THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

October 30, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 04 6 . W E AVER v

. THE STATE. DO-0 3 6 C

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Th i s Co u rt g ran t ed W il l i am W eav er’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry rev i ew o f

t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n t o su p p res s in cri m i nat i n g ev id en ce d i s co v ered

i n th e co u rs e o f a t raffi c s to p o f h i s v eh i cl e. On ap p eal , W eav er arg u es t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt erred b y d en y i n g hi s m o ti o n t o s up p res s aft er fi n di n g t h at t h e o ffi cer d i d n ot

i m p ro p erl y p ro l o n g t h e s t op th ereb y ren d eri n g h i s co n s en t t o s earch i nv al i d

. Fo r t h e

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we rev ers e t h e o rd er o f t h e t ri al co urt

.

On ap p eal fro m

a r u l i n g o n a m o ti o n to s u p pres s, w e rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fa c t u a l

fi nd in g s fo r cl ear erro r an d i t s l eg al co n cl u s i on s de n o vo

. In ad d i t io n , i n

rev i ewi ng s u ch a ru l i n g, an ap p el l at e co urt m u s t co n st ru e t h e ev i d en t i ary

reco rd i n th e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s an dju d g m en t

. An ap p el l at e co u rt al so gen eral l y m u s t l i m it i t s co n s i d erat i o n

o f t h e d is p u t ed fact s t o t h o s e ex p res s l y fo u n d b y t h e t ri al co u rt

. 1

M o re s p eci fi cal ly

, t h e d et erm i n at i o n o f wh et h er a t raffi c s t o p was u n reas o n ab l y

p ro l o n g ed “ m ay o ft e n b e a fact -i n t en s i v e d et erm i n at i o n, [b ut ] i t i s u l t i m at el y a

h o l d i n g o f co n s t i t u t i on al l aw t h at we rev i ew d e n o vo .” 2

Vi ewed i n t h is l i g h t, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at an o ffi cer m ad e a s to p o f an SUV

p u l l i ng a t rai l er l o ad ed wi t h s al v ag e p art ial t ru ck bo d i es

. In t he d as h cam vi d eo o f t h e

t h e st o p, wh ich was pl ay ed at t h e h ear i n g o n t h e m o ti on t o s u p p res s , an o ffi cer

ap p ro ach ed t h e SUV o n th e p as s en g er s i de an d t o l d t h e d ri v er, l a t er i d en t i fi ed as

W eav er, t h at h e h ad a n o n-fu n ct i o n i n g trai l er l i g h t. W h i le W eav er an d th e p as s en g er

were ret ri ev i n g th ei r i den t i fi cat i o n s , t h e o ffi cer t o ld W eav er t h at h e wo u l d n o t wri t e

a t ick et fo r t h e v i o l at i o n b u t wan t ed h i m t o be aware o f t h e m al fu nct i o n s o h e co u ld

g et i t r e p ai red

. Ap p ro x im at el y t wo an d a h al f m i n u tes in t o t he s t o p , t h e o ffi cer

rad i o ed d i s p at ch t o ch eck W eav er’ s an d th e p as s en g er’ s i n fo rm at i o n

. W eav er ex i t ed

t h e v eh i cl e t o t es t t he t rai l er l i g ht s , an d t he o ffi cer rei t erat ed th at “ i t ’ s n o t a b i g d eal ,”

1 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) Ken n eb r ew v. S ta te

, 3 0 4 Ga. 4 0 6

, 4 09 (8 1 9 SE2 d 3 7 ) (2 0 1 8).

2 S t a t e v. Al l en , 2 9 8 Ga. 1 , 4 (2 ) (7 77 9 SE2 d 2 4 8 ) (2 0 15 ).

2t u rn i ng th e d i s cu s s i o n t o t h e t rai l er l o ad an d W eav er’ s p l an s fo r i t an d as k i n g wh ere

h e g o t i t an d wh ere he w as t ak i n g i t

. W eav er co u l d n o t gi v e t he n am e o f t h e

i n d i v i d u al fro m wh o m h e p u rch as ed t h e l o ad

, ex p lai n i n g t h at h e was h au l i n g t h e t ru ck

b o d i es fo r a fri en d wh o h ad al read y p ai d fo r t h em fo r u se i n refu rb i s h in g a v eh i cl e.

