SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, DOYLE, P. J.

, and REESE, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

M ar ch 2, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 78 0 . THE STATE v . W RIGHT. DO-0 6 0 C

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

Th e St at e ap pea l s t h e g r a n t o f a m o ti o n t o s u p p res s fi l ed b y M i ch ael Sh au n

W ri g h t

, wh o w as arres t ed an d ch arg ed wi t h p o s s es s io n o f a co n t ro ll ed su b st an ce wi th

i n t en t t o d i s t ri b ut e 1 (t w o co un t s ), p o s s es s i o n o f co cai n e wi t h i n t en t t o d i s t r i b u t e

wi t h i n 1 ,0 0 0 feet o f a ho u s i n g p ro ject

, 2 fel o n y p o s s es s i o n o f m ari ju an a, 3 an d

p o s s es s i o n o f a fi rearm d u ri n g t h e co m m is s io n o f a fel o n y

. 4 Th e St at e co n t en d s t h at

t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y g ran ti n g W ri gh t ’ s m ot i o n t o s u p p res s b as ed o n i t s ru l i n g t h at

1 OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 0 (b ).

2 OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 2.5 (b ).

3 OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 0 (j) (1 ).

4 OCGA § 1 6 -1 1-1 06 (b ) (4 ).t h e s earch o f an ap art m en t y i el d i n g co n t rab an d w as n o t co n d u ct ed p u rs u an t t o v al id

co n sen t g i v e n b y W ri g h t

. Becau s e W ri g h t fai l ed t o m eet h i s b u rd en t o es t ab l i s h

s t an d i n g t o ch al len g e t h e s earch , we rev ers e.

W hen th e ev i d en ce at a s u p p res s i o n h eari n g i s u n co nt ro v ert ed an d

t h e cred i b i l i t y o f w i t n es s es i s no t i n q u es ti on

, we co n d u ct a d e n o v o

rev i ew o f th e t ri al co urt ’ s ap pl i cat i o n o f th e law t o t h e u nd i s pu t ed fact s

.

To t h e e x t en t an i s s u e co n cern s a m i x ed qu es t i o n o f fact an d l aw, we

accep t t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s o n d i sp u t ed fact s an d w i t nes s cred i b i l i t y

u n l es s t h ey are cl earl y erro n eo u s

, b u t i n d ep en d en tl y ap p ly t h e l aw to th e

fact s

. 5

Th e ev i d en ce fro m th e s u p pres s i o n h eari n g was u nd i s p u t ed

, co n s is t i n g o f

t es t i m o ny fro m t h ree p o li ce o ffi cers p res en t d uri n g t h e s earch ch al len g ed b y W ri g h t

.

Th e e v i d en ce s h ows t h at t h e Ch at h am -Sav an n ah Co u n t er Narco t i cs Team was

co n du ct in g an earl y -m o rn i n g “ ro u n d u p ” o f s us p ect s wi t h o u ts tan d i n g arres t warran t s

.

Th e t eam was g i v en a l i s t o f s u s p ect s wi t h d es cri p t io n s o r ph o t o g rap hs an d t h e

l o cat io n s wh ere t h ey w ere b el i ev ed t o res i d e an d wh ere t h ey h ad b ee n o b s e r v e d

d u ri n g p rev io us s u rv ei l l an ce. Th e o ffi cers arri ved at o n e p art i cu lar l o ca t i o n

, a n

ap art m en t co m

p l e x c a l led Yam acraw Vi l l ag e, an d k n o ck ed o n th e d o o r o f an

5 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed .) Mi t ch el l v. S ta t e

, 30 1 G a

. 5 6 3

, 56 5 (8 0 2 SE2 d 2 1 7 )

(2 0 1 7), q u ot i ng Jo n es v. S t a t e , 2 9 1 Ga. 3 5 , 3 6 -3 7 (1 ) (7 2 7 SE2 d 4 5 6) (2 01 2 ).

