb an pa rk ed in an al le y an d

co nt i n u e d d r i v i n g aro un d ho pi ng to sp ot Gin n. By th en , of fic er Ja so n W il ho it ha d

arri ve d in hi s pa tro l car to pr ov id e ba ck up

. W he n th e of fic ers sa w Gin n walk in g, th ey

ap pr oa ch ed hi m an d to ld hi m no t to m ov e. Gin n ne ve rth el es s co nt in ue d walk in g an d

th en be ga n to ru n. Gin n ev en tu al ly ran on to th e fro nt po rch of hi s res id en ce, al th ou gh

th e of fic ers di d no t kn ow at th e ti m e th at Gin n so m et im es li ve d t h e r e

. Wi l ho it sa w
Gin n di sp la y a ha nd gu n an d al ert ed Fi sh er. Gin n wen t in to th e res id en ce an d tri ed

to sh ut th e do or on th e of

fic ers

. Fi sh er an d W il ho it ev en tu al ly fo rced th e do or op en ,

en te red th e ho m e, an d fou nd Gin n and a wom an , who th ey la te r le arn ed was Gin n’s

w i f e, Mi ch el le

. W he n Gin n ap pe ared pr ep ared to fig ht , Wil ho it ta se red hi m tw i c e ,

an d th e of

fic ers th en ha nd cu f

f e d h i m. Add it io na l of

fic ers ha d arri ve d by t he n, an d

The Hon or ab le Gary A. Fen ne r, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 2

Dis tri ct of M is so ur i, t o wh om th e cas e h ad be en tra ns ferr ed

.

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-G i n n was arre st ed an d ta ke n to th e po li ce st at io n. Afte r de li ve rin g Gin n to ot h e r

of fic ers ou ts id e th e ho m e, Fi sh er wen t ba c k i n s i d e th e res id en ce to fin d W il ho it

qu es ti on in g M ic he ll e Gin n, as ki ng he r who li ve d i n t he ho us e. At t ha t t im e, Fi sh er

sp ot te d, in pl ai n vi ew, m ari juan a, a sc al e, an d a m ari

juan a gr in de r on th e bo tt om sh el f

of a co ffee ta bl e an d so m e p l a s t i c ba gg ie s el se whe re in th e ro om

. He fie ld -te st ed

so m e res id ue th at was on th e sc al e, an d it te st ed po si ti ve fo r co cai ne

. Afte r Mi ch el le

Gin n refu se d co ns en t to se arch th e ho us e, of fic ers ob ta in ed a se arch warra n t

. Sear ch in g of

fic ers se iz ed th e sc al e an d gr in de r, th e ba gg ie s, a la rg e qu an ti t y o f

m ari juan a, an d fo ur fir earm s, am on g o th er t hi ng s.

On ap pe al

, Gin n fir st cl ai m s th at th e Dis tri ct Co ur t ad op te d th e Mag is tra te

Ju dg e’s Rep or t an d Rec om m en da ti on (R& R) wit ho ut co nd uc ti ng a de no vo rev ie w.

W e wil l or di na ril y pr es um e th at th e Dis tri ct Co ur t co nd uc te d th e rev ie w req ui red by

28 U.S.C. § 63 6( b) (1 ). See Uni te d St at es v. Azu re, 53 9 F.3 d 90 4, 91 1 (8 th Ci r.

20 08 ). It is Gin n’s bu rd en to reb ut th at pr es um pt io n “ by pr ov id in g af

f i r m at iv e

ev id en ce to th e co nt rary.” Id

. The “ ev id en ce” Gin n po in ts to he re is th e or de r of th e
Dis tri ct Co ur t, th e br ev it y of whi ch

, Gin n co nt en ds

, pr ov es th at th e Dis tri ct Co ur t di d

no t c on du ct a de no vo rev ie w in th is cas e. The Dis tri ct Co ur t co nc lu de d th at th e

R&R was “ th or ou gh an d wel l-r eas on ed ,” “ ag ree[ d] wit h th e reco m m en da ti on ,” an d

sa w “ no reas on to co m

m en t fu rth er.” Ord er of Sep t. 10

, 20 10

. The co ur t’s or de r di d

n ot sa y th at th e co ur t ha d co nd uc te d a de no vo rev ie w, no r di d it in di cat e th at th e

co ur t ha d co ns id ered Gin n’s ob jecti on s to th e R&R

. Bu t th e co ur t was not req ui red

to affi rm at iv el y de cl are th at it h a d d o n e s o

. See Uni te d St at es v. Ham el l, 93 1 F.2 d

46 6, 46 8 (8 th Ci r.) (“ To ho ld th at th is cas e m us t be rem an de d so le ly be cau se th e
di st ric t co ur t di d no t sp eci fic al ly st a t e t ha t it ha d do ne a co m pl et e de no vo rev ie w

wou ld

, in effe ct

, crea te a pr es um pt io n th at th e di st ric t jud ge act ed im pr op erl y .”), cert

. de ni ed

, 50 2 U.S. 92 8 (1 99 1)

. All th ree vo lu m es of th e su pp res si on -h eari ng tra ns cri pt

w ere av ai la bl e fo r rev ie w by th e Dis tri ct Co ur t whe n th e R&R was fil ed

, so th e
Dis tri ct Co ur t’s or de r, whi le it co ul d ha ve be en m or e ex pl ic it reg ard in g th e sc op e of

th e co ur t’s rev ie w, is no t ev id en ce th at th e ex pe rie nc ed Dis tri ct Co ur t Ju dg e di d no t

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-co nd uc t th e req ui red rev ie w. See Jo ne s v. Pi ll ow, 47 F.3 d 25 1, 25 3 (8 th Ci r. 19 95 ).

