## 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- 31 82

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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

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e

* Nor th ern Dis tri ct of I owa

. Terry Ro bb in s, *

* App el la nt

. *

__ __ __ __ __ _

Su bm it te d: March 16 , 20 12
Fi le d: Ju ne 29 , 20 12

__ __ __ __ __ _

Befor e W O L L MA

N an d COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es , an d HICKEY, Dis tri ct Ju dg e. 1

__ __ __ __ __ _

W OLLMAN, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Terry Ro bb in s ap pe al s th e de ni a l of hi s m ot io n to su pp res s ev id en ce an d a

warra nt de riv ed fro m a wa r r a n t l e s s po li ce en try on to hi s pr op ert y

. Bec au se th e
di st ric t co ur t co rrec tl y

de ni ed th e m ot io n, we af fir m

. 2

The Hon or ab le Su sa n O. Hick ey , 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 Ark an sa s, s it ti ng by des ig na ti on

.

The Hon or ab le Lin da R. Rea de

, Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r 2

t he Nor th ern Dis tri ct of Io wa, ad op ti ng th e rep or t an d reco m m en da ti o n o f t h e Hon or ab le Jo n St ua rt Sco le s, Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e for th e Nor th ern Dis tri ct of Iowa

.I.

At ap pr ox im at el y 9: 54 p.m

. on Octo be r 23

, 20 10

, Ced ar Rap id s, Io wa, po li ce
di sp at ch rece iv ed a “ 91 1” ha ng -u p cal l. W he n th e 91 1 op erat or at te m pt ed to cal l th e

nu m be r fro m whi ch t he 91 1 cal l cam e, th e li ne was bu sy. The su bs cri be r of th at

nu m be r was sh own to th e 91 1 op erat or as “ Carl A. Nels on ,” an d th e “ au to m at ic

lo cat io n in fo rm at io n” rece iv ed by th e 91 1 op erat or sh owe d th e su bs cri be r as a
bu si ne ss wit h an ad dr es s of 96 0 60 th Ave nu e SW in Ced ar Rap id s. The in fo rm at io n
di sp la y ed on th e “ co m

pu te r ai de d di sp at ch ” syste m , whi ch was tra ns m it te d t o th e

res po nd in g of

fic ers ’ in -car co m

pu te r, si m pl y id en ti fie d th e cal le r as “ Carl A. Nels on ”

an d d id no t re ve al th at th e su bs cri be r was ass oc ia te d wi th a bu si ne ss

.

Offi cers Cas ey Hoe ge r an d Je ff Hol st

, dr iv in g se pa rat e cars , res po nd ed to th e

sc en e. The of

fic ers were di sp at ch ed at 9: 55 p.m

. an d a r r i v e d a t t he sc en e

at 10 :0 1 p.m

. Hoe ge r arri ve d fir st

. He ap pr oa ch ed th e sc en e tra ve li ng wes tb ou nd on

60 th Ave nu e, pr im ari ly an in du st ria l area

. Hoe ge r no ti ced a res id en c e i n t h e 8 00

bl oc k of 60 th Ave nu e, bu t hi s i n

- c a r G P S m ap sh owe d th e ta rg et ad dr es s as

or ig in at in g m id way be twee n so m e rai lro ad tra ck s an d 11 th St reet

. W he n Hoe ge r di d

no t fin d a res id en ce pr io r to arri vi ng at 1 1 t h S t r e e t, he tu rn ed aro un d an d he ad ed

eas tb ou nd on 60 th Ave nu e to ward th e rai lro ad tra ck s. He pu ll ed in to a dr iv eway on

th e so ut h si de of 60 th Ave nu e, whe re he “ no ti ced li gh ts on on a res id en ce be hi nd two

i n du st ria l bu il di ng s.” He pu ll ed up th e dr iv eway “ a li tt le bi t fu rth er” an d st op pe d.

Tr. 32 -3 3.

