# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 7- 14 55

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

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e ,

v.

Nale nz er Lee Ed ward s,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

.

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App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - J effe rs on Cit y

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Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 16 , 20 17
Fi le d: May 31, 2 01 8

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Befo re COLLOTON an d GRUENDER, Ci rcu it Ju dg es , an d READE, Dis tri ct Ju dg e. 1

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The Hon or ab le Lin da R. Rea de

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Nor th ern 1

Dis tri ct of I owa , si tt in g b y de si gn at io n.COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

N a l e nz er Edwar ds was co nv ic te d of co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e he ro in a n d

po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e he ro in

. The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed Edwar ds ’s pr e- 2

tri al m ot io n to su pp res s ev id en ce se iz ed du rin g a tra ffi c st op an d st at em en ts m ad e to

of fic ers aft er hi s arre st

. W e co nc lu de t h a t l a w en fo rcem en t of fic ers di d no t vi ol at e

th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t, so th ere was no ba si s to ex cl ud e th e di sp ut ed ev id en ce, an d

we th eref or e aff irm th e jud gm en t.

I.

The in ve st ig at io n an d pr os ecu ti on of Edwar ds aro se fro m co m m un ic at io ns to

po li ce by a co nf

id en ti al in fo rm an t on Ju ne 10

, 20 15

. The in fo rm an t, who pr ev io us ly

ha d pr ov id ed rel ia bl e in fo rm at io n, co nt act ed Dete ct iv e Tim ot hy Gig er f r om th e

Co lu m bi a Po li ce Dep art m en t to rep or t th at Edwar ds was in vo lv ed in dr ug tra ffi ck in g.
The in fo rm an t to ld Gig er th at Edwar ds wou ld be dr iv in g th at da y fro m Co lu m bi a to

Je ffer so n Ci ty to pr ov id e m on ey to a wom an na m ed “ Tash a” an d to ob ta in he ro in fo r

tra ns po rt b ack to Co lu m

bi a.

Gig er an d ot he r of

fic ers fo ll owe d Edwar ds ’s si lv er Po nt ia c Bo nn ev il le fro m a
ho te l in Co lu m

bi a to a ho us e in Jef

fers on Cit y

own ed by N at as ha Terrel l. Edwar ds

en te red th e ho m e an d rem ai ne d fo r th irt y to fo rty-fiv e m in ut es be fo re dr iv in g ba ck to

Co lu m bi a. Tha t ev en in g, Je ffer so n Ci ty po li ce se a r c h e d th e tra sh ou ts id e Nata sh a
Terrel l’s res id en ce an d di sc ov ered dr ug pa rap he rn al ia co ns is te n t w it h dr ug

tra ffi ck in g. Bas ed on th e to ta l i t y o f th e ev id en ce, Dete ct iv e Greg Bes tg en of

The Hon or ab le Bri an C. W im es , 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 Mi ss ou ri, ad op ti ng th e rep or t an d reco m m en da ti on of th e Hon or ab le Mat t J. Whit wor th , Uni te d S ta te s M ag is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

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-J e f

fers on Ci ty ob ta in ed a se arch warra nt fo r th e ho m e, bu t di d no t ex ecu te it

im m ed ia te ly.

A week la te r, th e sa m e in fo rm an t no ti fie d Dete ct iv e Gig er th at Edwar ds ag ai n pl an ne d to tra ve l to “ Tash a’s” ho us e th at da y to ob ta in he ro in

. As be fo re, Gig er an d

ot he r of fic ers fo ll owe d Edwar ds fro m Co lu m bi a to Nata sh a Terrel l’s ho us e. Edwar ds

wen t in si de th e ho us e an d th en dr ov e away. O n c e h e l eft

, Dete ct iv e Bes tg en an d

ot he r of fic ers ex ecu te d th e se arch warra nt ; th ey fo un d he ro in

, crac k co cai ne , pi ll s of

an un kn own na tu re, an d ap pr ox im at el y $7 ,00 0 in cas h. A se co nd co nf id en ti al

in fo r man t, who was pr es en t in th e ho m e du rin g th e se arch

, in fo rm ed Bes tg en th at

Edwar ds ha d l eft wit h a pp ro xi m at el y twen ty gram s o f he ro in

.

W hi le off ic er s se ar ched Nata sh a Terrel l’s ho m e, Offi cer Pau l Gas h of Je ffer so n
Ci ty cond uc te d a tra ffi c st op of Edwar ds ’s ve hi cl e aft er le arn in g fro m Dete ct iv e Gig er

th at Edwar ds was be li ev ed to ha ve co m pl et ed a dr ug tra ns act io n. Gig er in st ru ct ed

Gas h to arre st Edwar ds , s o Gas h pl aced Edwar ds in cu st od y in th e ba c k of a po li ce

car. Afte r Edwar ds de cl in ed to co ns en t to a se arch of hi s ve hi cl e, Gas h ran hi s can in e

aro un d t he Bo nn ev il le ’s ext eri or , bu t t he do g d id no t al ert to th e p res en ce o f dr ug s.

