### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T A pr i l 30, 2004 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L E RK

Honora ble Melvin Br

unetti, United States Circuit Judg e for the Ninth Circuit, sitt ing by * designation. [ 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. 03- 14811

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 02 -005 26 -C R -1-1 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 D A R I U S H E A R D , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( A p r i l30, 2004) B efo re B IR C H , M A R C U S an d B R U N E T T I , C i rcu i tJu d g es. * B IR C H , C i rc ui tJudg e:Terr y v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S. C t. 1868 (1968). 1 MARTA is metro Atlanta' s rapid tra nsportation system. 2 2 T hi s app ea l pres ent s a n i ss ue of fi rs ti m pres si on i n thi s c i rc ui t : w hen d oes an anon ym ou s t i p g i ve ri se t o rea sonabl e s uspi ci on suff i ci entt o j ust i fya T erry 1 st op ? T he S up re m e C ou rt , i n F l ori da v. J. L . , 52 9 U . S . 26 6, 12 0 S . C t . 37 5 (20 00 ), he l d tha ta n a nony m ous t i p, w i thouts uf f i c i e nti ndi c i a of

r e l i abi l i ty , w i l l not es t abl i sh re as on abl e s uspi ci on . D i st i ng ui shi ng J. L . , the di stri ctcourthere deni ed de f e nda nt - appe l l a nt ' s m ot i on t o s uppr e s s e vi de nc e s e i z e d a nd s t a t e m e nt s m a de d u r in g a T e rry s to p - a n d - f r is k . W e A F F I R M . I . B AC KG RO UN D O n 2 5 O ct ob er20 00 , atabou t5: 00 P M , M A R T A po l i ce offi ce r C . D . G ore 2 w a s pa tr ol l i ng the A s hby S tr e e tM A R T A s t a t i on w he n he w a s i nf or m e d by M A R T A pa tr ons tha ta f i ghtw a s i n pr ogr e s s i ns i de the s t a t i on. G or e c a l l e d f or b a c k - u p , a s r e q u ir e d , a n d th e n w e n t to in v e s tig a te th e f ig h t. I ns i de the s t a t i on, G or e obs e r ve d a w om a n y e l l i ng a tde f e nda nt - appe l l a nt , D a r i us H e a r d, a nd d e m a n d in g f

if tyd o lla r s . G or e s t a t e d, “ W ha t ' s goi ng on? C a n I he l p y ou? ” a nd the w o m a n r e s p o n d e d th a t H e a r d o w e d h e rf if tyd o lla r s . R 2 a t 1 7 . H e a r d a d m itte d to G ore thathe ow ed her m on eyand p ai d the w om an af t erG ore s ug gest ed thatH ea rd hand l e the si tuat i on “ i n a profes si on al . . . m anner. ” I d. at6. G ore e ncou ra gedAcc ordingto Gore' s testimony , he had already decide d to stop and frisk Hea rd bef ore he 3 beg an to question the woman' s reliability . R2 at 39. 3 H ea rd t o p aythe w om an because he tho ug ht“ [t ] hey knew ea ch other . . . because .

. . y ou don' tgi ve m one y t o j us ts om e body y ou don' tknow . ” I d. a t7. A f t e rthe exchange, H ea rd w entt ow ar ds the el evat ors, w hi l e G ore a nd the w om an w al ked a w a y in th e s a m e d ir e c tio n . A s G ore a nd the w om an w er e w al ki ng aw ay , the w om an i nform ed G ore that H e a r d w a s c a rry in g a w e ap o n . G or e turne d t ow a r ds H e a r d, m a de e y e c ont a c t , a nd, w hi l e or de r i ng H e a r d t o “ ge thi s ha nds up, ” appr oa c he d H e a r d by the e l e va t or . I d. a t8. A c c or di ng t o G or e , H e a r d l ooke d “ s tunne d” tha tG or e w a s c om i ng t ow a r ds hi m , i d. , butc om pl i e d w i th G or e ' s or de r . A s G or e w a s appr oa c hi ng H e a r d, he i nstruct ed the w om an t o rem ai n atthe st at i on t o g i ve a s t at em ent , bu tshe j um ped on an arri vi ng M A R T A tra i n, never t o b e s ee n b y G ore a gai n. G ore l at ert es t i fi ed tha t , be c a us e the w om a n l e f tthe s t a t i on, he thoughttha the ri nf orm a t i on about H e a r d c a rry in g a w e ap o n m ig h t b e u n r e liab le . N ev erth el ess, t o p ro t ecth i s o w n safety an d th e safety o f M A R T A p atro n s, G o r e p la c e d H e a r d in h a n d c u f f s a n d p e r f