Hoe ge r th en ob se rv ed Hol st dr iv e by, pr oc eed in g wes t on 60 th Ave nu e. Lik e

Hoe ge r, Hol st at fir st di d no t se e th e res id en ce. Hol st m ad e a U -tu rn at 11 th St reet

an d sp ot te d th e refl ect or ta pe on Hoe ge r’s car. Hoe ge r th en fla sh ed hi s fla sh li gh t to

rev eal hi s lo cat io n to Hol st

, who tu rn ed in to th e dr iv eway an d joi ne d Hoe ge r. Hoe ge r

to ld Hol st

, “ I can ’t fin d an y ot he r ho us e in th is area ” an d su gg es te d th at th ey “ ch eck

th is pl ace.” Tr. 33

.

-2

-Bo th of fic ers th en walk ed up th e dr iv eway an d ap pr oa ch ed th e res id en c e

. 3

Hol st ob se rv ed th at th e ex te rio r po rch li gh t an d in te rio r fir st an d sec on d flo or li gh ts

were on , bu t th e ga rag e li gh t was no t. The of fic ers sa w no pe rs on s, he ard no un us ua l

so un ds , and ob se rv ed no in di cat io n o f a d is tu rb an ce.

Hol st te st ifi ed th at as th e of fic ers ap pr oa ch ed th e res id en ce, th e do ub le -g at e to

th e br eeze way was “ wid e op en ; it was n’t jus t un la tc he d.” Tr. 21

. Acco rd in g to Hol st

,

“ it ’s as if th e ga te was n’t th ere, be cau se I mean it ’s a ve ry la rg e ga te

. It’s no t li ke

y ou ’re walk in g th ro ug h a sm al l na rro w ga te

. The who le th in g was op en .” Tr. 21 -2 2.

Hoe ge r te st ifi ed th at he co ul d no t rem em be r if th e ga te was op en , bu t he sa id th at he

di d no t op en it

. W he n as ke d whe th er Hol st op en ed th e ga te

, Hoe ge r res po nd ed

, “ [h ]e

co ul d h av e. I can ’t s ay whe th er he di d or no t.” Tr. 4 1. Bas ed on it s d et erm in at io n

th at Hoe ge r an d Hol st te st ifi ed cred ib ly, th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d th at ne it he r Hol st no r

Hoe ge r op en ed th e g at e. Dis t. Ct . Orde r of May 18, 2 01 1, at 3.

Afte r en te rin g th e br eeze way , th e of fic ers kn oc ke d on th e f

r o n t d oo r bu t

rece iv ed no res po ns e. The y th en co nd uc te d a “ qu ic k pe rimeter ch eck ” by walk in g

aro un d th e res id en ce be cau se , as Hol st te st ifi ed

, “ th ere was so m an y li gh ts on in th e
ho us e it ap pe ared to us th ere was so m eb od y ho m e.” Tr. 11

. The y di d no t se e or he ar

an y th in g a m is s, b ut th ey

co ul d n ot effec ti ve ly see i n t he win do ws.

B e c a u s e o f th e na tu re of Ro bb in s’s cl ai m s, a de ta il ed de sc rip ti on of th e 3

pr op ert y is ap pr op ria te

. The ho us e an d ga rag e sh are a co m m on ro of li ne , bu t an op en

“ br eeze way ” ex is ts be twee n th e ga rag e an d th e ho us e. The br eeze way is en cl os ed by

a do ub le woo de n ga te th at is ap pr ox im at el y fiv e feet ta ll

. The ba ck of th e br eeze way
op en s t o t he ba ck y ard . The d ou bl e g at e o pe ns in th e m id dl e an d ext en ds ne arl y th e

en ti re w i d t h of th e br eeze way

. One si de of th e do ub le ga te ha s a st ak e on th e ba ck
th at can be in se rte d in to th e cem en t— pr ev en ti ng th e ga te fro m op en in g— an d a la tc h

n e ar th e to p ke ep s th e ot he r ha lf fro m op en in g. Im m ed ia te ly up on en te rin g t h e br eeze way , two st ep s l ead to th e p or ch to th e fro nt do or on th e rig ht

. The fro nt an d
ba ck y ard s are en ti rel y en cl os ed by a ch ai n- li nk fen ce, so acce ss to th e fro nt do or can be reac he d o nl y

th ro ug h t he bre ezewa y

.

