See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 46. 04( a) ( 2) ( Ver non Supp. 200 8)
. The i ndi ct m ental so al l eged t hat 1 Appel l antw as previ ousl yconvi ct ed o f a fel ony( ot hert han t he fel onyrel i ed u po n by t he St at e t o prove t he prim ary offe ns e), m ak i ng the offen s e p un i s ha ble a s a s ec on d d eg ree fel on y . See § 1 2.4 2(a ). NO. 0 7 - 0 8 - 0 2 2 4 - CR I N T HE COUR T OF AP PE AL S FO R T H E SEVENTH D I ST R I C T OF T EXAS

AT A MARI LLO P A NE L C J ULY31 , 20 09

______________________________ S HE L DON K E I T H CRA I N, A P P E L L A NT

V. T H E ST AT E OF T EXAS, APPELLEE

_________________________________ F R O M TH E 4 7 D IS T R IC T C O U R T O F P O T T E R C O U N T Y; TH NO. 5 4 , 0 7 3 - A ; HONO RA B L E HA L MI NE R, J UDGE

_______________________________ Be fore Q U I N N , C
. J. , and H AN C O C K an d PI R TLE, JJ . OP I NI ON Ap pe l l ant , S hel don K ei t h Cr ai n, was c harged byi ndi c t m entwi t h t he of fens e o f unl awf ul po s s es s i on of a f i r ear m bya fel on, en han c ed. Pu r s uan tt o a pl ea bargai n, 1 Ap pel l anten t er ed a p l ea of gu i l tyan d was as s es s ed a s ent enc e o f s i x y ears c onf i nement

### 2

and a f i n e o f $ 1 , 0 0 0
. T h e t r i a l c o u rt c e rt i f i e d A p p e l l a n t ’ s r i g h t t o a p p e a l ma tt e r s r ai s ed by w ritte n m o tio n f ile d a n d ru le d o n b e fo re t ria l. Se e T ex . R. A pp. P . 25
. 2( a) ( 2) ( A)
. Ap pel l ant no w r ai ses a si ng l e i ssue: w he t he rt he t r i al courte rre d byden y i ng hi s m ot i on t o sup press e v i d e n c e o b t a i n e d a ft e rh e w a s i l l e g a l l yd e t a i n e d . W e a ff i r m. Backg r oun d On A ppe l l ant ’ s m ot i on , t he t r i al c ourthe l d a s upp r es s i on hea r i ng and t he fol l owi ng evi de nce w as ad du ced . O n Jul y23, 200 6, O ff i cer D ew ay ne G r i f f in, A m a ril l o Po l i ce Depart m ent , was r es pon di ng t o a t heftc al l w he n he s pott ed Ap pel l antwal k i ng i n t he roa d w a yof a re si d e n t i a l a rea a t1 2 : 3 0 a . m . W h e n Ap p e l l a n tsa w O ff i ce r G ri ff i n ’ s p a t rol ca r, h e g ra b b e d a t h is w a is tb a n d . O ff ic e r G riff in n o te d A p p e lla n t’ s p r e s e n c e a n d d e c id e d t o r et ur n t o s pea k wi t h h i m aft err es pon di ng t o t he t heftc al l du e t o t he numberof bu r gl ar i es c o m m itt e d a fte r m id n ig h t in t h e a re a w h e re A p p e lla n t w a s sp o tt e d . Aft er resp on di ng t o t he cal l , O ff i cer G r i ff i n ret urne d. O ff i cer C od yM oo r e, w ho al so r espon de d t o t he t heftc al l as ba c k - up, ag r eed t o a s s i s t . Off i c erGr i ff i n l oc at ed Ap pel l ant w a lk in g a c ro s s a y a rd . H e t u rn e d h is s p o tli g h t o n A p p e lla n t a n d a s k e d h im t o co m e o v e r to hi s pa t r ol c aran d t al kt o h i m . Ap pel l antc ont i nue d wal k i ng s ev er al st ep s–t hen t ur ned t owar ds hi m . Off i c erGr i ff i n e x i t ed hi s c aran d wal k ed ov ert o App el l ant . Ap pel l antap pea r ed nerv ous an d a s k ed Off i c erG r i ff i n i f he was do i ng anyt hi ng wr ong . Off i c erGr i ff i n res pon ded he j us twant ed t o s pea kwi t h h i m . As t heyw er e t al k i ng, O ff i c erGr i ff i n n ot i c ed a s t r ong od or o f m a rih u a n a e m a n a tin g fro m A p p e lla n t’s p e rs o n a n d b re a th .

