SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and C OOM ER, JJ.

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

A pr i l 29, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 01 8 . LANDERS v . THE STATE.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

Ran d al l L an ders ap peal s fro m a t ri al co urt o rd er den y i n g h i s m otion t o s u p p res s

t h e co n ten t s o f a p o rt ab le s t o rag e d ev i ce d i s co vered o n h is p ers o n d u ri n g an arres t

.

Lan ders co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n h o l d i ng t h at th e s earch warran t fo r t h e

p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce was s up p o rt ed by s u ffi ci en t p ro b ab l e cau se. Fo r t h e fo l l o wi n g

reas on s , we v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d t h e cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt

.

An i n v es t i g at o r w it h t h e Hal l Co un t y Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce o b tai n ed arres t warran t s

o n L an d ers fo r t wo co un t s o f a g g r a v a t e d ch i l d m ol es t at i o n an d t wo co u n t s o f

a g grav at ed so do m

y

. W h i l e o ffi cers were effect i n g t h e arres t warran t s

, Lan d ers

al l eg ed l y “ p u t h is h an d i n to o n e o f h i s p a n t s p o ck et s i n ord er t o d i s card wh at

[o ffi cers ] b el i ev e d m i g h t be a weap o n .” Lan d ers was st o p p ed

, h an d cu ffed

, an ds earch ed i n ci d en t t o hi s arres t

. Th e s earch rev eal ed a p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d e v i ce in

Lan ders ’ p o ck et

.

Th e i n v es t i gat o r s o u g h t an d recei v ed a s earch w arran t fo r t h e p o rt ab l e s t o rag e

d ev ice o n M ay 1 1

, 20 1 8

. Th e affi d av i t i n su p po rt o f t h e warran t i n d i cat ed t h at

Lan der s was u nd er i n ves t i gat i o n fo r s ex cri m es ag ai n s t t wo vi ct i m s

, t h at h e

p rev i o u s l y h ad b een t h e s u b ject o f s im i l ar i n v es t i g at i o n s

, an d t h at h e t ri ed t o d i s card

t h e p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce fo un d o n h i s p ers o n wh en o ffi cers arri ved t o arres t h i m

.

On J an uary 31

, 20 1 9

, Lan d ers fi l ed a m o t i o n t o su p p res s

, co n t en di n g th at t h e s earch

warran t fo r t h e p o rt ab le st o rag e d ev i ce was n o t s up p o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e cau s e. On

Feb ru ary 1 8

, 2 0 1 9

, th e i nv es ti g at o r s o ug h t an ad d it i on al s earch warran t fo r t h e

p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev ice. Th e a ffi d av it i n s u p p ort o f t h e 2 0 1 9 search warran t was

i d en t i c a l t o t h at s u p p l i ed i n 2 0 18 ex cep t fo r an ad d i t i o n al p arag rap h d es cri b i n g t h e

i n v es t i g at o r’ s p ri o r in v o l v em en t i n v es t i gat i ng ch i l d sex cri m e s ( n o t i nv o l v i n g

Lan der s ) a n d h i s o p i n io n t h at b as ed o n h i s ex p eri en ce an d t rai n i n g

, s uch offen d ers

o ft en s t o re ev id en ce o f t h ei r cri m es o n el ect ro n ic s t o rag e d ev i ces

.

Lan d ers fi led am en ded m o t i o n s t o s u p p res s t he p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce

co n ten t s

. In t h e seco n d am en d ed m o t i o n

, h e arg u ed t h at n ei t h er t h e 2 0 1 8 s earch

warran t n o r t h e 2 0 19 s earch war r a n t w ere s u p p o rt ed b y p ro bab l e cau se. He al s o

2arg u ed t h at t he 2 0 19 s earch warran t was i m p ro p er b ecau s e o f t h e d el ay i n o b t ai n i n g

t h e warran t

. Th e t ri al co urt d en i ed t h e m o t io n t o su p pres s

, fi nd i n g t h at al t h o u g h t h e

2 0 1 9 s earch warran t m ay h a v e cl ari fi ed an y p ro b ab l e cau se, i t was no t n eces s ary

b ecau s e t h e 20 1 8 s earch warran t w a s s u pp o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e cau s e. Th e t ri al co u rt

cert ifi ed i t s ru l i n g fo r i m

m ed iat e rev i ew, an d L an d ers fi l ed a ti m el y a p p l i cat i o n fo r

i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p eal , wh i ch we g ran t ed . Th i s ap peal fo l l owed

.