Aft er l i s t en i ng t o W eav er’ s ex p l an at i o n , t h e o ffi cer ret urn ed t o t h e p as s en g er wh i l e

W eav er rem ai n ed b eh in d th e t rai l er. At t h at p o i nt

, ap p ro x i m at el y f i v e m i n u t es an d

fo rt y s eco n d s had el ap s ed , an d d i s p at ch rad io ed t h e o ffi cer wi t h i n fo rm at i o n o n t h e

i d en t i fi cat i o n s , n o t i n g n o t h in g i rreg u l ar w i t h Weav er’ s l i cen s e o r reg is t rat i o n an d

o n l y m en t i o n i n g t h at th e pas sen g er was o n p ro b at i o n

. Al t h o ug h W eav er’ s l i cen s e was

g o o d an d h e h ad n o o ut s tan d i n g warran ts

, t h e o ffi cer, rat h e r t h an en d i n g t h e s t o p,

ret u rn i n g t o h is cru i ser, o r t el l i n g W eav er h e was free t o leav e, i n q u ired wi t h t h e

p as s en g er ab o u t t h e i tem s o n t he t rai l er.

Th e o ffi cer th en ret u rn ed t o W eav er, as k i n g ag ai n wh ere h e acq u i red t h e t ru ck

b o d i es

. At t h i s p o in t

, s ev en m i n u t es h ad el ap s ed

, an d at l eas t o n e m i n u t e an d t wen t y

s eco n d h ad el ap sed fro m di s pat ch ’ s rad i o cal l t o t h e o ffi cer. Th e o ffi cer d i d n o t t el l

W eav er h e was free t o l eav e. In s t ead

, t he o ffi cer i n q u i red ab ou t a k n ife W eav er h ad

o n h i s b el t

, as ki n g wh et h er h e h ad an y o t h er weap on s , an d t h en req u es t ed t o pat -d o wn

W eav er, wh o d en i ed h av in g o t h er weap on s an d co n s en t ed t o t h e p at -d o wn

.

3Th e o ffi cer t h en ex p l ai n ed t o W eav er t h at h i s j u ri s d i ct i o n ex p eri en ces a l o t o f

s crap m et al t heft

, an d he as k ed W eav er i f h e w as aware t h at h is p as s en g er was o n

p ro b at i o n

. T h ey co n t i n ue t o d i s cu s s t h e pl an s fo r t h e au t o m o b i le p art s fo r a l i t t l e o v er

a m i n u te. Al m o s t t h r e e an d a h al f m i n u t es aft er recei v i n g t he i n fo rm at i o n fro m

d i s p at ch an d wi t h ou t t el l i n g W eav er h e was free t o l eav e

— t h e o ffi cer as k ed W eav er

i f h e was i n v o l v ed i n an y cr i m i n a l a c t i v it y , wh i ch W eav er d en i ed

. T he o ffi cer t h en

as k ed i f W eav er h ad an y d ru g s o n h i s p ers o n o r i n t h e t ru ck

, q ues t i o n i n g W eav er as

t o h i s p o ss es s i on o f a nu m b er of i nd i v i d u al i l l eg al s u b s t an ces , al l o f wh ich W eav er

d en ied p o s s es s i n g

. T h e o ffi cer s t at ed t h at W eav er was “ m o v i n g aro u n d a l o t ,” wh i ch

m ad e h im t h i n k t h at t h ere were d ru g s i nv o l v ed

, at wh i ch p o i nt t h e o ffi cer req u es t ed

co n sen t t o s earch t h e v eh i cl e, wh i ch W eav er g av e. Th e o ffi cer ret u rn ed t o t he v eh i cl e

an d as k ed t h e p as s en g er t o s t ep o u t o f t h e S U V, an d aft er p at t i n g h i m d o wn , t h e

o ffi cer co m

p l et ed a v eh i cl e s earch

. Du ri n g t he s earch

, t h e o f f i c e r fo un d su s p ect ed

m et h am p h et am i ne an d a gl as s pi p e, fo r wh i ch t h e o ffi cer t h en p l aced W eav er u n d er

arres t

.