### 3

Aft ers m el l i ng t he m ar i hua na, Off i c erGr i ff i n d ec i ded t o d et ai n Ap pel l antforf urt her in v e s tig a tio n . H e a s k e d A p p e lla n t to p u t h is h a n d s b e h in d h is b a c k a n d a c c o m p a n y h im t o hi s pa t r ol c ar . As he ap proac hed t he pat r ol c ar , O ff i c erM oore ar r i v ed. Off i c erGr i ff i n p l ac ed Ap pel l antag ai ns tt he pa t r ol ca rw hi l e he patt ed do wn A ppe l l ant ’ s r i ghts i de. W hen Off i c er Moor e patt ed down Ap pel l ant ’ s l efts i de, he no t i c ed a b ul ge ben eat h h i s s hi rtan d, aft er pus hi ng aga i ns tt he bul ge, de t er m i ned A ppe l l antwas car ry i ng a h and gun . He pu l l ed up A p p e lla n t’s s h irt a n d d is a rm e d h im . O ff ic e r G riff in p la c e d A p p e lla n t u n d e r a rr e s t. J o A n n M a r e z t e s ti fie d sh e li v e d a t th e a d d re s s w h e re O ff ic e r G riff in firs t tu rn e d h is s pot l i ghton A ppe l l ant . Sh e f urt hert es t i f i ed Ap pel l antw as an a cqu ai nt anc e who m s he e x p e c te d to vis it h e r th a t n ig h t. W h e n O ff ic e r G riff in firs t c a lle d o u t to A p p e lla n t fr o m h is pa t r ol car , she t est i f i ed App el l an tw as fou ror f i ve fee tf r om her unl ock e d d o o r. S h e al so te s tifie d O ff ic e r G riff in o rd e re d o r c o m m a n d e d A p p e lla n t to “s to p ” a n d “ n o t to ru n .” I n r ebu tt al , O ff i c erG r i ff i n den i ed gi v i ng t hes e c om m and s . He t es t i f i ed t hat , un t i l he s m el l ed t he m ar i hua na, A ppe l l antwas f r ee t o l eav e. At t he hea r i ng’ s c onc l us i on, t he t r i al c ourtde ni ed A p p e l l a n t ’ s m o t i o n f i n d i n g O ff i ce r G ri ff i n ’ s t e st i m o n yw a s “verycred i b l e . ” Standar d of Review A t r i al co urt ’ s r ul i ng on a mo t i on t o s upp res s is rev i ew ed for ab use of

di scret i on, B a len tine v. S tate , 71 S
. W . 3d 763 , 76 8 ( Tex . C rim.App . 2 002 ) , un der a bi f urcat ed st and ard. A m a do r v. S tate , 221 S. W . 3d 666 , 673 ( Tex . Cri m. Ap p. 20 07)
. W hen a t r i al co urt ’ s factfi ndi ngs are b ase d o n a n e v al uat i on of w i t nes s credi bi l i ty or deme ano r , al mosttot al de ferenc e i s g i v en to its fa c tua l d e ter m ina tion s s u p p o rte d b yth e r e c o rd . S t. G e o rg e v. S tate , 237 S. W . 3d 720 , 72 5

