FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, M CM ILLI A N, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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

Septem ber 18, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A1 57 6 . THE STATE v . ALBRITTEN. PH-0 5 3 C

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

K a n azawa Al b ri t t en was i n d i ct ed wi t h t raffi ck in g i n m et h am p h et am i n e

,

p o s s es s i o n o f M et h ad o n e, a co n t ro l l ed s u b st an ce, p o ss es s i o n o f d ru g -rel at ed o b ject s

,

an d p o s s es si o n o f m ari

j uan a, les s t h an an ou n ce. Al b ri t t en fi l ed a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

ev i d en ce fo u nd i n a cam p er l o cat e d i n t h e b ack y ard o f h is h o u se. Th e tri al co u rt

g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n t o s u pp res s

, an d t h e St at e ap p eal s

. Fo r th e fo l lo wi n g reas o n s

, we

v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d fo r fu rt h er fi nd i n g s

.

W h en t h i s Co u rt rev i ews a t ri al co u rt ’ s m o t i on t o s u p p res s o rd er, we are

g u i d ed by t h ree p r i n c i p l e s wi t h reg ard t o t h e i n t erp ret at i o n o f t he t ri al

co u rt ’ s j u d gm en t o f t h e fact s

. Fi rs t

, wh en a m o t io n t o s u p p res s i s heard

b y t h e t r i a l ju d g e, th at ju d ge s i t s as t h e t ri er o f fact s. Th e t ri al ju d g e

h ears t h e ev i d en ce, an d h i s fi n d i n g s b as ed u p o n co n fl i ct i n g ev i d en ce arean al og o u s to t h e v erd i ct o f a ju ry a n d s h o u l d n o t be d i s t u rb ed b y a

rev i ewi ng co u rt i f t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt it

. Seco n d, t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n wi th reg ard t o q u es ti o n s o f fact an d cred i b i l i t y m u s t be

ac c ep t ed u n les s cl earl y erro n eo u s

. Th ird

, th e rev i ewi n g co u rt m u s t

co n s t ru e t h e ev i d en ce m o s t fav o rab l y t o t he u ph o l d i n g o f t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s fi nd i n g s an d ju d g m en t.

(Ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ; em p h as i s om i t t ed .) Ta t e v. S ta te

, 2 64 Ga. 5 3

, 5 4

(1 ) (4 40 SE2 d 6 46 ) (1 9 9 4 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce at t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p res s s h o ws t h at o n J an u ary 1 8,

2 0 1 8

, s ev eral i n v es t i g at ors fro m t h e Dru g Tas k Fo rce of th e W o rt h Co u nt y Sh eri ff’ s

Offi ce wen t to 31 4 8 Geo rg i a Hi g h way 1 1 2 i n W o rt h Co u n t y fo r t he p u rp o s e o f

co n du ct in g a “ kn o ck an d tal k ” b ecau s e s om eo n e h ad cal l ed th e p ol i ce t o rep o rt d ru g

act i vi t y at t h e lo cat i o n

, as wel l a s t o p erfo rm a s earch p u rs u an t t o a Fo u rt h

Am en d m en t wai v er s i g n ed b y Bro o k s Kn i g h t

, a p ro b at i o n er. Kn i gh t w as n o t p res en t

o n t h e p ro p ert y , an d Kn i g h t ’ s ad d res s was n o t t h e s am e as Al b ri t t en ’ s ad dres s

. 1

1 Offi cers ap p ear t o h av e g o n e t o t h e wro n g ad d res s t o fi n d K n i g ht . Kn i g h t ’ s

ad d res s o n fi l e wi th t h e p ro b at io n o ffi ce was l i s t ed as Ol d Daws o n Ro ad i n Al b an y

. Kn i gh t ’ s p ro b at i o n p ap erwo rk l i s ted 31 4 8 Geo rg i a Hi g h way 1 1 2 So u t h l i s t ed as

Kn i gh t ’ s fat h er’ s ad d res s u n der “ co ll at eral co n t act .”