2ap art m en t wh ere p o l i ce b el i ev ed a s u sp ect wo u l d b e p res en t. W ri gh t s o o n cam e t o t h e

d o o r an d p art i al l y o p en ed i t

, an d t h e o ffi cers

, wh o were i n u n i fo rm wi th t act i cal g ear,

ide n tif ie d t h em s el v es an d im

m ed i at el y reco g n i zed t h at W ri g h t “ o bv i o u s l y was n o t t h e

s u b ject we were l o o k i ng fo r” b as ed on h i s ap p earan ce. Po l i ce a s k ed W ri g h t i f h e

k n ew t h e s u s p ect

, an d W ri gh t s ai d no ; p o l i ce t h en as k ed if t h ey co ul d co m e i n s i d e an d

l o o k fo r t h e s u sp ect , an d W ri g h t ag reed

.

Wh i l e W ri gh t wai t ed i n t h e d o wn st ai rs li v i n g area, t h e t eam o f ag en t s t h e n

en t ered th e ap art m en t an d wal k ed t h ro u g h t h e ro o m s t o l o o k fo r t he s u s p ect

. On t h e

s eco n d fl o o r o f t he ap art m en t

, an o ffi cer en t ered a b ed ro o m an d i m m ed i at el y n o t i ced

a fi rearm an d “ a l arg e am o u n t ” o f s u s p ect ed n arco t i cs s i tt i ng i n p l ai n vi ew o n t o p o f

an i ro n i ng b o ard

. Al o n g s i d e t h e s u s p e ct ed co n trab an d o n t h e i ro n i n g b o ard were a

fo o d s t a m

p card an d an i den t i fi cat i on card wi t h w h at p o l i ce l at er l earn ed was

W ri g h t ’ s n am e o n t hem

. P ol ice co n t i n ued t o s earch fo r t h e s u s p ect

, an d u p o n

co m p l et i o n o f t h e s earch

, t h e o ffi cer n o t i f i ed t h e t eam l ead er o f t h e su s p ect ed

co n trab an d o b s erv ed i n t h e b ed ro o m

. A ft er t h e t eam l ead er o b s erv ed t he co n t rab an d

i n p l ai n v i ew o n t h e i ro n i n g bo ard

, p o li ce in fo rm ed W ri g h t t h at th ey h ad d i s co v ered

t h e fi rearm an d s u sp ect ed narco t i cs

, an d t hey p laced h i m in h an d cu ffs

. Po l i ce d i d n ot

3q u es ti o n W ri g ht at t h at t i m e, b u t h e m ad e a few s p o n t an eo u s s t at em en t s at t em p t i n g

t o ex p lai n an d ju s ti fy

t h e p res en ce o f t h e fi rearm an d s u sp ect ed n arco t i cs

.

P o l i c e t h en as k ed W ri g h t fo r co n s en t t o fu rt h er s earch t he res i d en ce f o r

ad d it i o n al co n trab an d

, an d W ri g h t s i g n ed a wri t t en co ns en t fo r m ag reei n g t o t h e

s earch aft er b ei n g ad vi sed o f h i s co n s t i t u t i o n al ri g h t n o t t o h av e th e p rem i s es search ed

wi t h o u t a warran t

. No ad d i t io n al co n t rab an d was d i s co v ered i n a s u b s eq uen t s earch

.

W ri g h t was ch a r g e d wi th p o s s es s i ng t h e fi rearm an d s us p ect ed co cai n e an d

m ari ju an a fo u n d o n t h e i ro n i n g b o ard

. He m o v ed t o s u pp res s t h e ev i d en ce o n t h e

g ro u nd t h at th e s earch was co n d u ct ed p u rs u an t t o an i n val i d co n s en t, an d fo l l o wi n g

an ev i d en t i ary heari n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n

. T h e tri al co u rt ru l ed t h at t h e

ev i d en ce ad d u ced b y t he St at e at t h e h eari n g “ fai l [ed ] t o es t ab l i sh wh at rel at i o n s h i p,

i f an y

, [W ri gh t ] h ad t o t h e p ro p e r t y a t t h e t i m e co n s en t t o s earch was p u rp o rt ed l y

g i v en .” T h erefo re, t h e co urt co n cl ud ed t h at t h e St at e h ad “ fai led t o carry i t s b u rd en

t o p ro v i d e ev i d en ce fro m w h ich a fact fi n d er m ay co n cl u de t h at l aw en fo rcem en t h ad

au t h o r i t y, ap p aren t o r o t h erwi s e, t o en t er t h e res i d en ce an d t h at th e s earch was

t h erefo re l awfu l

. ” Th e St at e n o w ap p eal s

.

