# 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 4- 15 93

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Alex y s Sh erry Parke r

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

ff - App el le e

v.

O ff ic er A da m Ch a

r d ; O f f i c e r R o b e r t I l l e t s c h k o , i n t

h e i r i n d i v i d

u a l a n d o f f i c i a l c a p a c i t ie s

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

an ts - App el la nt

s

Ci ty of Mi nn eap ol is

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

an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta - Mi nn eap ol is

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 13 , 20 14 Fil ed : J an ua ry

29 , 20 15

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Befo re MUR PHY, MELLOY, an d B ENTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ BENTON, Circu it Ju dg e.

Alex y s Sh erry Park er su ed Offi cers Ada m Ch ard an d Ro be rt Ill et sc hk o an d th e Ci ty of Mi nn eap ol is un de r 42 U.S

. C. § 19 83 an d st at e la w fo r al le ge d ci vi l rig ht s vi ol at io ns . The d is tri ct co ur t d en ie d t he off ic ers qu al ifi ed im m

un it y on on e § 1 98 3cl ai m , fin di ng th at th ey vi ol at ed th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t by se iz in g Park er wit ho ut

reas on ab le su sp ic io n. The of fic ers ap pe al

. Hav in g juri sd ic ti on ov er or de rs de nyin g

qu al ifi ed im m

un it y an d rel at ed gr an ts of su m m ary jud gm en t, se e Sh er br oo ke v. Ci ty of Peli ca n Rap id

s , 51 3 F.3 d 80 9, 81 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ), th is co ur t rev ers es an d rem an ds

.

I.

On Octo be r 26

, 20 11

, Ch ard an d Ill et sc hk o were di sp at ch ed to in ve st ig at e sh op li fti ng al le ga ti on s in Upt own Mi nn eap ol is

. Befo re l e a v i n g th e po li ce st at io n, th ey were in fo rm ed th at a “ co up le of bl ack fem al es ” ha d rep or te dl y st ol en

m erch an di se fro m Urb an Out fit te rs , an d th at an em pl oyee fro m th e ne arb y Heart br eak er st or e ha d cal le d to rep or t su sp ect ed sh op li fte rs

. Driv in g to Upt own , Ill et sc hk o cal le d Heart br ea k e r

. The m an ag er sa id th at a cu st om er ha d ap pr oa ch ed

an ot he r Heart br eak er em pl oyee a n d po in te d ou t se ve ral Afri can Am eri can fem al es in si de th e st or e. The cu st om er clai m ed to ha ve se en th em ru nn in g o ut of Vict or ia ’s
Secr et

. Ill et sc hk o cal le d Vict or ia ’s Secr et

. An em pl o ye e t h ere co nf

irmed th at a

“ gr ou p of bl ack f

e mal es ” ha d “ ve ry rece nt ly” ru n ou t of th e st or e, bu t co ul d no t

co nf irm whe th er an y

m erch an di se was s to le n.

W he n th e of

fic ers arri ve d at Heart br eak er, th e m an ag er po in te d to Park er an d
he r two f r ie nd s as th e Afri can Am eri can fem al es id en ti fie d by th e cu st om er. The

m an ag er rep or te d th at th e cu st om er th ou gh t th at th e gr ou p’s ru nn in g fro m Vict or ia ’s
Secr et was su sp ic io us an d in di cat ed sh op li fti ng

. The cu st om er di d no t le av e a na m e

or co nt act (an d ap pa ren tl y le ft Heart br eak er be fo re th e of fic ers arri ve d)

. The m an ag er di d no t su sp ect Park er or he r fri e n ds of st eal in g fro m Heart br eak er. The of fic ers ob se rv ed Park er an d he r fri en ds in si de Heart br eak er an d a s t he y le ft th e st or e. The
of fic ers no te d no su sp ic io us act iv it y an d di d no t b el ie ve th ey ha d st ol en fro m Heart br eak er.