o rm e d a T e rry f

r is k . D u r in g th e p a t- 3 d o w n , G o r e f

e lt ah a r d , m e ta l o b

je c t in th e f

r o n t o f H e a r d 's w a is tb a n d . G ore a sked H ea rd, “ Is thi s s om ethi ng I s ho ul d k no w abou t ? , ” i d. at9, and H ea rd re spon ded thati tw as “ no thi ng , ” i d. at10 . G ore then g rabb ed the hand l e of the hard obj ec t4

a n d d is c o v e r e d th a t it w a s a R o s s i .3 8 S p e c ia l. A ttha tpoi nt , H e a r d s t a t e d tha the “w a s h o ld in g [ th e w e ap o n ] f o rh is c o u s in .” I d . H e a r d w a s in d ic te d f

o rp o s s e s s io n o f

a f ir e a rm b y a c o n v ic te d f

e lo n , in v i o l at i o n o f 1 8 U . S . C . § § 9 2 2 (g ) an d 9 2 4 (a), an d su b seq u en t l y m o v ed t o su p p ress th e w e ap o n o b ta in e d a n d a n y s ta te m e n ts m a d e d u r in g th e T e rry s to p - a n d - f r is k . H e a r d a r g u e d th a t, u n d e rF lo r id a v . J .L ., th e w o m a n 's a n o n y m o u s tip th a t h e w a s in p o s s e s s io n o f

a w e ap o n w a s u n r e liab le a n d , th e r e f o r e , G o r e h a d n o r e a s o n ab le s u s p ic io n to s to p o rf

r is k h im . T h e g o v e rn m e n t r e s p o n d e d th a t th e w o m a n 's tip wa s mo r e c r e d i b l e a n d r e l i ab l e th a n th e a n o n y mo u s p h o n e c a l l a ti s s u e i n J . L. b e c a u s e s h e s p o k e f

a c e - to - f a c e w ith G o r e . T he m a gi s tr a t e j udge a gr e e d w i th the gove rnm e nta nd i s s ue d a r e por ta nd r e c o m m e n d a tio n th a t th e m o tio n to s u p p r e s s b e d e n ie d . T he m a gi s tr a t e j udge c onc l ude d tha tG or e ha d a r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on tha tH e a r d w a s c a rry i ng a w e apon for three pri m ary r ea sons: (1) bec ause G ore' s e ncou nt erw i th the w om an w as fa ce t o- f a c e , G or e w a s abl e t o e va l ua t e the r e l i abi l i ty of hi s i nf orm a ntbe f

or e r e c e i vi ng the t i p; (2) the t i p w as t i m el y a nd spec i fi c; and (3) G ore had a re as on abl e bel i ef th atth e i n fo rm an tan d H eard h ad a rel at i o n sh i p aft er th e tw o arg u ed i n cl o se p r o x im ity a n d e x c h a n g e d m o n e y . A nd , al tho ug h the m agi stra t e j ud ge det erm i ned5