2W h en t h e t as k fo rce arri v ed at 3 1 4 8 G eo rg i a Hi gh way

, s ev eral p eo p l e b eg an

ru n n in g away

fro m t h e h o u s e. Th e t as k fo rce at t em p t ed t o t el l t h o s e fl eei n g t o s t o p,

b u t t h e m ajo ri t y s cat t ered i n d i fferen t d i rect i o n s

. T h e t as k fo rce th en s ecu red t h e area

an d m ad e s u re t h a t n o b o dy was i n t h e wo o ds

. Th e t as k fo rce offi cers m an ag ed to

g at h er s ev eral o f t h e i n d i v i d u al s wh o at t em p ted t o fl ee t h e s cen e i n t h e b ack y ard o f

t h e h o us e. Al t h ou gh t h e t as k fo rce d i d n ot h av e a s earch warran t to en t er t h e h o m e,

t wo o ffi cers en t e r e d t h e h om e an d co n d u ct ed a p ro t ect i ve s weep b ecau s e o ffi cers

b el i ev ed t h at t h ere m i g ht s t i l l be p eo p l e i n s i d e t h e h o m e. Majo r Haral s on t es ti fi ed t h at

h e d id s o t o en s u re t h e s afet y o f h i s o ffi cers

. M ajo r Haral s o n t es t i fi ed t hat d u ri n g t h e

p ro t ect i v e s weep h e o b s e r v ed n u m ero u s d ru g -rel at ed p arap h ern al i a in p lai n v i ew

i n s i d e t h e h o m e.

An o ffi cer t h en left t h e s cen e to o b t ai n a s earch warran t

. Th e i nd i v i d u al s i n t h e

b ack y ard were h an d cu ffed

, p at t ed d o wn fo r weap o n s

, an d were n o t free t o l eav e t h e

p ro p ert y wh i l e t hey wai t ed fo r an o ffi cer t o ret u rn wi th th e s earch warran t

. Th e b as i s

fo r t h i s s earch warran t w as t h e fa ct t h at o ffi cers h ad s een m et h am p h et am i n e i n s i d e

t h e h o u s e. Th e s earch warran t was fo r t h e en t ire prem is es

, i n cl u d i n g t h e cu rt i l ag e o f

t h e h o m e l ocat ed at 3 14 8 G eo rg i a Hi g h way 1 1 2 So ut h

. On ce t h e s earch warran t was

o b t ai n ed

, o ffi cers en t ered t h e h o m e a n d fo u n d d ru g co n trab an d i n t h e k it ch en

, t h e

3l au n d ry ro o m

, at t i c, an d two b ed ro o m s

. On e o f th o s e bed ro o m s b el on g ed t o Al b ri t t en

.

A cam p er, p ark ed ab o u t 5 0 t o 1 0 0 feet fro m t h e b ack p o rch

, was al s o search ed by

o ffi cers

. Th e cam

p er was d e s c ri b ed as u n i n h ab i t ab l e an d “ ju st a s hel l .” In s i d e t h e

cam p er, o ffi cers fo u n d a s m al l h o t wat er h eat er, a refri g erat o r, an d ab o ut 2

. 7 5 o u n ces

o f m et h am

p h et am i n e. W hen as k ed i f Al bri t t en cl ai m ed an y own ers h i p i n th e cam p er,

an o ffi cer res p on d ed “ [n ] o t t o m y k n o wl ed ge.”

As a res u l t o f t h ei r s earch

, Al b ri t t en w as arres t ed an d ch arg e d w i t h v ari ou s

v i o l at i o n s of th e Geo rg i a Co n t ro l l ed Su b st an ces Act

. D u ri n g an i n t erv i ew wi t h p o l i ce

aft er h is arres t

, Al b ri t t en t o ld an i n v es t i g at o r t h at h e had b een l i v i n g i n a bed ro o m o n

t h e p ro p ert y

fo r t wo t o t h ree m o n t h s

.

Al b ri t t en fi l ed a m o t io n t o s u p pres s

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co u r t g r a n t ed o n t h e

g ro u nd s th at Al b ri t t en s h o u l d h av e b een free t o t erm i n at e h i s fi rs t -t i er en co un t er wi th

l aw en fo rcem en t

, t h at th e p l ai n v i ew d o ct ri n e i s no t ap p l ica b l e i n cas es wh ere t h e

Fo u rt h Am en d m en t was v i o l at ed p ri o r t o o b s erv i n g t h e ev i d en ce i n q u es t i on

, an d t h at

an y co n trab an d d i s c o v ered aft er t h e s earch warran t was ex ecu t ed was fru i t s o f t h e

p o i s o n o u s t ree.