-3

-The of fic ers th en r et ur ne d to th e fro nt do or an d kn oc ke d ag ai n, rece iv in g no

res po ns e. W hi le at th e do or , Hol st sm el le d an od or of m ari juan a. Hoe ge r te st ifi ed

th at he was “ st uf

fed up ” wit h a co ld a nd in it ia ll y di d no t sm el l m ari juan a. Tr. 35

. W he n Hol st m en ti on ed th e od or , ho wev er, Hoe ge r “ st uc k [h is ] face up to th e crev ic e

of th e do or ” an d co ul d sm el l a “ m in or whi ff” of m ari juan a. Tr. 42

. A K-9 of

fic er was

th en cal le d to th e sc en e wit h a dr ug do g, whi ch im m ed ia te ly “ in di cat ed ” on th e fro nt

do or of th e res id en ce. Tr. 13

. Offi cer Fear

, th e K-9 of fic er, th en s o u g h t a se arch

warra nt for th e res id en ce wh il e Hoe ge r an d Ho ls t re m ai ne d a t t he sce ne

.

Dur in g th e co ur se of pr ep ari ng th e se arch warra nt ap pli ca tio n, Fe ar ca ll ed Hol st

fo r a de ta il ed de sc rip ti on of th e res id en ce, in cl ud in g th e co lo r of th e ad dr es s nu m be rs

on th e ho us e. At th at po in t, Hol st fo r th e fir st ti m e sa w th at th e ad dr es s was 92 5 60 th

Ave nu e rat he r th an 96 0 60 th Ave nu e. Alt ho ug h th e nu m be rs were di sp la y ed on th e

ex te rio r wall be twee n th e ga rag e do or an d th e br eeze way ga te s, Hol st te st ifi ed th at

th e nu m be rs were bl ack an d no t easi ly se en at ni gh t, and th e ou ts id e li gh t ab ov e th e
ad dr es s was of

f. In ad di ti o n , whe n th e ga te s are op en , th e nu m be rs m ay be

o bs tru ct ed

. Dur in g pr ep arat io n of th e se arch warra nt

, it was de te rm in ed fro m t h e

Lin n C ou nt y

Ass es so r’s reco rd s t ha t Ro bb in s o wne d t he pro pe rty.

Fo ll owi ng th e is su an ce of a st at e se arch warra nt

, th e pr op e rty was se arch ed

du rin g th e earl y m or ni ng of Octo be r 24

, 20 10

, rev eal in g th e pr es en ce of a m ari juan a

gr owi ng op erat io n, alo ng wit h 29 7 m ari juan a pl an ts

, in th e ba se m en t. Two ven ti ng
syste m s ve nt ed od or s to th e m ai n flo or an d ou t th e se co nd -fl oo r win do ws, in cl ud in g

on e th at was o pe n wh en Hoeg er an d Ho ls t ar riv ed

.

On Octo be r 25

, 20 10

, Serg ean t Dos ta l of th e Ced ar Rap id s Po li ce Dep art m en t

at te m pt ed to cal l th e ph on e nu m be r li st ed as m ak in g t he 91 1 h an g- up cal l, an d “ [i]t
jus t ke pt rin gi ng

. It ne ve r wen t to a vo ic e m ai l or no on e ev er pi ck ed up .” Tr

. 49

. Upo n fu rth er in ve st ig at io n, Serg ean t Dos ta l id en ti fie d a Carl A. Nels on Co ns tru ct io n

Co m pa ny in Bu rli ng to n, Io wa. The co m pa ny ha d o b t a i n e d th e ph on e li ne fo r a

-4

-co ns tru ct io n tra il er at a si te in Ced ar Rap id s. Afte r th e wor k ha d be en co m pl et ed

, th e

co m pa ny un su cces sf

ul ly ha d tri ed to can cel th e te le ph on e l in e. The co m pa ny

rep or te d th at th e ad dr es s of th e co ns tru ct io n tra il er was 10 30 60 th Ave nu e SW. A

Goo gl e se arch fo r 96 0 60 th Ave nu e SW di d, ho wev er, refl ect a refe ren ce to a Carl A.