W eav er m o v ed t o s u p pres s t h e i t em s fo u n d d u ri n g t h e s earch

. Aft er a h eari n g

o n t he m o t i o n, t h e t ri al co urt den i ed W eav er’ s m o t i on i n a cu rs o ry ord er, s t at i n g t h at

t h e o ffi cer

4h ad reas on ab l e art i cu l ab le s us p i ci o n t o ex ecu t e a t raffi c s t op on [W eav er

fo r t he brak e li g h t vi o l at i o n ]

. On ce [W eav er] h a d b e e n s t o p ped

, [t he

o ffi cer] as k ed h i m fo r p erm i s si o n t o s earch t h e v eh icl e, wh i ch [W eav er]

g ran t e d

. Up o n s earch i n g t h e v eh i cl e, [t h e o ffi cer] d i s co vered

m et h am p h et am i ne an d a g l a s s p i pe. Th e [c] o u rt fi n d s t h at [W eav er]

co n s en t ed t o t h e s earch o f h i s v eh i cl e an d n ev er wi t h drew h i s co n sen t

. Th e [c] o urt fi n d s t h at t h e i n i t i al s t o p was fo r a leg i t i m at e l aw

en fo rcem en t p urp os e an d was n o t u nre a s o n ab l y l en g t hen ed wh en [t he

o ffi cer] co nd uct ed a s earch o f t h e v eh i cl e wi t h [W eav er’ s ] p erm i s s i o n

.

W eav er co nt en d s t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred b y fi n di n g t h at t h e o ffi cer d i d n ot

p ro l o n g t h e s t o p an d, t h ereb y , erred wh en i t d en i ed hi s m o t i o n to s u p p res s. W e ag ree.

[T] h e St at e b ears t h e b u rd en o f p r o v i n g t h at th e s earch o f th e
[v eh icl e] was l awfu l

, an d t o carry t hi s b u rd en , t h e St at e m u st s h ow t hat

i t was lawfu l t o d et ai n [W eav er aft er d is p at ch ret u rn ed i n fo rm at i o n

ab o u t h is l i cen s e an d reg i s t rat i o n u nt i l t he t im e W eav er gav e h is co n s en t

t o s earch ]

. . . . [C] l ai m s t h at an o ffi cer il l eg al l y p ro l o n g ed a d e t e n t i o n

res u lt i n g fro m a t raffi c s t o p g en eral l y fal l i n t o t wo cat eg o ri es

. Th e fi rs t

cat eg o ry i n v o lv es t ho s e cas es as h ere wh e r e t he o ffi cer al leg ed l y

ex t en d ed t he s to p b ey on d t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e i n v es ti g at i o n t hat

warr a n t e d t h e det en t io n i n t h e fi rs t p lace, i

. e., wh et h er t h e o ffi cer

p ro l on ged t h e s t o p aft er co n cl ud i n g h i s i n v es t i gat i o n o f t h e t r a f fi c

v i o l at i o n

. In s u c h c a s e s , co u rt s h av e g en eral l y co n cl u d ed t h at ev en a

s h o rt p r o l o n g a t i o n i s u n reas o n ab l e u n l es s g o o d cau s e h as ap p eared i n

5t h e m ean t i m e t o ju s t i fy a co n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e d et en t i o n t o p u rs u e a

d i fferen t i n ves ti g at i o n

. 3

“ An o ffi cer m ay co n t i n u e t o d et ai n a d ri v er aft er t h e i nv es t i g at io n of t h e t raffi c

v i o l at i o n i s co m

p let e o n l y i f t h e o ffi cer h as ‘ a reas o n ab l e, art i cu lab l e s u s p i ci o n t h at

t h e dri v er was en g ag ed i n o t h er i l l eg al act i vi t y .’ ” 4 In t h i s cas e, t h e o ffi cer co n t i n u ed

t o q u es t i o n W eav er an d h i s p as s en g er ab o u t m u l t i p l e s u b

ject s u n rel at ed t o t h e

p u rp os e o f t h e st o p ev en aft er recei v i n g a n a n s w er fro m d is p at ch reg ard i n g t h e

l eg a l i ty o f W eav er’ s l i cen s e an d reg i s t rat i o n

. Ev en i f t h e o ffi cer’ s co n t i n u ed

q u es ti o n i n g o f W eav er an d t h e p as s en g er ab o u t t h e s crap m et al d i d no t co n s t i t u t e a