“ W h en a d efen d an t m o v es t o s u p p res s ev i d en ce b as ed o n an i l leg al search

, t h e

St at e bears t h e b urd en o f p ro v i n g t hat t h e s earch was l awfu l .” S t a t e v. S t a l ey

, 2 4 9 Ga.

Ap p

. 20 7

, 2 0 7 ( 5 48 SE2 d 2 6 ) (2 0 0 1). “ On ap p eal

, we co n s tru e th e ev i d en ce i n t h e

l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru li ng .” Id

. at 2 0 7 -2 0 8

. “ On ap p el l at e rev i ew

o f a tri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n o n a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s ev i den ce, we accep t t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

ru l i n g on d is p u t ed fact s u n l es s i t i s cl earl y erro n eo u s

, bu t t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n

o f t he l aw t o u n d i sp u t ed fact s i s s u b ject t o d e n o v o rev i ew.” Ni ch o l s v. S ta t e

, 3 3 6 Ga.

Ap p . 2 8 7 , 2 8 7 (7 8 3 SE2 d 9 1 8 ) (2 0 1 6 ). It i s wel l -es t ab li s h ed t h at

a m ag i s t rat e’ s t as k i n d et erm i n i n g i f p ro b ab le cau s e ex i s t s to i ss u e a

s earch warran t i s s i m

p l y t o m ak e a p ract i cal

, co m m on -s e n s e d eci s i o n

wh et h er, g i v en al l t h e ci rcu m s t an ces s et fo rt h i n t h e affi dav it b efo re h i m

, i n cl u d i n g t h e “ v eraci t y ” an d “ b as i s of k no wl ed g e” o f p ers o n s s u pp l y i n g

h ears ay i n fo rm at i o n

, t h ere i s a fai r p ro b ab i l it y t h at co nt rab an d o r

ev i d en ce o f a cri m e wi ll b e fo u nd in a p a r t i c u l a r p lace. Ou r d u ty i n

rev i ewi ng t h e m ag i s t rat e’ s d eci s i o n i n t h i s cas e i s to d et erm i n e i f th e

3m ag i s t rat e h ad a “ s u b s t an t i al b as i s ” fo r co n cl ud i n g t hat p ro b ab le cau s e

ex i s ted to i ss u e t h e s earch war r an t s

. A m ag i st rat e’ s d eci s i o n t o i s s u e a

s earch w a r r an t b as ed o n a fi n d i ng o f p ro bab l e cau s e i s en t i t l ed t o

s u b s t an t i al d eferen ce b y a rev iewi ng co u rt

. Ev en d o ub t fu l cas es s h o u l d

b e res ol ved in fav o r o f up h o l d in g a m ag i s t r a t e ’s d et erm i n at i o n t h at a

warran t i s p ro per.

S h i r l ey v. S t a t e

, 2 9 7 Ga. 7 2 2

, 7 2 3 -7 2 4 (7 7 7 SE2 d 4 4 4 ) ( 2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). Ho w ev er, “ [t ] h e l aw req ui res t h at s u ffi ci en t fact s b e s et fo rt h

i n th e affi d av i t t o en ab l e t h e m ag i s t rat e t o m ak e an i n d ep en d en t d et erm i n at i o n as to

wh et h er p ro b ab l e cau se ex i s t s fo r t h e i s s u an ce o f a s earch warran t .” McMa h a n v.

S t a t e

, 1 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 1

, 4 9 2 (1 8 8 SE2 d 1 8 3) (1 9 7 2 ). “ An affi d av i t m u s t al l o w a

m ag i s t rat e t o m ak e an in dep en d en t d et erm i nat i on of p ro b ab l e cau s e b as ed u p o n fact s

,

an d wh o ll y

co ncl u s o ry

s t at em en t s wi l l n o t s u ffi ce.” Sh i r l ey

, 2 9 7 Ga. at 7 2 4

.