Lik ewis e, th e fact th at th e Dis tri ct Co ur t di d no t co m m en t on th e Mag is tra te Ju dg e’s

cred ib il it y d e t e rm in at io ns (th at th e m ag is tra te fo un d th e te st ifyin g of fic ers m or e
cred ib le th an Gin n an d hi s wife ) is no t affi rm at iv e ev id en c e th at th e Dis tri ct Co ur t

fai le d i n i ts du ty to co nd uc t a d e n ov o re vi ew.

Nex t, Gin n arg ue s th ere were no ex ig en t ci rcu m st an ces to jus ti fy th e of fic ers ’

en try i nt o th e res id en ce wit ho ut a warra nt

. Acco rd in g t o t he fact ua l fi nd in gs in th e

R&R

, Fi sh er kn ew th at Gin n ha d pr ev io us ly be en arre st ed ; Gin n dr ov e ev as iv el y as

Fi sh er tri ed to fo ll ow hi m ; Gin n ran fro m th e of fic ers whe n t h e y t o l d h im to st op ;
Gin n ran in to a res id en ce in th e earl y m or ni ng ho ur s to ev ad e th e of fic ers , an d th e

of fic ers di d no t kn ow he was li vi ng th ere; an d on e of th e of fic ers sa w Gin n br an di sh

a ha nd gu n. Tak en to ge th er, th es e fact s sh ow ex ig en cy

. Bu t Gin n co nt en ds th at “ [t]he

fact ua l fin di ng s in th is cas e were ex pl ic it ly ba se d o n co m pl et e acce pt an ce of th e

of fic ers ’ te st im on y an d co m pl et e reject io n of th e Gin ns ’, ” an d th e fin di ng s were

th eref or e cl earl y erro ne ou s. Br. of App el la nt at 24

. Gin n ch al le ng es th e fai lu re of th e

R&R to de ta il a l l o f t he Gin ns ’ te st im on y , weig h it ag ai ns t th e of fic ers ’ te st im on y ,

an d sp eci fic al ly res ol ve th e co nf li ct s. See id

. at 29

. Bu t th e R&R no te d th at th e co ur t

ha d co ns id ered th e de m ean or of th e wit ne ss es at th e he ari ng ; th ei r in te res t in th e

ou tc om e of th e m ot io n t o s u p p r es s; an d “ th e op po rtu ni ty of th e wit ne ss es to he ar,
ob se rv e, an d reca ll wha t was sa i d o r d on e” whe n co nc lu di ng th at th e of fic ers were

m or e cred ib le th an th e Gin ns

. R&R at 2 n.1

. On ap pe al

, we de fer to th e fact -fi nd er’s

vi ew of th e ev id en ce, an d “ whe re th ere are two pe rm is si bl e vi ews of th e ev id en ce, th e

fact -fi nd er’s ch oi ce be twee n th em can no t be cl earl y erro ne o u s

. ” Uni te d St at es v.

Alm ei da -Per ez, 54 9 F.3 d 11 62

, 11 73 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). Mo reo ve r, cred ib il it y fin di ng s

th at are no t “ in te rn al ly in co ns is te nt ” are en ti tl ed to ev en gr eat er de fere nc e. Id

. The re

are no in te rn al in co ns is te nc ie s in the fact ua l fin di ng s. The co ur t ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai ne d

th e rat io na le be hi nd th e cred ib il it y fin di ng s a n d was no t req ui red to go th ro ug h th e

te st im on y po in t b y

po in t. Bec au se th e fac tu al fin di ng s i n q ue st io n wer e n ot cle arl y

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-erro ne ou s, th e co ur t pr op erl y co nc lu de d th at th os e fact s su pp or te d a de te rm in at io n of

ex ig en t ci rcu m st an ces in th is cas e.

Fi na ll y , Gin n co nt en ds th at an y ex ig en t ci rcu m st an ces en de d whe n th e of fic ers

arre st ed Gin n an d rem ov e d hi m fro m th e res id en ce— be fo re th e in cri m in at in g

ev id en ce was ob se rv ed in pl ai n vi ew an d us ed to ob ta in a warra nt

. W e di sa gr ee.

W il ho it rem ai ne d in th e res id en ce to as k Mi ch el le Gin n ab ou t th e oc c u pa nt s of th e
ho us e, an d Fi sh er ret ur ne d to co m pl et e th e in ve st ig at io n in to wha t th e of fic ers
be li ev ed m ig ht ha ve be en an il le ga l ho m e en try by an arm ed i n d iv id ua l who ha d

e v a d ed an d di so be y ed po li ce. W he n Fi sh er ret ur ne d, he sp ot te d th e pl ai n- vi ew

ev id en ce whi le W il ho it was st il l sp eak in g wit h Mi ch el le Gin n ab ou t th e pe rs on s who

res id ed in th e ho m e. The se fac t u a l fin di ng s are no t cl earl y erro ne ou s, an d th e

co nc lu si on of c on ti nu in g e xi ge nc y , bas ed on th es e fac ts , is no t er ro r.

W e affi rm th e or de r of th e Dis tri ct Co ur t den y in g Gin n’s m ot io n to su pp res s.

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