41

. Th e St at e co n t en ds th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y co n cl u d i n g t h at W ri g h t m et

h i s b u rd en t o d em on s t rat e st an d i n g to ch al l en g e t h e s earch o f t h e a p a rt m en t

. W e

ag ree.

In o rd er t o cl ai m t h e p ro t ect i o n o f t h e Fo u rt h A m en d m en t ag ai n s t

u n reas o n ab l e s earch an d s ei zu re, a d efen d an t m u st d em o n s t rat e t h at he

p ers on al l y has an ex p ect at i o n o f p ri v acy i n t he p l ace search ed

, an d t hat

h i s ex pect at i o n i s reas o n ab l e. A p ers on h as a l eg i t i m at e ex p ect at i o n o f

p ri v acy i n hi s o r h er h o m e a n d m ay hav e a l eg i t i m at e ex p ect at i o n o f

p ri v acy i n a h o u s e in wh i ch t h e p ers o n i s an o v ern i gh t g u es t ; h o wev er,

o n e w h o i s m erel y pres en t w i t h t h e co n s en t o f t h e h o us eh o l d er m ay n o t

cl ai m t h e p ro t e c t i o n o f t h e Fo u rt h A m en d m en t. A p ers o n wh o i s

ag g ri ev ed b y an i ll eg al s earch an d s ei zu re o n l y t h ro u g h t h e i n t ro d uct i o n

o f d am ag i n g ev id en ce s ecu red b y a s earch o f a t h i rd p ers on ’ s p rem i ses

o r p ro p ert y h as no t h ad an y of hi s Fo u rt h A m en d m en t ri g h t s i n fri n g ed

.

Th e bu r d en i s on t h e d

ef en d a n t t o s h o w t ha t h e h a s s t a n d i ng t o co nt es t

t h e a l l eg ed vi o l a ti o n

, i .e., t h a t he h a s a l eg it i m a t e exp ect a t i o n o f p ri va cy

i n t h e p r emi s es s ea r ch ed

. 6

As no t ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt

, t h e ev i d en ce o f W ri g h t ’ s co n n ect i o n t o t h e

ap art m en t was sp ars e. Al t h o u g h W ri g h t was th e s o l e occu p an t o f th e ap art m en t i n t h e

earl y m o rn in g

, t h e ev i d en ce fro m t h e s u p p res s i o n h eari n g do es n o t ad d res s W ri g h t ’ s

6 (Ci tat i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p has i s s u pp l i ed .) Br o wn v. S ta t e

, 2 9 5

Ga. 6 9 5 , 6 9 7 -6 9 8 (2 ) (7 6 3 SE2 d 7 10 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

5s t at u s rel at i v e to t he ap art m en t

, i .e., wh et h er h e was th e p ri m ary t en an t

, a co -t en an t

,

an ov ern i g h t v i si t o r, m erel y p res en t wi t h t h e t en an t ’ s co n s en t , o r ev en an u n i n v i t ed

t res pas s er. Th e o n l y ev i d en ce o f an y o n e o ccu p y i n g t h i s ap art m en t p ri o r to t h e p o l i ce

v i s i t was t es t i m on y t h at th is was t h e l as t k n o w n ad d res s o f th e s u s p ect an d t h at p o l i ce

h ad o b s erv ed t h e u n n am ed s u sp ect at t h e ap art m en t d u ri ng s urv ei l l an ce. 7 Faced wi th

t h i s t h in reco rd

, an d in t h e ab s en ce o f an y ev i d en ce t y i n g W ri g ht to th e ap art m en t

o t h er t h an h i s ea r l y -m o rn i n g pres en ce al o ng wi t h h i s i den t i fi cat i o n