Lan d ers arg u es t h at t h e t r i al co u rt erred i n h ol d i n g th at t h e 2 01 8 warran t to

s earch t h e p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce was s u pp o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e cau s e. W e ag ree.

In R i l ey v. Ca l i

f o r n i a

, t h e Un i t ed St at es Su p rem e Co u rt co n s i dered wh et h er

p o l i ce are req u i red t o o b t ai n a warran t t o s earch d ig i t al i n fo rm at io n o n a cel l p h o n e

s ei zed fro m an i n d iv i d u al i n ci den t t o an arres t

. 5 7 3 U. S. 3 7 3

, 3 7 8 (1 3 4 SCt 2 4 7 3

, 1 8 9

LE2 d 4 3 0 ) (2 0 1 4). Th e Co u rt fi rs t ex p l ai n ed t h at wh en a p ers o n i s arres t ed

, a warran t

i s g en eral l y n o t req u i red fo r t h e arres t i n g o ffi cer to s earch t h e p ers o n t o rem o v e an y

4weap o n s an d s ei ze an y ev i d en ce on t h e p ers o n to p rev en t t h e c o nceal m en t o r

d es t ru ct io n o f t hat ev i d en ce. Id

. at 3 8 3 (II). In Ri l ey , t h e d efen d an t s co n ced ed “ t h at

o ffi cers co u l d h av e s ei zed a n d s ecu red th ei r cel l p h o nes t o p rev en t des t ru ct i o n o f

ev i d en ce wh i l e seek i n g a warran t .” Id . at 3 8 8 (III) (A) (2 ). Th e Co urt ch aract eri zed

t h i s as “ a s en s i b l e co nces s i o n

. ” Id

. at 3 88 (III) (A) (2 ). Th e Co u rt n o t ed

, h owev er, t h at

wh en t h e s earch i s o f d i g i t al d at a, t h ere are n o ri s ks co m p arab l e t o t h e ri s k s o f h arm

t o o ffi cers o r d es t ru ct i o n o f ev i d en ce. Id

. at 3 8 6 (III). In ad d i t i on

, a s e a r ch o f t h e

d i g i t a l d at a o n a cel l p h o n e i n t ru d es u p on an i n d i v i d u al ’ s pri v acy far m o re t h an a

s earch of p h y s ical i t em s fo u n d o n a s u sp ect ’ s p ers o n

. I d

. a t 3 9 3 (III) (B).

Co n s eq u en t l y

, t h e Co u rt h el d th at a warran t i s g en eral ly req u ired b efo re a s earch o f

d at a o n a cel l p ho ne, ev en wh en t h e cel l p h on e i s sei zed i n ci den t t o an arres t

. Id

. at

4 0 1 (IV).

Li k e t h e d efen d an t s i n R i l e y

, L an d ers d o es n o t ch al len g e t h e s ei zu r e o f t h e

p o rt ab l e st o rag e d ev i ce fo u nd i n h i s p o ck et wh en h e was arres ted

. An y ch al l en g e to

t h e s ei z u r e o f t h e d ev i ce li k el y wo u l d h av e b een wi t h o u t m eri t b ecau s e l aw

en fo rcem en t offi cers can g en eral l y s ei ze ev i d en ce fo u nd o n an i nd i v i d u al i n a s earch

i n ci d en t t o an arres t w i t ho ut a w arran t t o p rev en t th e ev i den ce fro m b ei n g co n ceal ed

o r d es t ro y ed

. See R i l ey

, 57 3 U. S. at 3 8 3 (II). Ho wev er, Lan d ers arg u es t hat t h e 2 0 1 8

5s earch warran t t o s earch t h e co n t en t s o f t h e p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce was n o t s u p p o rt ed

b y p ro bab l e cau se b ecau s e th e affi d av i t s u p p o rt i n g th e 2 0 1 8 s earch warran t fai l ed to

es t ab l i s h a n ex u s b et ween t h e ch arg ed cri m es o f ag grav at ed ch i l d m o l es t at i o n an d

a g g rav at ed s o do m

y an d ev i d en ce o f t h o s e cri m es b ei n g l o cat ed o n t h e p o rt ab l e

s t orag e d ev i ce.