Ill et sc hk o fol lo wed Park er and he r fri en ds on fo ot whi le Ch ard go t t he sq ua d

car. Park er an d he r fri en ds be ga n to le av e in Park er’s car. Ch ard pu ll ed hi s sq ua d car in fro nt of Park er’s car an d tu rn ed on th e em erg en cy li gh ts at ab ou t 5: 34 p.m

. Ch ard

,

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-ap pr oa ch in g th e car, as ke d if th ey ha d be en to Vict or ia ’s Secr et

. Park er an d he r

fri en ds sa id th ey ha d no t. Ch ard to ld th em th at th e of fic ers ha d rece iv ed a rep or t fro m

so m eo ne who be li ev ed th ey ha d sh op li fte d at V i c to ria ’s Secr et

. Ill et sc hk o al so
ap pr oa ch ed th e car. Park er co ns en te d to a se arch of he r sh op pi ng ba gs , whi ch were vi si bl e in th e car. Sear ch in g t h e ba gs , Ch ard be li ev ed ev erythi ng was in or de r an d

no th in g ap pe ared st ol en

. He as ke d Park er fo r he r dr iv er’s li cen se an d ran it in si de hi s
sq ua d car at ab ou t 5: 39 p.m

. Ret ur ni ng Park er’s li cen se , Ch ard to ld he r sh e was free

to le a v e

. Park er req ue st ed he sp eak to he r fat he r on he r cel l ph on e. Park er fir st rel ay ed qu es ti on s to Ch ard an d ul ti m at el y ha nd ed hi m th e ph on e. Thi s co nv ers at io n la st ed ab ou t fiv e to te n m in ut es

. The of fic ers th en wen t to Vict or ia ’s Secr et to rev ie w th e se cu rit y

vi de o a nd co nt in ue th e sh op li fti ng in ve st ig at io n.

II.

Thi s co ur t rev i e w s de no vo th e de ni al of qu al ifi ed im m un it y on su m

m ary jud gm en t. Mee ha n v. Thom p s o n , 7 63 F.3 d 93 6, 94 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ). Qua li fie d
im m uni ty shi el ds publ ic of

ficia ls pe rfo rm in g di sc ret io na ry fu nc ti on s fro m li ab il it y fo r

co nd uc t th at “ ‘doe s no t vi ol at e cl earl y es ta bl is he d st at ut or y or co ns ti tu ti on al rig ht s of whi ch a reas on ab le pe rs on wou ld ha ve kn own .’ ” Id

. , qu ot in g Ha rl

ow v. Fi tz ge ra ld

, 45 7 U.S. 80 0, 81 8 (1 98 2)

. It “ gi ve s go ve rn m en t of fic ia ls br eat hi ng ro om
to m ak e reas on ab le bu t m is ta ke n jud gm en ts ab ou t op en le ga l qu es tio ns” and “ pr ot ect s al l bu t th e pl ai nl y in co m

pe te n t o r th os e who kn owi ng ly v io la te th e la w.” As hcr of t

v. al -Ki dd

, 13 1 S. Ct

. 20 74

, 20 85 (2 01 1) (in te rn al qu ot at io n mar k s o mi tt ed ). To

ov erco m e qu al ifi ed im m u n i t y, a pl ai nt iff m

us t de m on st rat e th at (1 ) th ere was a d e p riv at io n of a co ns ti tu ti on al or st at ut or y rig ht

, an d (2 ) th e rig ht was c l e a r l y

es ta bl is he d a t t he ti m e o f th e d ep riv at io n. Mee ha n , 76 3 F .3d at 9 40

.

Park er as se rts th a t th e of fic ers vi ol at ed he r rig ht s by se iz in g he r wit ho ut

reas on ab le su spi ci on, ba se d onl y on an unreli ab le an d un co rro bo rat ed an on y m ou s ti p. Se e U.S. Con st

. amend. IV (p ro hi bi ti ng un reas o n a b l e s earc h an d se iz ur e by

go ve rn m en t of

fic ia ls ); Terr

y v. Ohio

, 39 2 U.S. 1, 3 0 (1 96 8) (h ol di ng br ie f

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-in ve st ig at or y st op is pe rm is si bl e if su pp or te d by reas on ab le su sp ic io n)

. The of fic ers do no t di sp ut e th ey seiz ed Park er, bu t arg ue sh e can no t ov erco m e qu al ifi ed im m un it y

.