Th e St at e co n ced es i n i t s ap p el l at e b ri ef t hat th e ev i d en ce s ei zed fro m i n s i d e

t h e h o m e p u rs u an t t o t h e s earch w a r r a n t m u s t b e s u p p res s ed b ecau s e t h e s earch

4warran t was b as ed o n an im p erm i s s i b l e pro t ect iv e sweep l ead i ng t o t he o b serv an ce

o f i t em s i n p l ai n v i ew. Th e St at e al s o co n ced es t h at Al bri t ten h ad a n o w n ers h ip

i n t eres t in th e h o m e b ecau s e h e h ad l i ved th ere fo r s ev eral m o n t h s an d on e b ed ro o m

was det erm i n ed t o b e h i s

, an d t h at t h e cam p er l i k el y was i n t h e cu ri t i lag e o f t h e

p ro p ert y

. In i t s s o l e en u m erat i o n

, t h e St at e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g

Al b ri t t en ’ s m o t i on t o s u p p res s ev i d en ce fo u n d w i t hi n t h e cam p er o ut s i d e t h e h o m e

b ecau s e Al b ri t t e n l ack ed s tan d i n g t o ch al l en g e th e sei zu re. T h e St at e arg u es t h at

Al b ri t t en h ad n o Fo urt h Am en d m en t ex p ect at io n o f p ri v acy i n t h e cam p er l o cat ed 5 0

t o 1 0 0 feet fro m t h e b ack d oo r o f t h e h o u se b ecau s e h e di d n o t cl ai m an own e r s h i p

i n t eres t i n i t

.

Gen eral ly

, “ warran t l es s i n t ru s i o n o f a pers o n ’s h om e i s p ro h i b i t ed b y t h e

Fo u rt h Am en d m en t , ab s en t co n s en t o r a s h o w i n g o f ex i gen t ci rcu m s t an ces . Bu t t h e

Fo u rt h A m en d m en t ri g h t ag ai n st u n reas o n ab le s earch es i s a p ers o n al o n e an d m ay n ot

b e as s ert ed v i cari o u s l y .” (Fo o tn o t es o m i t t ed

. ) S t a t e v. Ki n g

, 2 8 7 G a. Ap p. 6 8 0

, 6 8 2

-

6 8 3 (6 5 2 SE2 d 5 7 4 ) (2 00 7 ). Th u s

, “ [a] p ers on wh o i s ag g ri ev ed b y an i l l eg al s earch

an d sei zu re o n ly t hro ug h t h e i n t ro d u ct i on o f d am ag i ng ev i den ce s ecu red b y a s earch

o f a t hi rd p ers o n’ s prem is es o r p ro p ert y has n o t h ad an y o f hi s Fo u rt h Am e n d m e n t

ri gh t s in fri n g ed .” (Ci t at i on s o m i t t ed .) Gr een v. S t at e

, 3 3 1 Ga. Ap p. 8 0 1

, 8 0 7 (1 ) (7 7 1

5SE2 d 5 1 8 ) (2 0 1 5). Th e p ers o n cl ai m i n g a v io lat i on o f h i s Fo u rt h Am en d m en t ri g h t s

b ears t h e b u rd en o f d em o n s t rat i n g t h at h e h as “ s t an d i n g t o co n t es t su ch v i o l at i o n

, i

.

e., t h at h e h as a l eg i t i m at e ex p ect at i o n o f p ri vacy i n t h e p rem i ses s earch ed

. ” (Ci t at i o n

o m it t ed .) At wa t er

v. S t at e , 2 3 3 Ga. Ap p . 3 39 , 3 40 (2 ) (5 0 3 SE2 d 9 19 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

Th e St at e arg u es th a t A l b r i t t en l ack s s t an d i n g t o co n t es t t he i ll eg al s earch o f

t h e t rai l er b ecau s e h e d i d n o t cl ai m an o w n ers hi p i nt eres t i n t h e t rai l er l o cat ed 5 0 to

1 0 0 feet b eh i n d t h e h o u se. Th e St at e rel i es u p o n S t a t e v. Gr a d d y

, 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. 9 8

(5 8 5 SE2 d 1 47 ) (2 0 0 3 ) fo r t h is as s ert i o n

. In Gr a dd y

, l aw en fo rcem en t ex ecu t ed a

s earch warran t wh ere t hey s earch ed a h om e, a s hed an d a wo rk sh o p

. It em s fo r

m an u fact u ri n g m et h am

p h et am i n e were fo u nd i n th e s h ed l o cat ed 2 5 t o 3 0 feet fro m

t h e h o m e. Id

. at 1 0 1-1 02 (1 ). Th i s C o u r t h e l d t h at t he d efen d an t l ack ed s t an d i n g to

as s ert a Fo u rt h Am en d m en t ob ject i o n t o t h e co nt rab an d di s co v ered i n t h e s h ed

b ecau s e Grad d y

“ d i s cl ai m [ed ] o wn ers h i p or an i n t eres t i n t h e t wo b u il d i n g s .” Id . at

1 0 4 (4 ) (b ).

