# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 5- 32 37

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Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e ,

v.

Lem arcu s Art hu r W rig ht
,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa - Dav en po rt

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Su bm it te d: Sep te m

be r 23 , 20 16 Fi le d: Decem

be r 23 , 20 16

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Befo re COLLOTON, MELLOY , and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Lem arcu s W rig ht en te red a co nd it io n a l pl ea of gu il ty to a dr ug tra ffi ck in g ch arg e, res erv in g hi s rig ht to ap pe al an or de r of th e di st ric t co ur t de nyin g hi s m ot io n 1

Th e Hon or ab le St ep ha ni e M. Ro se , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r t h e 1 So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa

.to su pp res s ev id en ce se iz ed du rin g an d aft er a se arch of hi s ve hi cl e. W rig ht ha s no t

es ta bl is he d a vi ol at io n o f hi s ri gh ts un de r th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t, s o we a ffi rm

.

The ch arg e ag ai ns t W rig ht aro se fro m an in ve st ig at io n of on e Vict or Bro wn by
th e Dav en po rt, Io wa po li ce de pa rtment. In Decem be r 20 14
, a co nf

id en ti al in fo rm an t

m ad e a co nt ro ll ed pu rch as e of crac k co cai ne fro m Bro wn. A week la te r, on Decem be r 11
, th e in fo rm an t no ti fie d po li ce th at Bro wn an d he wou ld be le av in g fo r C h i cag o fro m Bro wn’s res id en ce at se ve n o’cl oc k th at ev en in g wit h an un kn ow n bl ack m al e fro m Cl in to n, Io wa, to pu rch as e cra ck co cai ne . The i nf or m an t s ai d th at he was su pp os ed to dr iv e th e un kn own bl ack m al e’s da rk -co lo red sp or t ut il it y ve hi cl e wit h Cli nt on Co un ty li cen se pl at es

. Po li ce la te r id en ti fie d th e un kn own co m pa ni on

as W rig ht

.

Bas ed on th e in fo rm an t’s rep or t, of fic ers co nd uc te d su rv ei ll an ce ne ar Bro wn’s

res id en ce be gi nn in g at ap pr ox im at el y si x o’cl oc k. Sh or tl y aft er 6: 30 p.m ., po li ce sa w

a da rk -co lo red SUV wit h Cl in to n Co un ty li cen se pl at es ap pr oa ch th e ho m e. Bro wn le ft th e ho m e an d en te red th e SUV. Offi cers fo ll owe d th e ve hi cl e un ti l it m erg ed on to

eas tb ou nd Int ers ta te 80 an d t he n d is co nt in ue d s ur ve il la nc e.

Offi cers in Dav en po rt rees ta bl is he d su rv ei ll an ce of an area on Bro wn’s li ke ly

ret ur n ro u t e a t 1 2 :4 5 a.m

. on Decem be r 12

. At ap pr ox im at el y 1: 30 a.m ., of fic ers ob se rv ed th e sa m e da rk -co lo red SUV tra ve li ng so ut h on Hig hwa y 61 an d fo ll owe d
it to Bro wn’s res id en ce. The re, Bro wn an d W rig ht ex it ed th e ve hi cl e, walk ed to th e ba ck
, op en ed th e rear do or s, an d ru m m ag ed aro un d fo r se ve ral m in ut es

. Bro wn th en

en te red hi s res id en ce fo r a sh or t ti m e; whe n he ret ur ne d, bo th m en go t back in to th e SUV. A few m in ut es la te r, Bro wn le ft th e ve hi cl e wit h a du ffel ba g an d reen te red hi s

res id en ce. The re is no ev id en ce th at th e co nf id en ti al in fo rm an t acco m

pa ni ed Bro wn

an d Wrig ht in th e v eh ic le

.

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-W rig ht de pa rte d Bro wn’s res id en ce in th e SUV. Offi cers fo ll owe d as W rig ht

m ad e two st op s fo r fif

te en to twen ty m in ut es each
, wit ho ut an y on e en te rin g or ex it in g th e ve hi cl e, an d th en arri ve d at th e pa rk in g lo t of a m ul ti -u ni t ap art m en t c o mp le x. Offi cers were fam il ia r wit h th e ap art m en t co m pl ex fro m ot he r dr ug in ve st ig at io ns at th a t a d d r e s s

. Afte r wait in g fo r se ve ral m in ut es , th e su rv ei ll an ce of fic ers as ke d a

un ifo rm ed of

fic er to ap pr oa ch th e SUV i n a mar ke d sq ua d car an d id en ti fy th e

ve hi cl e’s oc cu pa nt s.

The un ifo rm ed of

fic er dr ov e on to th e pr op ert y , po si ti on ed th e sq ua d car be hi nd
W rig ht ’s SUV, an d sh in ed a sp ot li gh t on to th e ba ck win do w. The of fic er an d W rig ht

ex it ed th ei r res pe ct iv e ve hi cl es , an d a co nv ers at io n en su ed

. W rig ht id en ti fie d hi m se lf

an d sa id th at he was vi si ti ng hi s co us in

. The of fic er sm el le d bu rn t m ari

juan a co m in g fro m W rig ht ’s pe rs on

. The of fic er th en di rect ed W rig ht to walk wit h an ot he r of fic er
away fro m th e ve hi cl e fo r qu es ti on in g. W rig ht was ev en tu al ly pl aced in th e ba ck se at of a sq ua d c ar.