### 4

(T e x.C rim .Ap p . 2 0 0 7 ). O n qu e s tion s of m ixe d law a n d fa c t tha t d o n o t tur n on t h e t ria l co u rt’s e va lua tion of

witn e s s c r e d ibility

an d de m e a n o r, ho we ve r, we c o n d u c t a de n ovore vie w. Amador, 2 2 1 S.W .3d at 6 7 3
. W hen , as he re, no fi ndi ngs of factw ere requ est ed nor fi l ed, w e v i ewt he ev i den ce i n t he l i ghtmost fav orabl e t o t he t r i al co urt ’ s r ul i ng and as sume t he t r i al co urtmad e i mpl i ci tfi ndi ngs o f fa c t s u p p o rte d byt h e re c o rd . S e e C a rm o u c h e v. S tate , 10 S
. W . 3d 323 , 32 7- 28 (T e x.C rim .Ap p . 2 0 0 0 ). I f the t ria l co u rt’s d e c is ion is c o rr e c t o n an yt h e o ryof law a p p lica b le to the c a s e , it will be su s tain e d . A rm e n da riz v. S tate , 123 S. W . 3d 401, 404 ( T ex. C ri m.App. 2003), c e rt. de n ied, 5 4 1 U .S. 97 4 , 1 2 4 S.C t. 18 8 3 , 1 5 8 L.E d .2d 46 9 (2 0 0 4 ). En cou nter

vs . Detent

ion A p p e lla n t c o n te n d s t h a t h e w a s u n la w fu llyd e ta in e d w h e n O ff ic e r G riff in sh in e d h is s pot l i ght on hi m and c om m and ed hi m t o “ s t op” or “ not t o r un. ” T he St at e con t en ds t hat O ff i ce r G ri ff i n ’ s init i a l co n t a ctw i t h Ap p e l l a n tw a s a n en co u n t e r t h a tev o l ve d i n t o a t e m p o rary i nv es t i gat i v e d et ent i on aft erO ff i c erG r i ff i n det ec t ed an odorof m ar i hua na em ana t i ng f r om A p p e lla n t. The r e are t hree di s t i nc tc at ego r i es of i nt eract i on s betw ee n po l i ce off i cers and ci t i z en s: e n c o u n te rs , in v e s tig a tive d e te n tio n s , a n d a rr e s ts. State v. P er ez , 85 S
. W . 3d 8 17, 81 9 (T e x .C rim .A p p . 2 0 0 2 ). E n c o u n te rs o c c u r w h e n p o lice o ff ic e rs a p p ro a c h a n in d iv id u a l i n pub l i c t o a s kquest i ons , an d d o n otr equ i r e a nyj us t i f i c at i on what s oev eron t he partof t he o ff ic e r. H a rp e r v. S ta te , 2 1 7 S
. W . 3 d 6 7 2 , 6 7 4 (Tex
. A p p . – A m a ri l l o 20 0 7 , no pe t . ). M o reo ve r,

### 5

p o lice o ff ic e rs d o n o t v io la te t h e F o u rth A m e n d m e n t b y m e re lya p p ro a c h in g a n in d iv id u a l i n a p ubl i c pl ac e, byas k i ng hi m i f he i s wi l l i ng t o a ns wers om e q ues t i ons , bypu tt i ng que s t i ons to h im if th e p e rs o n is w ill in g to lis te n , o r b y o ffe rin g in e v id e n c e in a cr im in a l p ro s e c u tio n h is v o lu n ta ry a n s w e rs t o su c h q u e s tio n s . Pe r ez , 85 S
. W . 3d at81 9. A s t op i s deemed an i nv es t i gat i v e det ent i on w hen a pol i c e of f i c erdet ai ns a pers on re a s o n a b lysu s p e c te d o f c rim in a l a c tivity to d e te rm in e h is id e n tity o r to m o m e n ta rilym a in ta in t he s tatusqu o w h ile s e e k in g a d d iti o n a l i n fo rm a tio n . H o a gv. S ta te , 72 8 S
. W . 2d 375 , 38 0 ( T ex . Cr i m . Ap p. 19 87)
. I n mak i ng a d et er m i nat i on w het heran en c oun t erorde t ent i on oc c ur r ed, we c ons i de ral l of t he c i r c um s t anc es s ur r oun di ng t he i nc i den tt o d et er m i ne