Eve n as su m in g th at th e of fic ers vi ol at ed Park er’s Fo ur th Am en dm en t rig ht s by

se iz in g he r wit ho ut reas on ab le su sp ic io n, th e is su e rem ai ns whe th er th os e rig ht s were cl earl y es ta bl is he d at th e ti m e of th e se iz ur e. Se e Pea rs on v. Ca ll ah an , 55 5 U.S. 22 3,
23 6 (20 09 ) (n ot in g cou rts m ay ad dr es s ei th er q ua li fie d i m m un it y pro ng fir st ). “ Fo r

a rig ht to be cl earl y es ta bl is he d, ‘[t]he co nt ou rs of th e rig ht m us t be su ffi ci en tl y cl ear th at a reas on ab le of

fic ia l wou ld un de rs ta nd th at wha t he is do in g vi ol at es th at rig ht .’ ”
Mee ha n , 76 3 F.3 d at 94 0 (al te rat io n in or ig in al ), qu ot in g And er so n v. Cr ei

gh to n , 48 3
U.S. 63 5, 64 0 (1 98 7)

. Se e al so Ma ll ey v. Br ig gs , 47 5 U

. S

. 3 35

, 34 1 (1 98 6) (“ [I]f
of fic ers of reas on ab le co m

pe te nc e co ul d di sa gr ee on [th e] is su e, im m un it y sh ou ld be

reco gn iz ed .”). Cl ear l y e st ab li sh ed la w i s no t de fin ed “ at a hi gh le ve l of ge ne ral it y , si nc e do in g so av oi ds th e cru ci al qu es ti on whe th er th e of fic ia l act ed reas on ab ly in th e
pa rti cu la r ci rcu m st an ces th at he or sh e face d.” Plum ho ff v. Ri ck ar d

, 13 4 S. Ct

. 20 12

, 20 23 (2 01 4) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. It is un ne ces sa ry to ha ve

“ a cas e di rect ly on po in t, bu t ex is ti ng pr eced en t m us t ha ve pl aced th e st at ut or y or

co ns ti tu ti on al qu es ti on be y on d d eb at e.” al -Ki dd , 13 1 S . Ct. at 20 83

.

Offi cers m ay co nd uc t an in ve st ig at or y Ter ry st op whe n, ba se d on th e to ta li ty of
th e ci rcu m st an ces , th ey ha ve “ a pa rti cu la riz ed an d o bjec ti ve ba si s fo r su sp ect in g th e
pa rti cu la r pe rs on st op pe d of cri m in al act iv it y .” Unit ed St at es v. Co rt ez , 44 9 U.S. 41 1,
41 7- 18 (1 98 1)

. Fo r an an on y m ou s ti p to gi ve ris e to su ch su sp i c i o n , i t mu s t be

“ su it ab ly co rro bo rat ed ” an d ex hi bi t “ ‘suf fic ie nt in di ci a of rel ia

bil ity

. ’ ” Fl

ori da v. J.L.
, 52 9 U.S. 26 6, 27 0 (2 00 0)

, qu ot in g Al ab am a v. Whi te , 49 6 U.S. 32 5, 32 7 (1 99 0)

. To de m on st rat e th e rel ia bi li ty of ti ps te rs al le gi ng po ss es si on of co nc eal ed dr ug s or gu ns , J.L. an d W

hi te req ui re co rro bo rat io n of th e ti ps ’ pr ed ic ti ve el em en ts

. Co mpa re J.L.
, 52 9 U.S. a t 27 1- 72 (fi nd in g no reas on ab le su sp ic io n whe n po li ce c o r r o bo rat ed on ly
th e ti ps te r’s de sc rip ti on of su sp ec t ’s vi su al at tri bu te s an d lo cat io n, no ti ng ti ps te r

“ ne it he r ex pl ai ne d ho w he kn ew ab ou t th e gu n no r su pp li ed an y ba si s fo r be li ev in g he
ha d in si de in fo rm at io n” of co nc eal ed cri m in al act iv it y ), wi th Whi te , 49 6 U.S. at 33 2 (fi nd in g re as on ab le su sp ic io n afte r po li ce corr ob or at ed m ul ti pl e pr ed ic ti ve el em en ts