Gas h ne xt co nt act ed Dete ct iv e Bes t g e n, who st at ed th at th ere was pr ob ab le

cau se to se arch th e ve hi cl e. Gas h th en se arch ed th e Bo nn ev il le an d di sc ov ered fo ur
ba gs of he ro in be hi nd th e in st ru m en t pa ne l of th e car. In an in te rv ie w, aft er rece iv in g

th e warn in gs pr es cri be d by Mir an da v. Ari zo na , 3 8 4 U.S. 43 6 (1 96 6)

, Edwar ds

ad m it te d hi s in vo lv em en t in d r u g t r affi ck in g. The reaf te r, a gr an d jury ch arg ed

Edwar ds wit h co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e he ro in an d po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e
he ro in , in vi ol at io n o f 21 U.S.C. §§ 84 6 a nd 84 1( a)(1 ), res pe ct iv el y

.

Befo re tri al

, Edwar ds m ov ed to su pp res s hi s in cri m in at in g st at em en ts an d th e
he ro in se iz ed fro m hi s ve hi cl e, bu t th e di st ric t co ur t de ni ed th e m ot io n, an d th e cas e

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-pr oc eed ed to tri al

. A jury fo un d Edwar ds gu il ty on bo th ch arg es , an d th e di st ric t

co ur t s en te nc ed hi m

to 15 6 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t.

II.

On ap pe al

, Edwar ds c h a l l en ge s th e di st ric t co ur t’s de ni al of hi s m ot io n to

su pp res s. He co nt en ds th at po li ce la ck ed pr ob ab le cau se to arre st hi m , a nd th at hi s

st at em en ts sh ou ld h a v e be en su pp res se d as th e fru it of an un la wfu l arre st

. He al so

arg ue s t h at po li ce se arch ed hi s ve hi cl e wit ho ut pr ob ab le cau se , an d th at ev id en ce

fo un d i n t he car s ho ul d h av e b een ex cl ud ed fro m th e tr ia l.

Pro ba bl e cau se to arre st ex is ts “ whe n, co ns id eri ng al l th e ci rcu m st an ces , po li ce

ha ve tru st wor th y in fo rm at io n th at wou ld l e a d a pr ud en t pe rs on to be li ev e th at th e

su sp ect ha s co m

m it te d or is co m

m it ti ng a cri m e.” Uni te d St at es v. Vela zq ue z- Rive ra , 36 6 F.3 d 66 1, 66 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 ). The st an da rd is “ no t a hi gh ba r,” an d it “ req ui res

on ly a pr ob ab il it y or su bs ta nt ia l ch an ce of cri m in al act iv it y , no t an act ua l sh owi ng of

su ch act iv it y .” Dis tr ic t of Co lu mbi a v. W es by , 13 8 S . Ct. 5 77 , 58 6 (2 01 8) (in te rn al

qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

T he inf or m at io n pr ov id ed by Dete ct ive G ige r’ s co nf ide nti al inf

or m an t, tog et

he r

w ith co rr obor at ing ev ide nc e gath ered du rin g in ve st ig at ion

, es ta bli she d pr oba

ble ca use

to be li ev e th at Edwar d s c o mm it te d a dr ug tra ffi ck in g of fen se

. The in fo rm an t ha d

pr ov en rel ia bl e in pr ev io us in ve st ig at io ns , an d la w en fo rcem en t in d e p e n d e nt ly

co rro bo r a te d de ta il s th at th e in fo rm an t ha d su pp li ed ab ou t Edwar ds

. Offi cers

fo ll owe d Edwar ds as he tra ve le d fro m Co lu m bi a to a res id en ce in Je ffer so n Ci ty th at

was own ed by a wom an m at ch in g th e na m e gi ve n by th e in fo rm an t

. A

co nt em po ran eo us tra sh pu ll co rro bo rat ed th e in fo rm an t’s s u g g e st io n th at th e

r e s i d en ce was as so ci at ed wit h dr ug act iv it y

. W he re an in fo rm an t ha s pr ov id e d

rel ia bl e in fo rm at io n in th e pa st

, an d whe re of fic ers are ab le to co rro bo rat e im po rta nt

de ta il s fro m a cu rren t ti p th at a su b je ct is en ga ge d in dr ug tra ffi ck in g, th ere is

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-pr ob ab le cau se to be li ev e th at an of fen se ha s be en or is be in g co m m it te d. Dra

pe r v.

Uni te d S ta te s , 35 8 U.S. 3 07 , 31 2- 14 (19 59 ).