“ whet hert he pol i c e c ond uc tw oul d h av e c om m uni c at ed t o a r eas ona bl e p ers on t hatt he p e rs o n w a s n o t fr e e t o d e c lin e th e o ff ic e rs ’ re q u e s ts o r o th e rw is e te rm in a te th e e n c o u n te r.” S ta te v. G a rc ia -C a n tu , 253 S
. W . 3d 236 , 24 2 ( T ex . Cr i m . Ap p. 2 00 8). Ea c h c as e mus tbe e v a lu a te d o n it s o w n t e r m s . “ T h e t e s t is n e c e s s a rilyim p re c is e , b e c a u s e itis d e s ig n e d t o ac c es s t he c oer c i v e e ffec tof po l i c e cond uc t , t ak en as a whol e, r at hert han t o foc us on p a rtic u la r d e ta ils o f th a t c o n d u c t in is o la tio n . M o re o v e r, w h a t c o n s tit u te s a re s tra in t o f lib e rty prom pt i ng a p ers on t o c onc l ude t hathe i s no tf r ee t o ‘ l eav e’ wi l l v ary , no ton l ywi t h t he p a rtic u la r p o lice co n d u c t a t is s u e , b u t a ls o w ith t h e se tt in g in w h ic h t h e co n d u c t o c c u rs .” M ic hi gan v. Ches ter

nut , 4 8 6 U .S .5 6 7 , 5 7 3 , 1 0 8 S .C t. 1 9 7 5 , 1 0 0 L .E d .2 d 5 6 5 (1 9 8 8 ). “Itis t he di s pl ayof

of f i c i al au t hor i tyan d t he i m pl i c at i on t hatt hi s au t hor i tyc ann otbe i gno r ed, a vo i d e d , or t e rm i n a t e d , t h a tr e su l t s i n a F o u rt h Am e n d m e n tse i zure . ” G a rc ia -C a n tu , 253 S. W . 3d at24 3.

### 6

Th e fa ct s o f t h i s c a se a re q u i t e sim i l a r t o t h o se of S te w a rt v. S ta te , 603 S
. W . 2d 861 ( T ex . Cr i m . Ap p. 19 80)
. I n S te w a rt , two of f i c ers ob s erv ed a v an pa r k ed att he end of a dea d e n d str e e t in fro n t o f a h o u s e u n d e r c o n s tru c tio n . 6 0 3 S .W .2 d a t 8 6 2
. Th e y s h in e d t h e ir s pot l i ght s i nt o t he v an and sa w fourpe r s ons i ns i de. W hen t he dr i v erex i t ed t he v an, t he of f i c ers s m el l ed t he odo r of bur ni ng m ar i hua na. T he of f i c ers s ubs equ ent l y foun d mar i hua na in a kn a p s a c kp la c e d u n d e rn e a th th e v a n b y its p a s s e n g e rs . Th e C o u rt o f C rim in a l A p p e a ls hel d t hat “ [ t] he pol i c e e x er c i s ed no aut hor i tyun t i l aft ert heyha d s m el l ed t he odo rof bu r ni ng m a ri h u a n a . ” Id . Si m i l ar l y , he r e, Off i c erGr i ff i n d i d n oten gag e i n a nys how o f au t hor i t yu nt i l aft erhe s m el l ed m ar i hua na on Ap pel l ant . Li k e t he of f i c ers i n S te w a rt , he us ed hi s s pot l i ghtt o b ett er v i e w A p p e l l a n ta n d t h e s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a i n t h e d a r k . H e f i r s tr e q u e s t e d t h a tA p p e l l a n tc o me ov ert o h i s pa t r ol c aran d, when A ppe l l antdi d n ot , Off i c erGr i ff i n ex i t ed hi s c ar and wal k ed o v e r to A p p e lla n t. A p p e lla n t a s k e d if h e w a s d o in g a n yt h in g w ro n g a n d O ff ic e r G riff in r es pon ded t hathe j us t want ed t o s pea k wi t h hi m . From t he r ec or d, we c ann otde t er m i ne t he to n e o r d e m e a n o r o f th e o ff ic e r’s s ta te m e n t a n d w e m u s t, t h e re fo re , g iv e g re a t d e fe re n c e t o t he t r i al j udg e’ s as s es s m entas t o whe t hert he ex c han ge was m or e a k i n t o a comm and or a re q u e s t. Aft erOff i c erGr i ff i n s m el l ed t he m ar i hua na on Ap pel l ant ’ s pe r s on, he as k ed Ap pel l ant t o p l ac e h i s ha nds behi nd hi s bac kand l ed hi m t o t he pa t r ol c ar . T hus , pr i ort o s m el l i ng t he m ar i hua na and de t ai ni ng Ap pel l ant , Off i c er Gr i ff i n had s i m pl y i l l um i nat ed Ap pel l ant and t he s u rr o u n d in g a re a t o m o re c le a rly s e e in th e d a rk a n d th e n a p p ro a c h e d A p p e lla n t to a s kh im