-4

-of ti p, in di cat in g ti ps te r’s in si de kn owl ed ge ab ou t de fen da nt ). The Co ur t di d no t ho ld

th at co rro bo rat io n of pr ed ic ti ve el em en ts is th e ex cl us iv e m eas ur e of a ti p’s rel ia bi li ty. Se e Unit ed St at es v. Whe at , 27 8 F.3 d 72 2, 73 1, 73 2 & n.8

, 73 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 01 ) (n ot in g J

. L

. a n d W hi te “ di d no t crea te a ru le re qu ir in g th at a ti p pr ed ic t fu tu re act io n” a n d

se tt in g l owe r st an da rd of c or ro bo rat io n fo r ti ps all eg in g d ru nk or e rrat ic dri vi ng ).

In th is cas e, th e an on y m ou s cu st om er cl ai m ed to ey ewit ne ss a gr ou p of Afri can Am eri can fem al es ru nn in g ou t of a st or e. Unl ik e th e ti p in Wh i t e , t h i s t i p do es no t

co nt ai n an y pr ed ic ti ve el em en ts th at th e po li ce co ul d us e to te st th e ti ps te r’s rel ia bi li ty.
Howev er, th e ba si s of th e cu st om er’s kn owl ed ge he re— fir st ha nd ob se rv at io n of
read il y vi si bl e act iv it y

—i s cl e a r

. The cu st om er do es no t ne ed in si de in fo rm at io n to ob se rv e su sp ic io us ru nn in g. W hi te , fo cu s in g on al le ga ti on s of co nc eal ed dr ug
po ss es si on , do es no t ad dr es s t he rel ia bi li ty of th is type o f ey ewit ne ss ti p.

J.L.
, to o, do es no t di sc us s ey ewi t n e s s ti ps

. In J.L.
, th e of fic ers ha d on ly “ th e ba re rep or t of an un kn own , un acco un ta bl e in fo rm an t” th at so m eo ne ha d a co nc eal ed

weap on

. J.L. , 52 9 U.S. at 27 1. Fo r th os e ci rcu m st an ces , J.L.
, li ke W hi te , ad dr es se s whe th er th e ti ps te r ha d in si de in fo rm at i o n ab ou t th e de fen da nt or th e co nc eal ed
cri m in al act iv it y

. S

e e i d

. at 27 1- 72

. Here, th e ti ps te r’s ba si s of kn owl ed ge was no t in si de in fo r m at io n bu t rat he r th e ob se rv at io n of vi si bl e act iv it y

. And Ch ard an d
Ill et sc hk o ha d an ot he r reas on to cred it th e an on y m ou s ti p. Unl ik e th e of fic ers in J.L.
, th ey co rro bo rat ed th e pa rt of th e ti p al le gi ng su sp ic io us ac t i v i t y— t ha t is

, th ey

co nf irmed wit h Vict or ia ’s Secr et th at a gr ou p of bl ack fem al es ha d rece nt ly ru n ou t of
th e st or e. True
, th is co rro bo rat io n w a s m in im al : The of fic ers di d no t co rro bo rat e

an y th in g bu t ge nd er an d race , or an y il le ga l act iv it y

. Bu t th e of fic ers co nf

irmed m or e th an “ a su bjec t’s re ad il y

ob se rv ab le lo cat io n a nd ap pe aran ce.” Id

. at 27 2.

Park er po in ts to th is co ur t’s W he at cas e ad dr es si ng th e rel ia bi li ty of ey ewit ne ss ti ps , bu t th e ti p he re do es no t rep or t dr un k dr iv in g or a si tu at io n of im m in en t da ng er. Whe at , 27 8 F.3 d at 72 9, 73 2 & n.8

. Se e ge ne ra ll y Ca rr ol l v. Ca rm an , 13 5 S. Ct

. 34 8,
35 0 (2 01 4) (as su m in g ci rcu it pr eced en t m ay cl e a r l y e st ab li sh la w). Add it io na ll y , W he at —l ik e W hi te an d J.L. —ad dr es se s o n l y a st an d- al on e ti p. The se cas es do no t

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-c l e a r l y es ta bl is h ho w to ba la nc e an on y m ou s ti ps wit h ot he r ci rcu m st an ces : fo r

ex am pl e, he re, t he off

ic ers ’ aware ne ss of

a rece nt , nea rb y

sh op li fti ng by ind iv id ua ls

m at ch in g th e race an d ge nd er of Park er an d he r fri en ds

, an d th ei r k n o w l ed ge of

s h o pl ift in g ta ct ic s, co m

pa red wit h th ei r pe rs on al ob se rv at io n th at Park er was no t

act in g s us pi ci ou sl y

.