Nels on bu si ne ss

. Upo n in ve st ig at io n, it was de te r mi n e d t h a t th ere is no 96 0 60 th

Ave nu e SW or 1 03 0 6 0t h Av en ue SW

.

Ro bb in s was ch arg ed wit h m an uf act ur in g an d at te m

pt in g to m an uf

act ur e 10 0

or m or e m ari

juan a pl an ts

, in vi ol at io n o f 2 1 U

. S

. C

. §§ 84 1 an d 84 6. He m ov ed to

s u p p r e ss th e ev id en ce de riv ed fro m th e se arch of hi s pr op ert y

. Fo ll owi ng th e
is su an ce of th e m a g i s t r a te jud ge ’s rep or t an d reco m m en da ti on th at th e m ot io n be

de ni ed

, Ro bb in s en te red a co nd it io na l gu il ty pl ea th at res erv ed hi s rig ht to ap pe al th e
de ni al of th e m ot io n. The di st ric t co ur t su bs eq ue nt ly acce pt ed th e pl ea, ad op te d th e

rep or t an d re co m

m en da ti on , den ie d t he m ot io n t o s up pr es s, an d s en te nc ed Ro bb in s

to 12 0 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t.

II.

“ W e rev ie w th e de ni al of a m ot io n to su pp res s de no vo bu t rev ie w un de rlyin g

fact ua l de te rm in at io ns f

o r c l e a r erro r, gi vi ng ‘due weig ht ’ to th e in fere nc es of th e
d i s t r i c t c ou rt an d la w en fo rcem en t of fic ia ls .” Uni te d St at es v. Rep lo gl e, 30 1 F.3 d

93 7, 93 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 02 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. W he at

, 27 8 F.3 d 72 2, 72 5- 26 (8 th

Ci r. 20 01 )). A di st ric t co ur t’s “ cred ib il it y fin di ng s ar e w e l l -n ig h un rev ie wab le

, so

l on g as th e fin di ng s are no t in te rn al ly in co ns is te nt or ba se d on te st im on y th a t i s

in co he ren t, im

pl au si bl e, or co nt rad ic te d by ob jecti ve ev id en ce in th is cas e.” Uni te d

St at es v. J on es , 25 4 F .3d 69 2, 6 95 (8t h C ir. 2 00 1) (ci ta ti on s o m it te d)

.

-5

-III.

Ro bb in s arg ue s th at th e p o l i c e vi ol at ed hi s Fo ur th Am en dm en t rig ht ag ai ns t

un reas on ab le se arch es an d se iz ur es by walk in g to hi s fro nt po rc h t o kn oc k on hi s

fro nt do or , as wel l as by w al ki ng aro un d t he pe rimeter o f th e h ou se an d gl an ci ng at

th e w i n d o w s

. He co nt en ds th at be cau se th e ev id en ce pr ov id in g pr ob ab le cau se fo r

th e se arch warran t was ob ta in ed wit hi n th e co ns ti tu ti on al ly pr ot ect ed cu rti la ge area

of hi s res id en ce, th e ev id en ce ob ta in ed th ro ug h ex ecu ti on o f th e se arch warra nt

sh ou ld be su pp res se d.