### 7

s om e q ues t i ons . Undert hes e c i r c um s t anc es , we f i nd t hat Off i c er Gr i ff i n’ s c ond uc twoul d n ot c o m m u n ic a te t o a re a s o n a b le p e rs o n t h a t h e o r s h e w a s n o t fr e e t o d e c lin e O ff ic e r G riff in ’s re q u e s ts o r o th e rw is e t e rm in a te t h e e n c o u n te r. T hatOff i c erGr i ff i n a c t i v at ed hi s s pot l i ghtdi d n otne c es s ar i l ym ak e t h e e n c oun t erno nc o n s e n s u a l. G a rc ia -C a n tu , 25 3 S
. W . 3d at24 5 n . 43. Se e H u ds o n v. S ta te , 247 S. W . 3d 780 , 785 ( T ex . Ap p. –A m ar i l l o 2 008 , no pe t . )
. Her e, t he s pot l i ghtwas a m att erof pract i c al nec es s i tydu e t o t he t i m e o f ni ght . Mor eov er , A ppe l l antdi d n ots t op when t he s pot l i ghtwas s hi ned i n h i s di r ec t i on butl ook ed bac kan d c ont i nue d wal k i ng befor e f i nal l ys t opp i ng and faci ng O ff i c erGr i ff i n. Ap pel l antwas a ped es t r i an wi t h o pen ac c es s t o t he ent i r e y ar d a nd s to p p e d o f h is o w n vo lit io n . Ap pel l antr el i es on H u dso n , sup ra , t o a s s ertt hatOff i c erG r i ff i n’ s i ni t i al i nt er ac t i on was to d e ta in h im . In t h a t c a s e , H u d s o n w a s o b s e rv e d b y O ff ic e r C a rr ill o w a lk in g a c ro s s a fie ld i n a r es i den t i al area. 247 S
. W . 3d at78 3. As he ne ar ed t he c ur b, Off i c erCar r i l l o a c t i v at ed hi s pa t r ol c aremer gen c yl i ght s an d c al l ed t o h i m . W hen he was as k ed fori den t i f i c at i on, Huds on’ s ey es wer e g l as s yan d h e a ppe ar ed nerv ous , s hak y . Aft erqu es t i oni ng Huds on abo utt he us e o f