th a t th e w o m a n 's c r e d ib ility w a s r e d u c e d w h e n s h e r a n , h e a ls o d e te rm in e d th a t it w a s n o t “o b lite r a te [ d .]” R 1 - 2 6 a t 1 5 . H e a r d obj e c t e d t o the m a gi s tr a t e j udge ’ s r e por ta nd r e c om m e nda t i on, a r gui ng, i nt e ra l i a , tha tJ . L . w a s di s pos i t i ve . T he di s tr i c tc our ta dopt e d the m agi stra t e j ud ge' s r eportand recom m endat i on ov erH ea rd’ s obj ec t i on s a nd deni ed the m ot i on t o sup pres s. H ea rd subsequent l y a gree d t o a cond i t i on al gu i l ty pl ea , re se rvi ng the ri gh tt o app ea l the deni al of hi s m ot i on t o sup pres s. T he di stri ctcourt the n s e nt e nc e d H e a r d t o f i f ty - f ourm onths of

i m pr i s onm e nt , a nd H e a r d now ap p e a ls th e d is tr ic t c o u r t's d e n ia l o f h is m o tio n to s u p p r e s s . I I . DI S CUS S I ON

“ A di s tr i c tc our t ’ s rul i ng on a m ot i on t o s uppr e s s pr e s e nt s a m i xe d que s t i on of l aw and fact . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. C hanthasoux at , 34 2 F . 3d 12 71 , 12 75 (11th C i r. 20 03 ) ( ci t at i on om i tt ed). W e r evi ew the di stri ctcourt ’ s f i nd i ng s of f

ac tfor c l ea r e rr ora nd i t s appl i c a t i on of l a w t o the f

a c t s de novo, vi e w i ng a l l f a c t s i n the l i ght m o s t f a v o r ab le to th e p a r ty th a t p r e v a ile d in th e d is tr ic t c o u r t. I d . G e ne r a l l y , “ the F our th A m e ndm e ntt o the U ni t e d S t a t e s C ons t i tut i on proh i bi t s s t at e a ct ors f

rom m aki ng se ar ches or se i zure s of the pers on i n the abse nce of prob abl e c ause . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. D un n, 34 5 F . 3d 12 85 , 12 88 (11th C i r. 20 03 ), p e titio n f o rc e r t. f ile d , __U .S .L .W . __( U .S . M a r . 4 , 2 0 0 4 ) ( N o . 0 3 - 9 3 2 3 ) .6

H ow ever , T erryv. O hi o, 39 2 U . S . 1, 88 S . C t . 18 68 (196 8), anno un ce d an e xc e pt i on t o the pr obabl e c a us e r e qui r e m e nt : “ m i ni m a l l y i ntrus i ve s e a r c he s a nd se i zure s of the pers on ar e perm i ss i bl e w hen a l aw enforce m entoffi ce r has an o b j ect i v el y r e as onabl e s us pi c i on tha t‘ c r i m i na l a c t i vi ty m a y be a f oot . ’ ” D unn, 345 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 9 ( e m p h a s is a d d e d ) . R e a s onabl e s us pi c i on, w hi l e de pe nde ntupon the “ t ot a l i ty of the ci rcu m st an ces, ” i n cl u d i n g b o th th e co n t en to f th e i n fo rm at i o n an d i t s rel i ab i l i ty, “c a n a r is e f

r o m in f o r m a tio n th a t is le s s r e liab le th a n th a t r e q u ir e d to s h o w p r o b ab le c a us e . ” A l aba m a v. W hi t e , 496 U . S . 325, 330, 110 S . C t . 2412, 2416 ( 1990) ( c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . E ve n a n a nony m ous t i p c a n, unde rc e r t a i n c i r c um s t a nc e s , gi ve r i s e t o r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on, a s l ong a s the i nf or m a t i on pr ovi de d c ont a i ns