The un ifo rm ed of

fic er th en walk e d aro un d th e ou ts id e of th e SUV, o bs erv ed

a m ari juan a ci ga r on th e fro nt cen te r co ns ol e, an d sm el le d m ari juan a em an at in g fro m th e ve hi cl e. Sev era l o f

f i c e r s se arch ed th e ve hi cl e; th ey se iz ed th e m ari juan a ci ga r f r om th e co ns ol e an d ap pr ox im at el y 11 3 gr am s of crac k co cai ne fro m th e gl ov e

co m pa rtment. Offi cers th en pl aced W rig ht un de r arre st

.

A gr an d jury ch arg ed W rig ht wit h po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e co cai ne ba se an d co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e co cai ne ba se , in vi ol at io n of 21 U.S.C. §§ 84 1( a)(1 )

an d 84 6. W rig ht m ov ed to su pp res s al l ev i d e n c e s e i z e d du rin g th e se arch of hi s

ve hi cl e, an y st at em en ts he m ad e at th e sc en e or whi le in po li ce cu st od y , an d an y da ta ob ta in ed fro m hi s cel lu la r te le ph on e. The co ur t or al ly de ni ed th e m ot io n, an d W rig ht

en te red a co nd it io na l pl ea to th e co ns pi racy ch arg e, res erv in g hi s rig ht to ap pe al th e de ni al

.

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-On ap pe al
, W rig ht arg ue s th at th e po li ce vi ol at ed t h e F o u r th Am en dm en t

be cau se th ey di d no t ha ve pr ob ab le cau se to en te r th e ap art m en t co m pl ex ’s cu rti la ge ,
reas on ab le su sp ic io n to de ta in hi m , or pr ob ab le cau s e t o se arch th e ve hi cl e. W e

rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t’s le ga l co nc lu si on s de no vo an d it s fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear

erro r. Uni te d S ta te s v. Bea rd en , 78 0 F .3d 88 7, 8 92 (8t h C ir. 2 01 5)

.

The Co ns ti tu ti on fo rb id s un reas on ab le se arch es an d se iz ur es , bu t F o u r th
Am en dm en t rig ht s are pe rs on al rig ht s an d m ay no t be vi cari ou sl y as se rte d. Rak as v. Ill in oi s , 43 9 U.S. 12 8, 13 3- 34 (1 97 8)

. A pe rs on ch al le ng in g th e co ns ti tu ti on al it y of

a se arch m

us t de m on st rat e a le gi ti m at e ex pe ct at io n of pr iv acy in th e area

se arch ed —t ha t is
, he m

us t ha ve a su bjec ti ve ex pe ct at io n of pr iv acy t h a t s o c i e ty is

pr ep ared to reco gn iz e as reas on ab le

. Id

. at 14 3 & n.1 2.

W rig h t l a c k s st an di ng to ch al le ng e th e en try in to th e pa rk in g lo t of th e
ap art m en t co m

pl ex be cau s e h e d i d n ot ha ve a reas on ab le ex pe ct at io n of pr iv acy in
th at area

. W rig ht di d no t own or li ve at th e pr op ert y ; he was no t an ov ern ig ht gu es t. Cf

. Min ne so ta v. Ols on , 49 5 U.S. 91
, 96 -9 7 (1 99 0) . W rig ht cla im ed th at hi s cou si n li ve d at th e ap ar t men t co m pl ex , bu t W rig ht can no t vi cari ou sl y as se rt Fo ur th
Am en dm en t rig ht s of th e co us in

. W e th us ne e d n ot ad dr es s whe th er th e of fic ers ’

en try int o t he pa rk in g l ot was l awfu l.

W rig ht al so arg ue s th at th e of fic ers di d no t ha ve reas on ab le su sp ic io n to de ta in
hi m in th e pa rk in g lo t. The un ifo rm ed of fic er’s act of sh in in g a sp ot li gh t on W rig ht ’s

car was no t a s ei zu re, Uni te d S ta te s v. Law ho rn , 73 5 F.3d 81 7, 82 0 (8t h Cir. 2 01 3)
,
an d W rig ht do es no t cl ai m th at th e of fic er effe ct ed a se iz ur e by bl oc ki ng W rig ht ’s
SUV wit h th e sq ua d car. Cf

. Uni te d St at es v. Tu le

y , 16 1 F.3 d 51 3
, 5 1 5 (8 th Ci r. 19 98 ). Ther efo re, n o s us pi ci on was re qu ire d a t t he po in t of the in it ia l co nv ers at io n be twee n W

rig ht an d th e un ifo rm ed of fic er. Onc e th e u ni fo rm ed off ic er det ect ed an od or of m ari

juan a c o mi n g fro m W rig ht ’s pe rs on , th e of fic er ha d pr ob ab le cau se to

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-a r r e s t W rig ht an d, a fo rt io ri , reas on ab le su sp ic io n to de ta in hi m fo r fu rth er

in ve st ig at io n. Uni te d S ta te s v. Per do ma , 62 1 F .3d 74 5, 7 49 (8t h C ir. 2 01 0)

.