c ont r ol l ed s ubs t anc es , Off i c er Car r i l l o pl ac ed hi m i n f r ontof hi s pa t r ol c ar and beg an a pat down s ear c h when he di s c ov er ed a b ul ge i n Hud s on’ s po c k etwhi c h t ur ned o u t to b e a b a g o f m a rih u a n a . I d. Thi s Co urtdet erm i ne d t ha t , und er t he ci r cum st an ces, Off i c erCar r i l l o’ s s t op of Huds on was no tan en c oun t erbu ta det ent i on be c aus e Hud s on st o p p e d i n r e sp o n se t o t h e ac t i va t i o n of t h e em e rge n cyl i g h t s rat h e r t h a n of h i s o w n ac co rd an d t he r e w as no evi de nce t he l i gh t s w ere act i vat ed for safetyr ea son s ordue t o da r kne ss.Nei t heri s t hi s case si m i l art o G ar cia–Cantu, su pra , wh er e t he o ff i cerdi spl ay ed n umer ous i ndi ci a of 2 aut hor i t yi n con nect i on w i t h t he u se of a spot l i ght . Pr i orto tu rning on t he sp ot l i ght , t he o ff i cerbl ocked t he suspect ’ s exi tw i t h hi s pat r ol car . 2 53 S. W . 3d a t249
. Aft ert ur ni ng o n hi s spot l i ght , t he o ff i cerapp r oached t he suspect ’ s t r uck “ wi t h a l ong f l ashl i ghtpl ay i ng o vert he d r i ver ’ s si de, i m m edi at el ysay i ng, “ W hatare y ou d oi ng her e?, us[ ed] hi s f l ashl i ghtt o w ave t he p assenge rback t o t he rearof t he t r uck, and , st andi ng t oe- t o- t oe w i t h [ t he drive r], sh i n[e d]h i s fl as hli gh t i nto [t he dri v er’s] eyes
... I d. 

### 8 2 4 7 S .W .3 d a t 7 8 5 -8 6
. F u rth e r, O ff ic e r C a rr ill o te s tifie d t h a t h e a c tiva te d h is o v e rh e a d li g h ts as a s i gna l t o s t op and woul d hav e pos s i bl y c harged t he ped es t r i an wi t h ev as i on had he f l ed. Id . Here, t here i s ev i den c e A ppe l l antc ont i nue d wal k i ng aft erOff i c erGr i ff i n a c t i v at ed t he s pot l i ght and r equ es t ed t hat he c om e ov er t o t he pat r ol c ar . Furt her , Off i c erGr i ff i n t es t i f i ed he ac t i v at ed t he s pot l i ghtt o s ee m or e c l ear l yi n t he dar kan d A ppe l l antwas f r ee t o s t op or n o t. 2 F in a lly , b a s e d u p o n M a re z’ s t e s tim o n y, A p p e lla n t c o n te n d s O ff ic e r G riff in c o m m a n d e d o r o rd e re d h im t o “ s to p ” o r “n o t to r u n ” in c o n ju n c tio n w ith s h in in g t h e sp o tli g h t. Off i c erGr i ff i n, ho wev er , t es t i f i ed t hat , aft erhe l oc at ed Ap pel l ant , he di d notorderor c om m and A ppe l l antt o t ak e a nyac t i on but as k ed hi m onl y t o c om e o v ert o h i s c arors pea k w i t h hi m . To r eso l ve t hi s c on f l i ct i ng t est i m on y , w e de fer t o t he t r ial co urt ’ s express d e t e rm i n a t i o n t h a t O ff i ce r G ri ff i n ’ s t e st i m o n y w a s “ve ry cre d i b l e . ” S e e G a rc ia -C a n tu , 25 3 S .W .3 d a t 2 4 9
. Th e t ria l co u rt is th e so le ju d g e o f w itn e s s e s ’ cr e d ib ili ty ; G u zm a n v. S ta te , 955 S
. W . 2d 85, 89 ( T ex . C r i m . A pp . 19 97) , an d mayac c eptorrej ec tan yoral l of t he w itn e s s e s ’ t e s tim o n y. J o h n s o n v. S ta te , 8 0 3 S .W .2 d 2 7 2 , 2 8 7 (T e x . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 0 ). Se e a ls o G a rc ia – C a n tu , 253 S
. W . 3d at24 1. Ap pel l ant ’ s s ol e i s s ue i s ov er r ul ed.

### 9 Concl usi on T he t r i al c ourt ’ s j udg m enti s af f i r m ed.

Pa t r i c kA . P i rt l e

J us t i c e Qui nn, C. J . , di s s ent i ng. P u b lish .