“ s u f f i c i e n ti n d i c i a o f

r e l i ab i l i ty t o j u s t i f

y th e i n v e s t i g a t o ry s t o p . ” I d . a t3 3 2 , 1 1 0 S. C t. a t 2 4 1 7 . J .L . c o n f

irm e d th a t th e r e liab ility o f th e tip

–– te s te d b y th e r e liab ility o f th e tip s te r–– is th e k e y to w h e th e ra n a n o n y m o u s tip c a n p r o v id e a n o f f ic e rw ith a r e a s o n ab le s u s p ic io n s u f f ic ie n t to p e rm it aT e rry s to p . I n thi s c a s e , c ons i de r i ng the “ t ot a l i ty of the c i r c um s t a nc e s , ” w e m us tde c i de w h e th e rth e a n o n y m o u s f a c e - to - f a c e tip g iv e n to G o r e c o n ta in s “s u f f ic ie n t in d ic ia o f r e liab ility ” s u c h th a t G o r e h a d a r e a s o n ab le s u s p ic io n to s to p a n d f r is k H e a r d . W e c onc l ude tha tthe t i p w a s s uf f i c i e nta nd tha tG or e pr ope r l y pe r f orm e d theIn Unite d St ate s v . H oll ow ay, 2 90 F .3 d 1 33 1 ( 11 th C ir . 2 00 2) , w eup he ld a wa rrantl e ss 4 se arch b a se d o n emerg ency c ircums tanc e s even th ough th epo lic ewerere sp on dingto information g iven by

an anony mous telephone infor

mant. I d. at 1334. We distinguished J.L ., findingthat th ee merg ency c ircums tanc e s p ermitt e d th epo lic eto c on duc t a se arch b a se d s ole ly on anony mous information. I d. at 1338-39. Thus, be causewe f ocused on theemerg ency exception, the decision is not on-point in thi s case . 7 p r o t e c t i v e p a t - d o w n . W e b e g i n o u ra n a l y s i s w i th a c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e Su p r e me C o u r t's r e c e n t d e c is io n in F lo r id a v . J .L ., a n d th e n d is c u s s w h y th e a n o n y m o u s tip in th is c a s e is r e liab le . A . Flo r i da v . J

. L. T hi s i s the f

i r s toppor tuni ty w e ha ve ha d t o i nt e rpr e tJ . L . s i nc e ourde c i s i on i n U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H ol l ow a y , 290 F . 3d 1331 ( 11th C i r . 2002) , c e r t . de ni e d, 537 U . S . 11 61 , 12 3 S . C t . 96 6 (20 03 ). In J. L . , an anon ym ou s t el epho ne ca l l er 4 i nf or m e d pol i c e tha ta y oung bl a c k m a n, w a i t i ng a ta pa r t i c ul a rbus s t op a nd we a r i n g a p l a i d s h i r t , wa s c a rry i n g a g u n . 5 2 9 U. S . a t2 6 8 , 1 2 0 S . C t . a t1 3 7 7 . At som e l at ert i m e, po l i ce proceeded t o the bu s s t op , w here they observed three bl ac k m e n ha ngi ng out . O ne of the m e n, J . L . , w a s w e a r i ng a pl a i d s hi r t . T he a nony m ous c a l l w a s the pol i c e ' s onl y gr ounds f ors us pi c i on of

i l l e ga l a c t i vi ty . T he r e w a s no vi s ua l e vi de nc e of

a f i r e a r m on J . L . ' s pe r s on, nordi d he m a ke a ny s us pi c i ous m ove s . N e ve r the l e s s , the pol i c e appr oa c he d hi m , or de r e d hi m t o puthi s ha nds up, f r is k e d h im , a n d f

o u n d a g u n in h is p o c k e t. I d .8

R e vi e w i ng the a nony m ous t i p, the C our ti de nt i f i e d the pr i m a ry r e a s on w hy a llo w in g a n a n o n y m o u s tip to s e rv e a s th e s o le b a s is f o ra T e rry s to p is pr obl e m a t i c : r e l i abi l i ty . I d. a t270, 120 S . C t . a t1378. A nony m ous t i ps pr ovi de little o rn o o p p o r tu n ity f o rla w e n f

o r c e m e n t o f

f ic e r s to te s t th e in f

o rm a n t's truthf ul ne s s orthe ba s i s of

hi s know l e dge . I d. T he C our tc onc l ude d tha tthe a n o n y m o u s tip in J .L .–– la c k in g s u f f ic ie n t in d ic iao f