I n t h e i n s t an t cas e, u nl i k e i n Gr a d d y

, s u p ra, th ere is n o di rect t es t i m o n y t h a t

Al b ri t t en affi rm at i v el y d is cl ai m ed o wn er s hi p o v er th e trai l er. Rat h er, d i fferen t

o ffi cers t es t i fi ed t h at Al b ri t t e n “ n ev er cl ai m ed o wn ers h ip o f i t,” t h at t h ey d i d n ot

k n o w wh et h er Al b ri tt en own ed t h e cam p er at an y p o i nt

, an d t h at o ffi cers were

6u n aware wh et h er an y b o dy o n t h e p ro p ert y cl ai m ed o wn ers h ip o f t h e cam p er. Th ere

was n o t es t i m o n y in t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p res s h eari n g t hat Al b ri t t en was d i rect l y as k ed

an d an s wered w het h er h e h ad an o wn ers h i p i nt eres t i n t h e cam p er. Fu rt h er, t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s wri tt en o rd er g ran t i n g Al b ri t t en ’ s m ot i o n t o s u p p res s d o es n o t m ak e a fi n d i n g

o f fact as t o wh et h e r A l b ri t t en h ad an own ers h i p i n t eres t i n t h e cam p er an d fai l s to

ru l e on th e St at e’ s arg um en t t h at h e l ack ed s t an di n g. W h en rev i e w i n g t h e g ran t o r

d en ial o f a m o t i on t o su p p res s

, t h i s Co u rt g en eral l y m u st li m i t i t s co n s i d erat i o n o f

d i s p u t e d f

a c t s t o th o s e ex p res s l y fo u nd b y t h e t ri al co u rt

. See Hu gh es v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6

Ga. 7 4 4

, 7 4 6 (1 ) (7 70 SE2 d 6 3 6 ) (2 0 1 5 ). “ W e us u al ly as s um e t h at t ri al j u d ges h av e

d o n e t h ei r jo b

, an d es p eci al l y wh ere

. . . t h e t ri al co u rt m ad e ex t en si v e fi n d i n g s o f

fact

, we g en eral l y m

u s t p res u m e t h at t h e ab s en ce of a fi n d i ng o f a fact wo ul d t en d to

u n d erm i n e t h e co n cl u si o n of t h e t ri al co urt refl ect s a co n s i d ered ch o i ce t o reject t h e

e v i d e n ce o ffered t o p ro v e t h at fact [.] ” Id

. at 7 4 7 (1 ). Bu t wh ere, as here, t h e “ t r i a l

co u rt h as m ad e ex pres s fi nd i n g of fact s b u t n o t wi t h s u f f i c i en t d et ai l to p erm i t

m e a n i n g fu l rev i ew,” o ur Su p rem e Co urt h as in s t ru ct ed t h at th i s Co urt m ay r e m a n d

fo r fu rt h er fi n d i n g s . Id

. at 7 4 6 (1 ), n . 6

.

Acco rd i ng l y

, b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er l ack s s u ffi ci en t d et a i l fo r u s to

p ro v id e ap pel l at e rev i ew as t o wh et h er Al b r i t t en h as s tan d i n g t o co n tes t t h e s earch

7o f t h e cam

p er, we v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f t h e m o t i on t o s u p p res s an d rem an d

fo r t h e t ri al c o u r t t o m ak e ad d i t i o n al fi n d i n gs o n t h e l i m i t ed s co p e o f s t an d i n g

. See

Ma r t i n ez v. S ta t e

, 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 5

, 68 4 -6 8 5 (c) (i i) (8 2 0 S E 2 d 5 07 ) (2 0 1 8 )

(rem an d i n g a t ri al co u rt ’ s m o t i on t o s u p p res s ru l i n g fo r fact u al fi nd i ng s as t o wh et h er

a fo ren s i c s earch s u b s eq u en t t o a co ns en s u al s earch o f d efen d an t ’ s p h o n e ex ceed ed

t h e s co p e of co n s en t ); W i l l i a ms v. S t a te

, 3 0 1 G a. 6 0

, 6 2 (7 9 9 SE2 d 7 7 9 ) (2 0 1 7 )

( “ [ g ] iv en t he u n cert ai n t y i n t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er reg ard i n g t h e b as is fo r i t s ru li n g

,

t h i s C o u rt m

u st v acat e t h e o p i n i o n

. . . [an d ] rem an d t h i s cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r

fu rt her cl ari fi cat i o n o n t h e s p eci fi c fi n d i n g s t h at fo rm t h e b as i s fo r i t s l eg al

co n cl u s i o n s ”).

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed

. McFa d

den

, C. J., a n d McMi l l ia n

, P. J.

co n cu r

.

8