“ Befo re a w arran t m ay i s s u e, t h e i s s u i ng m ag i s t rat e m u s t h av e su ffi ci en t

reas on s t o b el i ev e t hat a cri m e was co m m i tt ed

, t h at t h e i t e m s s o u g h t are co n n ect ed

wi t h t he cri m e, an d t h at t h e i tem s s o u g h t wi l l be fo u n d i n t h e p l ace t o b e s earch ed .”

Br o wn v. S t a t e

, 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 6

, 1 7 8 ( 1) (6 0 5 SE2 d 8 85 ) (2 00 4 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). “ A s earch warran t m u s t be s u p p o r t e d b y p ro b ab l e cau s e, o r

reas on ab l e g ro u nd s

, t o b el i ev e t h at ev i d en ce of a cri m e wi l l b e fo u n d i n a p art i cu l ar

p l ace.” S t a ley , 2 4 9 Ga. Ap p . at 2 0 9

.

Pro b ab l e cau s e m ean s l es s t h an a cert ai n t y b u t m o re t h an m ere s u s pi ci o n

o r p o s s i b i li t y

. M ere sp ecu l at i o n, ru m o r, o r o p i n io n i s n o t en o u gh ; t h ere

m u s t be reas o n ab l e g ro u n d s aft er i n q u iry

. Fu rt h e r m o re, d et erm i nat i o n

o f w h et h er t h ere i s p ro b ab l e cau s e fo r i s s uan ce of a s earch warran t m u s t

b e m ad e n o t by t h e p o l i ce o ffi cer b u t b y t h e m ag i s t rat e. Th e offi cer m u s t

p l ace b efo re t h e m ag i s trat e s u ffi ci en t fact s t o en ab l e t h e l at t er t o m ak e

h i s own det erm i n at i o n an d n o t m erel y ad o p t t he co n cl us i o n s o f th e

p o l i ce o ffi cer. Th e t o t al i t y o f ci rcu m s t an ces i n a g i v en cas e m ay be

s u ffi ci en t t o creat e p ro b ab l e cau s e.

6Y

och a m v. S t a t e

, 1 6 5 Ga. Ap p

. 65 0

, 6 5 2 ( 3 ) (3 0 2 SE2 d 3 9 0 ) (1 9 83 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

“ Here, b ecau s e t h e m ag i s t rat e o n l y co n s i d e r e d th e ev i d en ce i n t h e warran t

ap p l i cat i o n s i n i s s u i n g t h e s earch warran t s

, o u r an al y si s i s co n fi n ed t o t h e fo u r

co rn ers of th o s e d o cu m en t s .” S t a t e v. P er ez

, 3 4 9 G a. Ap p. 7 0 7

, 7 0 9 (8 2 4 SE2 d 8 0 4 )

(2 0 1 9). Th e affi d av i t i n s u p p o rt o f t h e 2 0 18 s earch warran t d id n o t es t ab l i s h an y

co n nect io n b et w een t h e ch arg ed cri m es o f a g g rav at ed ch i l d m o les t at i o n an d

ag g rav at ed s o d o m

y an d an y co n t en t t h at m i g h t be o n t h e p ort ab l e st orag e d ev i ce. Th e

2 0 1 8 affi d av i t d i d n ot p ro v i d e an y in fo rm at i on rel at i n g t o ev i d en ce t hat co u l d b e

fo u n d o n t he p ort ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce, s u ch as tes t i m on y fro m an al l eg ed v i ct i m t h at

Lan ders p h o t o grap h ed cert ai n act s

. Fu rt h erm o re, t h e affi d av it in s u p p o rt o f t h e 2 0 1 8

warr a n t d i d no t i n cl u d e an y i n fo rm at i o n t h at th ere i s a l i nk b et ween an act o f ch i ld

m o les t at i o n o r ag g rav at e d s o d o m y an d th e l ik el ih o od o f l o cat i n g ev i d en ce o r

co n trab an d o n t he d i g i t al s t o rag e d ev i ce, s u ch as t h e i n v es t i g at o r’ s s t at em en t i n t h e