Alt ho ug h Offi cer Gas h ha d no t pe rs on al ly ob se rv ed Edwar ds be fo re th e tra ffi c

st op on Ju ne 17

, “ pr ob ab le cau se m ay be ba se d on th e co ll ect iv e kn owl ed ge of al l la w

en fo rcem en t of

fic ers in vo lv ed in an in ve st ig at io n an d ne ed no t be ba se d so le ly up on

th e in fo rm at io n wit hi n th e kn owl ed ge of th e of fic er on th e sc en e if t h e r e i s s o me
de gr ee of co m

m un ic at io n.” Uni te d St at es v. Hor ne , 4 F.3 d 57 9, 58 5 (8 th Ci r. 19 93 ).

Dete ct iv e Gig er com m

un ic at ed wit h Office r Gas h bef or e th e tra ffi c st op , in fo rm in g

hi m th at Edwar ds was un de r in ve st ig at io n fo r dr ug tra ffi ck in g an d th at th ere was

pr ob ab le cau se to be li ev e th at Edwar ds ha d jus t ob ta in ed dr ug s. Bec au se th e of

fic ers

co ll ect iv el y ha d p r o b a b le cau se , an d Offi cer Gas h was in cl ud ed in th e

co mm u n i c a ti on s, Edwar ds ’s arre st was la wfu l. The di st ric t co ur t pr op erl y de ni ed

Edwar ds ’s m ot io n t o s up pr es s h is cu st od ia l s ta te m en ts to po li ce.

Gas h a ls o h ad pr ob ab le cau se to be li ev e th at Edward s’s ca r co nt ai ne d h ero in

be fo re he se arch ed th e ve hi cl e. Und er th e au to m ob il e ex cep ti on to t h e w a r r an t

req ui rem en t, of

fic ers m ay co nd uc t a warra nt le ss se arch of a v e h i c l e if th ey ha ve

pr ob ab le cau se to be li ev e th at th e car co nt ai ns co nt rab an d or ot he r ev id en ce

. Ca li fo rn ia v. Aceve do

, 50 0 U.S. 56 5, 58 0 (1 99 1)

. The sa m e i n fo rm at io n th at

p r o vi de d pr ob ab le cau se fo r th e arre st jus ti fie d th e se arch of th e Bo nn ev il le

. Se e

Uni te d S ta te s v. Ma rc he na -Bor ja s , 20 9 F.3 d 69 8, 70 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 00 ) (p er cu ria m ).

Edwar ds co m

pl ai ns th at th e se co n d in fo rm an t at Terrel l’s ho us e ha d no hi st or y of

pr ov id in g rel ia bl e in fo rm at io n. Bu t a tra ck reco rd is no t req ui red be fo re of fic ers m ay
de em an in fo rm an t cred ib le

, se e Uni te d St at es v. W in ar sk e , 71 5 F.3 d 10 63

, 10 67 (8 th

Ci r. 20 13 ), an d th e se co nd in fo rm an t’s as se rti on th at Edwar ds ha d pu rch as ed he ro in

at th e ho us e was co ns is te nt wit h ot he r ev id en ce and wor th y of so m e weig ht

. In an y

ev en t, of fic ers di d no t ne ed th e s e c o n d i n fo rm an t’s st at em en t to es ta bl is h pr ob ab le

cau se , be cau se st at em en ts of t h e f i r s t in fo rm an t an d su bs eq ue nt in ve st ig at io n were

su ffi ci en t.

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-Sei zi ng on te st im on y fro m Offi cer Gas h th at hi s dr ug do g al ert s accu rat el y “ [a]

hu nd red pe rcen t o f th e ti m e,” E dwa rd s con te nd s th at an y pr ob ab le cau se th at m ig ht

h av e ex is te d pr om

pt ly di ss ip at ed whe n th e can in e fai le d to al ert to th e pr e s e n c e o f

dr ug s at Edwar ds ’s car. A dr ug do g’s fai lu re to al ert is rel ev an t, se e Uni te d St at es v.

Ja co bs

, 98 6 F.2 d 12 31

, 12 34 -3 5 (8 th Ci r. 19 93 ), bu t no t di sp os it iv e. Se e U n i te d

St at es v. La ko sk

ey , 46 2 F.3 d 96 5, 97 6- 77 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ). W ha te ve r Offi cer Gas h’s

su bjec ti ve op in io n ab ou t th e accu racy of hi s do g, of fic ers m ay co ns id er pr e-ex is ti ng

in fo rm at io n in m ak in g th e ob jecti ve de te rm in at io n whe th er th ere is a fai r pr ob ab il it y
th at ev id en ce of a cri m e wou ld be fo un d in th e co nv ey an ce. The ev id en ce of cri m in al

act iv it y he re was st ro ng en ou gh to es ta bl is h a su bs ta nt ia l chan ce tha t th e do g m ig ht

ha ve be en m is ta ke n or un ab le to pe rcei ve dr ug s th at were wit hi n th e ve hi cl e. Bas ed

on th e to ta li ty of th e ci rcu m st an ces , th ere was pr ob ab le cau se to se arch th e car. The

di st ric t co ur t pr op erl y de ni ed th e m ot io n t o s u pp res s th e he ro in fo un d in si de th e

Bo nn ev il le

.

The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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