, a fi rearm

, an d

n arco t i cs i n an u ps t ai rs b ed ro om

, t h e t ri al co u rt ex p l i ci t ly fo u n d t h at “ t he reco rd d o es

n o t es t ab l i s h wh at

, i f an y

, rel at i o n sh i p th e Defen d an t h ad wi t h t h e h ou s e i n q u es t i o n

at t he t im e o f t he s earch .” 8

7 W h en as k ed by t h e c o urt i f t h e ap art m en t was ex p ect ed t o b e t h e s u s p ect ’ s

res i den ce

, a m e m

b e r o f t h e en t ry t eam t es t i fi ed t h at : “ [T] h at was t h e l as t k n o wn

ad d res s t h at [we] h ad . An d, Yo u r Ho no r, ju s t t o cl ari fy

, . . . t h ey s p en d a l o t o f t i m e

wo rk i n g th es e th e i n v es ti g at i o n s [,] an d a l o t o f su rv ei l l an ce t im e i s d ed i cat ed t o t h es e

cas es . So [] i t was n ’ t ju s t an ad d res s t h at t h ey l o o ked u p [,] an d t h ey

fo u nd . I b el i ev e

i t ’ s an ad d res s t h at t h ey p hy s i cal l y o b s erv ed t h e i n di v i d u al wh o was wan t ed at t h at

l o cat io n , an d t h en al o n g wi t h ev ery t h i n g el s e t h at was t i ed i n an d d o cu m en t ed .”

8 Th e t ri al co urt arg u ab l y co u l d h av e rel i ed u p o n t h e fact t h at W ri gh t was t h e

s o l e o ccu p an t i n t h e earl y m o rn i n g t o c o n c l u d e t hat W ri g h t was an o v ern i g h t g u es t

at t h e ap art m en t

. Bu t i t d i d n o t

. In s t ead

, t h e tri al co u rt ex p l ici t l y fo un d t h at W ri g h t ’ s

rel at i o n s h i p to t h e ap art m en t “ i f an y ” was n o t es tab l is h ed

. W e m u s t accep t t h i s

fi nd i ng ev en as we i n d ep en d en t l y ap p l y th e l aw to t h e fact s. See Mi t ch el l

, 3 0 1 Ga. at

5 6 5

.

6Hav i n g m ad e t h i s fi n d i n g

, h o wev er, t h e t r i a l co u rt erred b y co n cl u d i n g t h at

W ri g h t h ad m et h i s b u rd en to dem o n s trat e t h at h e had s t an di n g t o co n t es t t h e s earch

(t he s am e s earch t o wh i ch h e co n s en t ed ). 9 As n o t ed ab o v e, i t was W ri g h t’ s b u rd en to

d e m o n s t r at e a l eg i t i m at e ex p ect at i o n o f p ri v acy i n t h e ap art m en t

, fo r ex am p l e, by

d em o n s t rat i n g t h at h e was an o v ern i g h t g u es t at t h e ap art m en t

. 1 0 On ce t he tri al co u rt

co n cl u d ed t h at W ri g h t h ad no t d em on s t rat ed hi s s t at u s

, t h e co u rt erred b y al l o wi n g

h i m t o ch al l en g e t h e s e a r ch o n Fo u rt h Am en d m en t g ro u n ds

. 1 1 Th i s cas e m i g h t b e

9 Th e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er s t at ed : “ A b s en t ev i den ce i n t h e reco rd

, th e Co u rt l o ok s

t o cas e l aw an d t h e s pi ri t o f t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t ag ai ns t warran t l es s s earch es o f

res i den ces

— th e Co u rt h ol d s t h at th e Defen d an t has s t an d i ng t o cl ai m p ro tect i o n o f

t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t .” No ci t at i o n o f au t ho ri t y or f ur th er an al y s i s acco m

p an i ed t h i s

co n cl u s i o n

.