2 0 1 9 affi d av i t t h at b as ed o n h i s ex p eri en ce an d t rai n i n g

, ch il d m o l es ters o ft en s t o red

ev i d en ce o f t h ei r cri m es o n d i g i t al s t o rag e d ev i ces

. In d eed

, t h e o n l y s t at em en t to

co m e cl os e t o es t ab li s hi ng a n ex u s b et ween t he ch arg ed cri m es o f ag g rav at ed ch i ld

m o les t at i o n an d ag g rav at ed s o d o m y an d t h e co n t en t s o f t h e p o rt ab l e s t o rag e d ev i ce

7i s t h e fo l l o wi n g s t at em en t : “ Du e t o Lan ders at t em p ti n g t o d is card t h e s t o rag e d ev i ce

u p o n seei n g l aw en fo rcem en t [t h e i n v es t i g at o r] b el i ev es t h at t h ere m ay be ev i d en ce

o n t he st o rag e d ev i ce t h at i s c r u ci al t o t h e o ng o i n g i n v es t i g at io n .” Ho wev er, “ [a]

s u s p i ci o n o r ‘ s t ro n g reas o n t o s u s pect ’ i s an i n s u ffi ci en t fo un d at io n fo r a fi n d i n g o f

p ro b ab l e cau s e.” Br o wn v. S t at e

, 2 6 9 Ga. 83 0

, 8 32 (2 ) (5 0 4 SE2 d 4 43 ) (1 9 9 8 )

(ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u a t i o n o m i t t ed ). Th e i n v es t i g at o r’ s b el i ef t h at t h ere m ay b e

ev i d en ce o f ag g rav at ed ch il d m o les t at i o n an d ag g rav at ed s o d o m y o n t h e p o rt ab l e

s t orag e d ev i ce, as ex p res s ed i n t h e affi d av i t

, am ou n t s t o n o m o re t h an a s us p i ci o n o r

s t ro n g reas o n t o s u sp ect

. Th u s

, t h e 2 0 1 8 affi d av i t d i d n o t p ro v i d e t h e m ag is t rat e wi th

a su b s t an t i al b as i s fo r co ncl u d i n g t h at p ro b ab le cau s e ex i s t ed t o i s su e t h e 2 0 1 8 s earch

warran t

. See Vi r

g i n Is la n d

s v. Jo h n

, 65 4 F.3 d 41 2

, 4 2 0 (III) (3 rd Ci r. 2 01 1 ) (wh ere

t h er e i s no i n fo rm at i o n i n t h e affi d av i t t o s u p p o rt t h e cl ai m t hat ch i l d p o rn o g rap hy

w o u l d b e o n t h e d efen d an t ’ s co m pu t er an d n o fact s al l eg ed ab ou t t h e co rrel at i o n

b et ween ch i l d m o l es t ers an d ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y , t h ere was n o p ro b ab l e cau s e an d i t

was erro r t o is s u e a s earch warran t fo r t h e co m p u t e r )

. C o n s eq u en tl y

, we are

co n st rai ned to h o ld t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in h o l d i n g t h at t h e 2 0 1 8 s earch warran t

w a s s u p p o rt ed b y pro bab l e cau s e. Th erefo re, we v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d

rem an d t hi s cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt wi t h t h e d i rect i o n t h at t h e t ri al co urt co ns i d er t h e

8effect o f t he d el ay b et ween t h e 2 0 1 8 an d 2 01 9 s earch warran t s an d w h et h e r t h e

i n v es t i g at o r’ s 2 0 1 9 affi d av i t cu red t h e d efect wi t h t h e 2 0 1 8 affi d av i t

.

Ju d g men t va ca ted a n d ca s e r ema n d ed wi th d i r ect i o n

. Mi ll er

, P. J., a n d

Mer ci er , J., co n cu r

.

9