r e liab ility

–– w a s in s u f

f ic ie n t to e s t abl i s h r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on. I d. a t274, 120 S . C t . a t1380. U nl i ke the a nony m ous t i p i n J . L . , how e ve r , of f i c e rG or e ha d a n oppor tuni ty t o j udge the r e liab ility o f

th e f a c e - to - f a c e in f o rm a n t in th is c a s e . B . R el i ab i l i ty o f th e T i p i n th i s C ase A f a c e - to - f a c e a n o n y m o u s tip is p r e s u m e d to b e in h e r e n tly m o r e r e liab le tha n a n a nony m ous t e l e phone t i p be c a us e the of f i c e r s r e c e i vi ng the i nf

orm a t i on ha ve a n oppor tuni ty t o obs e r ve the de m e a nora nd pe r c e i ve d c r e di bi l i ty of the i nf or m a nt . S e e , e . g. , U . S . v. V a l e nt i ne , 232 F . 3d 350, 354 ( 3d C i r . 2000) ( r e a s oni ng tha tf

a c e - t o- f a c e a nony m ous t i p i s m or e r e l i abl e tha n a nony m ous t e l e phone t i p be c a us e of f i c e r s c a n j udge the i nf

orm a nt ' s r e l i abi l i ty ) ; U . S . v. C hr i s tm a s , 222 F . 3d 141, 144 ( 4th C i r . 2000) ( c i t i ng c a s e s s uppor t i ng the prop osi t i on thatfa ce -t o-fa ce anon ym ou s i nform ant s a re m ore r el i abl e than anon ym ou s t el epho ne t i pst er s f or sa m e r ea son); U ni t ed S t at es v. S i erra -H ernand ez ,United States v. Sierra -Hernande z, 581 F.2d 760 (9th Cir. 1978), for ex ample, involved 5 a factual scenario very

simil ar to the f

acts in this case . The a

nony mous tipst er in Sierra9 581 F . 2d 760, 763 ( 9th C i r . 1978) ( “ U nl i ke a pe r s on w ho m a ke s a n a nony m ous te le p h o n e c a ll, th is in f

o r m a n t c o n f

r o n te d th e a g e n t d ir e c tly .” ) . I n th is c a s e , G o r e h a d a n o p p o r tu n ity to ju d g e th e d e m e a n o ra n d c r e d ib ility of the unknow n w om a n. G or e s t a t e d tha tthe w om a n s e e m e d f r i ght e ne d w he n s he r e por t e d H e a r d' s w e apon, a nd G or e r e a s onabl y pr e s um e d tha tH e a r d a nd the un i dent i fi ed w om an had som e s ortof re l at i on shi p––they w er e a rgui ng ov erm on ey a nd H e a r d pa i d the w om a n the a m ounts he de m a nde d. S e e , e . g. , C hr i s tm a s , 222 F . 3d at14 4 (po l i ce re as on abl y c on cl ud ed thati nform ant , w ho l i ved tw o d oo rs do w n from suspec t , had k no w l edge of cri m i nal ac t i vi t i es occurri ng ather n e ig h b o r 's h o m e ) . T h u s , r e a s o n in g th a t H e a r d k n e w th e w o m a n , G o r e c o u ld re as on abl y c on cl ud e thatshe w ou l d h ave r el i abl e i nform at i on abou tw hether H ea rd p o s s e s s e d a w e ap o n . H e a r d , o n th e o th e rh a n d , c o n te n d s th a t G o r e d id n o t h a v e r e a s o n ab le suspi ci on t o sea rc h h i m because G ore had concl ud ed thatthe i nform antw as un re l i abl e a ft ershe f

l ed the M A R T A st at i on . G ore t es t i fi ed, ho w ever , thathe had deci ded t o fri sk H ea rd before the w om an ra n. T he re l i abi l i ty of at i p i s c on si dere d i n l i ghtof