In an y ev en t, th e po li ce ha d a mp l e r eas on ab le su sp ic io n to jus ti fy an in ve st ig at iv e st op of W rig h t i n t h e p a rk in g lo t. The y rece iv ed a ti p fro m a kn own

co nf id en t i a l in fo rm an t th at Bro wn an d W rig ht wou ld be tra ve li ng to Ch ic ag o to ob ta in dr ug s. The y in de pe nd en tl y ve rif ie d th e de ta il s of th e ti p th ro ug h su rv ei ll an ce of th e SUV whe n it arri ve d at Bro wn’s res id en ce, de pa rte d t h e area eas tb ou nd on In te rs ta te 80
, an d ret ur ne d to Dav en po rt an d Bro wn’s res id en ce aft er a pe rio d of ti m e th at wou ld ha ve acco m

m od at ed a ro un d tri p to Ch ic ag o. Se e Dra pe r v. Uni te d St at es , 35 8 U.S. 30 7, 31 3 (1 95 9)

. The po li ce al so sa w W rig ht an d Bro wn act in a m an ne r

co ns is te nt wit h dr ug tra ffi ck in g whe n th ey ru m m ag ed aro un d in th e ba ck of W rig ht ’s

ve hi cl e fo r se ve ral m in ut es at Bro wn’s res id en ce be fo re Bro wn to ok a du ffel ba g in to th e ho us e. W rig ht al so dr ov e away fr o m t h e r e si de nc e an d co nd uc te d po ss ib le

co un te rs ur ve il la nc e m an eu ve rs un ti l arri vi ng at a lo cat io n th at was kn o w n t o b e

as so ci at ed wit h d ru g a ct iv it y

.

W rig ht co m

pl ai ns th at th e of

fic ers la ck ed pr ob ab le cau se to se arch hi s ve hi cl e in th e pa rk in g lo t, b ut th e smell o f bu rn t m ari juan a an d th e pr es en ce of a m ari juan a ci ga r in pl ai n vi ew th ro ug h th e win do w were su ffi ci en t to jus ti fy a se arch fo r dr ug s. Uni te d St at es v. W

al ker
, 84 0 F.3 d 47 7, 48 3- 84 (8 th C i r

. 20 16 ). No warra nt was
req ui red fo r se arch of th e ve hi cl e, Ca rr ol l v. Uni te d St at es , 26 7 U.S. 13 2, 15 3 (1 92 5)
,
an d be cau se th e po li ce ha d pr ob a b l e c a u s e t o lo ok fo r dr ug s, th ey pr op erl y co ul d

se arch th e gl ov e co m

pa rtment as a pl ace th at co ul d co nc eal th e ob ject of th ei r se arch

. Se e W yo min g v . Hou gh to n , 52 6 U.S. 2 95 , 30 1 (1 99 9)

.

In a subm iss ion pursu an t to Ru le 28 (j), W rig ht su gg es ts th at of fic ers un la wf

ull y

se arch ed hi s po ck et s to o b t a i n a ke y th at th ey us ed to un lo ck th e SUV. Se e Uni te d
St at es v. Cr ad

do ck
, 84 1 F.3 d 75 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 16 ). W rig ht di d no t rai se th is arg um en t in th e di st ric t co ur t or in hi s op en in g br ie f on ap pe al
, an d it is th eref or e no t pr op erl y

-5

-b e f

o r e u s

. W e no te , m or eo ve r, th at be fo re th e ke y was se iz ed , p ol ic e ha d pr ob ab l e

cau se to arre st W rig ht ba se d on th e od or of m ari juan a co m in g fro m hi s pe rs on , se e Perd oma , 62 1 F.3 d at 74 9, an d it is pe rm is si bl e to se arch an arre st ee’s pe rs on in ci de nt
to an arre st

. Ch im e l v

. Ca li fo rn ia , 39 5 U.S. 75 2, 76 3 (1 96 9)

. Tha t th e se arch of
W rig ht ’s pe rs on fo r t h e k e y p rece de d th e fo rm al arre st do es no t m ak e th e se arch

un la wfu l un de r th os e ci rcu m st an c e s

. S e e Raw li ng s v. Ken tu cky
, 44 8 U.S. 98
, 11 1 (1 98 0) ; Uni te d St at es v. Ch ar ti er , 77 2 F .3d 53 9, 5 46 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ); Uni te d St at es v. Jen ki ns , 49 6 F .2d 57 , 73 (2d Cir . 19 74 ).

Fo r th es e reas on s, th e di st ric t co ur t pr o p e r l y d en ie d W rig ht ’s m ot io n to

su pp res s, an d t he jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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