The Fo ur th Am en dm en t pro te ct s ci ti zen s “ ag ai ns t un reas on ab le se arch es an d

se iz ur es .” U.S. Co ns t. am en d IV. “ The Fo ur th Am en dm en t’s pro te ct io n ex te nd s to

th e cu rti la ge su rro un di ng a ho m e.” Uni te d St at es v. W es to n, 44 3 F.3 d 66 1, 66 6 (8 th

Ci r. 20 0 6 ) (ci ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Dun n, 48 0 U.S. 29 4, 30 1 (1 98 7) ). “ ‘Curt il ag e’

m ean s ‘the area to whi ch ex te nd s th e in ti m at e act iv it y as so ci at ed wit h th e sa nc ti ty of

a m an [’] s h o me a n d t h e pr iv aci es of li fe.’” Id . a t 66 6- 67 (q uo ti ng Oli ve r v. Uni te d

St at es , 46 6 U.S. 1 70 , 18 0 (1 98 4) (ci ta ti on an d i nt ern al qu ot at io ns om it te d) ).

“ W he re a le gi ti m at e la w en fo rcem en t ob jecti ve ex is ts

, a warra nt le ss en try in to

th e cu rti la ge is no t un reas on ab le un de r th e Fo ur th Am en d men t, pr ov id ed th at th e

in tru si on up on on e’s pr iv acy is l im it ed .” Id . at 6 67 (ci ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Rai ne s,

24 3 F.3 d 41 9, 42 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 01 )); se e U n i t e d S t a t e s v. And ers on , 5 52 F.2 d 12 96

, 12 99 -1 30 0 (8 th Ci r. 19 77 ) (p ol ic e en try in to area whe re a pe rs on ho ld s a reas on ab le

ex pe ct at io n of pr iv acy is la wfu l so lo ng as th e in tru si on was jus ti fie d by “ so m e
le g i t i mat e reas on fo r be in g pr es en t un co nn ect ed wit h a se arch di rect ed ag ai ns t th e

a c c u s ed ”) (ci ta ti on om it te d)

. W e ha ve he ld th at po li ce en try th ro ug h an un lo c k e d

ga te on a dr iv eway to ap pr oa ch th e fro nt do or of a res id en ce for a “ kn oc k- an d- ta lk ”

is a reas on ab le

, li m it ed in tru si on fo r le gi ti m at e la w en fo rcem en t ob jecti ve s. W es to n,

44 3 F .3d at 66 7; se e al so Nik ol as v. Ci ty of Om ah a, 60 5 F .3d 53 9, 5 45 -4 6 (8 th Cir

. 2 01 0) (n ot in g th at “ [i]t is cl ear th at

, wit ho ut a warra nt

, [in sp ect or ] co ul d e n t e r t h e

-6

-pr op ert y

th ro ug h i ts op en ga te an d pr oc eed up th e d riv eway to th e fro nt do or of t he

m ai n res id en ce to as k fo r co ns en t to se arch in si de an y pa rt of th e res id en ce”) (ci ti ng
Uni te d St at es v. Lak os ke y , 46 2 F.3 d 9 6 5

, 97 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) (co nc lu di ng th at

of fic ers “ were la wfu ll y al lo wed to ap pr oa ch [d efen da nt ’s] fro nt do or an d co nt act hi m

fo r in ve st ig at iv e p ur

po se s” )).

W he re of fic ers act in g in fu rth eran ce of a le gi ti m at e la w en fo rcem en t ob jecti ve
de ve lo p a reas on ab le be li ef th at so m eo ne is pr es en t in th e ho m e, th ey are jus ti fie d in

pr oc eed in g to an al te rn at iv e en tra nc e fo ll owi ng an un s u c c e s s f u l kn oc k at th e fro nt

do or

. See Rai ne s, 24 3 F.3 d at 42 0- 21 (h ol di ng of fic er reas on ab ly pr oc eed ed to rear

of ho us e to se rv e ci vi l pr oc es s a f t e r no on e an swe red fro nt do or , se ve ral cars were

pa rk ed in th e dr iv eway, an d th e of fic er su sp ect ed th e res id en ts di d no t he ar hi m

kn oc k) ; And ers on , 55 2 F.2 d at 12 98 -1 30 0 (h ol di ng ag en ts di d no t vi ol at e oc cu pa nt ’s