a l l r e l e va ntc i r c um s t a nc e s , w hi c h i nc l ude

— buti s notl i m i t e d t o— a consi dera t i on of w hether the offi ce r c an tra ck do w n the t i pst eragai n. In thi s c as e, 5Her

nandez was driving in an a utomobile along theUnited States-Mexico border when he stopped to provide a border patrol ag ent with information re lated to nea rby drugsmugg ling. 581 F.2d at 762. The tipster did not provide his name or contac t information before the ag ent fo cus e d his attenti on

on inv e sti g atingthepo tenti al c rimin al ac tiv ity . Id. Th eNinth Circuit , wh en a naly zingthere lia

bil ity of theano ny

mou s tip, c on sidere d th efac t th at th etip ster c ould have be en identified ba sed on a de scription of his car . I d. at 763. This fac tor was not deter minative, however: “whether the infor mation is sufficient to justify a stop must be evaluated with ref

erence to the f

acts of e ach c ase, f

or thereis no per se r

ule of re liability .” Id. 10 al tho ug h the un kn ow n w om an fl ed the M A R T A st at i on , because s he and H ea rd apparent l y knew ea ch other, she m ayhave subj ec t ed hers el f t o repri sa l fr om H ea rd b a s e d o n th e tip s h e g a v e to G o r e –– w h ic h m a k e s h e rm o r e r e liab le . S e e , e .g ., C hri stm as , 22 2 F . 3d at14 4 (i nform antw ho no t i fi ed po l i ce thather nei gh bo r w as in v o lv e d in ille g a l a c tiv ity c o u ld h a v e “e x p o s e d h e r s e lf to th e r is k o f

r e p r is a l . . . [ f r om ] s om e one a s s oc i a t e d w i th the i l l e ga l a c t i vi ty . ” ) . C ons i de r i ng the t ot a l i ty of th e c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n th i s c a s e , Go r e r e a s o n ab l y c o n c l u d e dth a tth e u n k n o wn w o m a n 's tip w a s r e liab le . H e a r d a l s o a r gue s tha tG or e ha d no i nde pe nde ntr e a s on t o s us pe c thi m of c r i m i na l a c t i vi ty be c a us e he l ooke d “ s tunne d” w he n a s ke d t o puthi s ha nds up a nd c om pl i e d w i th G or e ' s i ns truc t i ons . H e a r d' s r e a c t i on t o G or e , how e ve r , doe s not di m i ni sh the re l i abi l i ty of the t i p p rovi ded b y the un kn ow n w om an. W hi l e a su sp ect ' s a dverse react i o n t o p o l i ce m ay i n d ep en d en t l y c o r r o b o r a te i nf orm a t i on prov i ded b y a n ano nym ou s i nform ant , a c om pl i ant r e a c t i on doe s not co rresp o n d i n g l y u n d erm i n e th e t i p ' s rel i ab i l i ty.11 I I I . CONCL US I ON H e a r d obj e c t e d t o the a dm i s s i bi l i ty of e vi de nc e s e i z e d a nd s t a t e m e nt s m a de du ri ng a T erryst op -a nd -f ri sk cond uct ed af

t era M A R T A offi ce r G ore r ec ei ved an a n o n y m o u s f

a c e - to - f a c e tip th a t H e a r d w a s c a rry in g a c o n c e a le d w e ap o n . W e c onc l ude tha ta t i p gi ve n by a f a c e - t o- f a c e i nf or m a nt––w i th, a s he r e , s uf f i c i e nt i ndi c i a of

r e l i abi l i ty— m a y pr ovi de a n of f i c e rw i th a r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on s uf f i c i e nt to p e r m it ap r o te c tiv e p a t- d o w n . I n th is c a s e , th e a n o n y m o u s tip w a s s u f f ic ie n tly r e l i abl e f orG or e t o f

or m a r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on s uf f i c i e ntt o j us t i f

y the in v e s tig a to ry s to p . A c c o r d in g ly , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t's ju d g m e n t d e n y in g H e a r d 's m o tio n to s u p p r e s s is A F F I R M E D .