1 0 See Br o wn

, 2 9 5 Ga. at 6 9 7 -6 9 8 (2 ), ci t i n g St a te v. Ca rt er

, 3 0 5 G a. A p p

. 8 1 4,

8 1 6 -8 1 7 (7 0 1 S E 2 d 2 0 9 ) (2 01 0 ) (h o l d i ng t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred by g ran t i n g a

m o ti o n t o s u p p res s b ecau s e t he d efen d an t fai led to dem o ns t rat e s t an d i n g: “ Th ere was

n o ev i d en ce reg ard i n g h o w l o n g h e a n d t h e ot h er t wo d efen d an t s h ad b een at t h e

h o u s e, th at t h e ren ter h a d au th o ri zed t hem t o b e t h ere, o r t h at t h ey were o v ern i g ht

g u es ts .”).

1 1 See Ca r t er

, 3 0 5 G a. Ap p

. at 8 1 6-8 1 7

. Co m p are Mo s es v. S t at e

, 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p.

6 2 5

, 6 27 (2 ) (a) (7 6 0 SE2 d 21 7 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (co n cl u di n g t h at t h e defen d an t h ad s t an d i n g

t o ch al l en g e a s earch o f a res i d en ce i n w h i ch h e di d n o t l i v e b ecau s e he o w n e d t h e

h o u s e, h i s fam i l y m em

b ers l i v ed at t h e h o u se, h e recei v ed m ai l t h ere, an d h e “ k ep t h i s

p ers o n al p ro p e r t y i n t h e m as t er b ed ro o m

, in cl u d i n g h i s cl o t h i n g, jewel ry

, i d en t i fi cat i o n

, an d p ers o n al p ap ers ” i n t h e h o u s e); S ni der v. S t at e

, 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 0,

1 8 0 -1 8 2 (6 6 3 SE2 d 8 0 5) (2 0 0 8 ) (h ol d i n g t h at t h e defen d an t h ad s t an d i n g t o ch al l en g e

t h e search o f a h ot el ro o m reg i s t ered t o an o t h er p ers o n b ecau s e “ [t ] h e ev i d en ce

7d i fferen t i f, as i n s ev eral o t her cas es ci t ed b y W ri g ht

, h e was th e o wn er/ o ccu p an t o f

a res i den ce o b

ject i n g t o a t h i rd -p art y ’ s co ns en t to s earch it

. Ou r cas e l aw i s cl ear t h at

a p e r s o n i n t h at p os i ti o n h as a reas o n ab l e ex p ect at i on o f p ri v acy an d m ay o b ject t o

co n sen t g i v en by an o t h er p ers o n wi t h o u t au th o ri t y

. 1 2 Bu t as no t ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt

,

t h e reco rd d o es n o t es t ab l i s h W ri g h t ’ s rel at i o ns h ip t o t h e ap art m en t

, an d as a fact u al

m at t er, W ri g h t i s n ot o b

ject i n g t o s o m eo n e el s e’ s co n s en t

. Th erefo re, t h e t ri al co u rt

erred b y co n cl u d i n g t h a t W ri g h t h ad s t an d i n g to ch al l en g e t h e s earch he co n s en t ed

t o i n t h i s cas e.

2 . Th e St at e’ s rem ai n i n g en u m erat i o n s are m oo t

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a nd

Rees e, J., co n cu r

.

s h o wed t h at [t h e d efen d an t ] had s t ay ed o vern i g h t at

, an d was s t i l l o ccu p y i n g

, a h o t el

ro o m .”).

1 2 See, e.g

., Hu nt v. S ta t e

, 3 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. 5 7 8

, 5 8 1 -5 8 2 (6 91 SE2 d 36 8 ) (2 0 1 0 )

(fi n di n g t h at ev i d en ce fo u nd d u r i n g a warran t l es s s earch of t h e d efen d an t ’ s h o m e

s h o u ld h av e b een ex cl ud ed b ecau s e t h e o ffi cers di d n o t kn o w wh o o w n ed t h e h o m e

an d m ad e n o effo rt t o d et erm i n e wh et h er t h e t em po rary o ccu p an t wh o co n s en t ed t o

a search h ad au t h o ri t y t o d o s o ); Pl ed g er v. S t a te

, 25 7 Ga. Ap p

. 79 4

, 7 9 8 (5 7 2 SE2 d

3 4 8 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (s am e).

8