Fo ur th Am en dm en t rig ht s by walk in g aro un d ho us e whe n no on e an swe red kn oc k at

fro nt do or , ag en ts su sp ect ed so m eo ne w a s ho m e be cau se li gh t was vi si bl e in si de

ho us e, an d ag en ts he ard do g ba rk in g)

. W e ha ve de cl in ed to ex te nd th e “ kn oc k- an dta lk ” ru le

, ho w e v e r , “t o s it ua ti on s in whi ch th e po li ce fo rg o th e kn oc k at th e fro nt

do or an d, wit ho ut an y reas on to be li ev e th e ho m eo wne r wil l be fo un d th ere, pr oc eed

di rect ly to th e ba ck y ard .” Uni te d St at es v. W el ls

, 64 8 F.3 d 67 1, 68 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 )
(ci ti ng You ng v. Cit y of Rad cl iff

, 56 1 F. Su pp

. 2d 76 7, 78 8 n.1 2 (W .D. Ky

. 20 08 )).

As was th e cas e in Rai ne s, th e of fic ers he re act ed in fu rth eran ce of a le gi ti m at e

la w en fo rcem en t ob

jecti ve an d th e i r i nt ru si on up on Ro bb in s’s pr iv acy was

ap pr op ria te ly li m it ed

. Res po nd in g to a 91 1 call th at th ey reas on ab ly be li ev ed cam e

fro m th e pr op ert y , Hoe ge r an d Hol st en te red th e no rm al acce ss ro ut e fo r an y vi si to r

to th e ho us e — th e dr iv eway an d an op en ga te to th e fro nt do or

. Unl ik e th e si tu at io n

in W e l l s , th e of

fic ers fir st at te m

pt ed to reac h th e ho m eo wne r at th e fro nt do or

. See W el ls

, 64 8 F.3 d at 67 9- 80 (d is cu ss in g Rai ne s an d And ers on ). Afte r rece iv in g no

res po ns e at th e fr o n t d o o r , th ey co nd uc te d a sh or t, m in im al ly in tru si ve ex te rio r

pe rimeter sear ch an d gl an ce at the win do ws for so m eo ne in ne ed of as si st an ce. See

-7

-Nik ol as , 60 5 F .3d at 5 46 (co nc lu di ng th at in sp ect or ’s “ m in im al ly int ru si ve ex te rio r

se arch an d lo ok th ro ug h th e win do ws was co ns ti tu ti on al ly reas on ab le ”). Pro ceed in g

aro un d th e pe rimeter in se arch of an oc cu pa nt was reas on ab le ba se d on fact s gi vi ng
ris e to a reas on ab le be li ef th at so m eo ne was ho m e — th e 91 1 cal l an d th e ob se rv at io n

of m an y li gh ts on in th e h ou se

. To co m pl et e th ei r go od fai th at te m pt to co nd uc t a
br ie f w e lfa re ch eck

, th ey ret ur ne d to kn oc k ag ai n at th e fro nt do or , at whi ch po in t

th ey no ti ced th e od or of m ari juan a, le ad in g to th e se ek in g o f a se arch warra nt

. See

Uni te d St at es v. S mi th , 7 83 F.2 d 64 8, 65 1- 52 (6 th Ci r. 19 86 ) (h ol di ng th at of fic ers

se ek in g to ve rif

y an in fo rm an t’s ti p co ul d en te r a de fen da nt ’s dr iv eway an d pr oc eed

to ward fro nt do or , th en ob ta in a warra nt ba se d on th e ev id en ce th ey ob se rv ed in th e

pr oc es s)

. In li gh t of th es e ci rcu m st an ces , w e a g r e e wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at th e

of fic ers act ed in a co ns ti tu ti on al ly reas on ab le m an ne r an d th at th e ev id en ce ne ed no t

be su pp res se d.

IV.

The jud gm en t i s af

fir m ed

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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-