In a de ci si on aft er th e se iz ur e he re, th e Su pr em e Co ur t in Na va re tt e an al y zes in di c i a o f r el ia bi li ty fo r ey ewit ne ss ti ps

. Nav ar et te v. Ca li fo rn ia

, 13 4 S. Ct

. 16 83

, 16 88

, 16 89 -9 0, 16 92 (2 01 4) (“ As in [ W hi te ], th e in di ci a of th e 91 1 cal le r’s rel ia bi li ty he re are st ro ng er th an th os e in J.L.
, whe re we he ld th at a ba re-b on es ti p was un rel ia bl e. Alt ho ug h th e in di ci a pr es en t he re are di ffer en t fro m t h o s e w e fo un d su ffi ci en t in
W hi te , th ere is m or e th an on e way to de m on st rat e [rea so n a b le su sp ic io n].” (in te rn al
ci ta ti on om it te d) ). Na va re tt e , ho wev er, can no t cl earl y es ta bl is h th e la w fo r th is cas e. Se e Shek le to n v. Ei che nb er ge r , 67 7 F.3 d 36 1, 36 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (“ W he n de te rm in in g wh et he r an act io n was a cl earl y es ta bl is he d c on st it ut io na l v io la ti on , we lo ok to th e st at e o f th e la w at t he ti m e o f th e in ci de nt .”).

B as ed on W

hi te an d J.L.
, it was no t cl earl y es ta bl is he d th at Ch ard an d
Ill et sc hk o— ha vi ng co rro bo rat ed th e ru nn in g as se rte d in th e ey ewit ne ss ti p, an d
kn owi ng sh op li fti ng rece nt ly oc cu rred —co ul d no t r e a so na bl y su sp ect Park er of
sh op li fti ng

. “ [W] he th er or no t th e co ns ti tu ti on al ru le ap pl ie d by th e co ur t be lo w was

co rrec t, it was no t be y on d de ba te .” Ca rr ol l

, 13 5 S. Ct

. at 35 2 (in te rn al qu ot at io n

m ark s o m it te d) . The o ffi cers are en ti tl ed to qu al ifi ed im m un it y

. 1

Giv en th is co ur t’s as su m

pt io n th at Park er’s se iz ur e was un co ns ti tu ti on al

, it is 1

un ne ces sa ry to ad dr es s he r co nt en ti on th at
, if th e in it ia l sei zu re were co ns ti tu ti on al

, th e of fic ers un la wfu ll y ex ceed ed th e sc op e of th e Ter ry st op by br ie fly ch eck in g he r id en ti fic at io n aft er co nc lu di ng sh e was in no cen t o f sh op li fti ng

. Se e Gre at At l. In s. Co

. v. Lib er ty Mut

. In s. Co

. , 77 3 F.2 d 97 6, 98 1 (8 th Ci r. 19 8 5 ) ( n o t i n g i t is

u n n e c e ss ary to ad dr es s arg um en t in th e al te rn at iv e in li gh t of di sp os it io n of ot h e r is su e). Park er d oe s n ot arg ue —an d cit es no au th or it y th at cle arl y

est ab li sh es —t ha t

a req ue st f

o r i d e nt ifi cat io n du rin g an un la wfu l de te nt io n sh ou ld be tre at ed as an in de pe nd en t Fo ur th Am en dm en t v io la ti on

.

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-* * * * * * *

The jud gm en t is rev ers ed

, an d th e cas e rem an de d fo r fu rth er pr o c e e di ng s

co ns is te nt wit h t hi s o pi ni on

.

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