u n reas o nab l e p ro l o n g at i o n o f t h e s t o p , t he o ffi cer s h o u l d h av e en d ed t h e s t o p aft er h e

f i n i s h ed h i s q u es t i o n s as t o t h at m at t er. 5 In s t ead

, t h e o ffi cer co n ti n u ed t o q u es t i o n

W eav er ab o u t a kn i fe t h at was p l ai n l y v i s i b le fo r th e fi rs t h al f of t h e s t op , ab o u t o t h er

p o s s i b l e weap o n s , an d fi n al ly ab o u t g en eral cri m in al act i v it y o r d ru g p o s ses s i o n

. Th e

3 (Pu n ct uat i o n o m i t ted .) Al l en v. S ta te

, 3 4 8 Ga. A p p

. 59 5

, 5 9 7 -5 9 8 (1 ) (a) (8 2 4

SE2 d 5 0) (2 0 1 9 ), q u o ti n g Bo d i f o r d v. S t a t e , 3 28 G a. Ap p

. 2 5 8

, 2 6 1 (1 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d

8 1 8 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

4 Bo d i fo rd

, 3 28 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 7 (2 ), q u o ti n g Va l en t i n e v. S t a t e , 3 2 3 Ga. Ap p. 7 6 1 , 7 6 5 (2 ) (7 4 8 SE2 d 1 22 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

5 See Bo d if

o r d , 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p . at 2 6 6 (1 ).

6o n l y p o s s i b l e reas o n fo r s us p ici o n ab o u t d ru g p os s es si o n g i v en b y t he o ffi cer i s t h at

W eav er was n erv o u s d u ri n g t h e s t o p

. Bu t as t h i s Co u rt has e x p l ai n ed

, m ere

n erv o u s nes s i s n o t s u ffi ci en t t o s u p po rt a reas o n ab l e art icu l ab l e s us p ici o n to ex t en d

a st o p aft er co m

p l et i o n o f t h e o ri g i n al m i s s i o n

. 6 Th e o ffi cer d i d n ot p ro vi d e, n o r d id

t h e t ri al co urt fi n d , an y

o t h er fact s t o s u p p o rt a reas o nab l e art i cu l ab l e s u s p i ci o n

.

“ A cco rd i n g ly

, [t h e o ffi cer] h ad no b as i s fo r p ro l o n g i n g t h e t raffi c

s t op b ey o nd t h e ti m e reas o n ab l y req u ired t o co m p l et e h i s i n v es t i gat i o n

o f [W eav er] ’ s t raffi c v i o l at i o n

. Th e s earch o f [W eav er] ’ s car, t herefo re,

res u lt ed fro m an i l l eg al d et en t i o n. Gi v en t hi s fact

, we rev ers e t h e o rd er

o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d rem an d t h e cas e wi t h d irect i on t o g ran t [W eav er] ’ s

m o t i o n t o s up p res s .” 7

Ju d g men t r ever sed a n d ca s e r ema nd

ed wi t h d i r ect i o n. McFa d

d en

, C. J., a n d

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r

.

6 See i d

. at 2 6 7 (2 ) (“ ‘ n erv o u s n es s al o n e can n o t p ro v id e reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n

o f cri m i n al act i v i t y ’ ”), q u o t i ng Bel l v. S t a te

, 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p

. 60 7

, 6 1 0 (2 ) ( 6 7 2 S E 2 d

6 7 5 ) (2 00 9 ). See al so S t a t e v. Dr a ke

, 3 5 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 1, 7 9 5 -7 96 (2 ) (8 4 5 SE2 d 7 6 5 ) (2 0 2 0) (“ [T] h e m ere fact t h at a p ers o n ad m i t s t h at at s om e p o i nt in h i s p as t h e ‘ g o t in

t ro u b l e’

. . . d o es n o t p ro v i d e a b as i s fo r s u s p e c t i n g t h a t t h e p ers o n i s so m eh o w

cu rren t l y i n v ol v ed in i l l eg al n arco t i cs act i v i ty .”).

7 Bo d i f o rd , 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p . at 2 6 7 (2 ).

7