FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT AUGUST 14, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 08- 10405 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 07 -001 10 -C V -M H S -1 G R E G O R Y A R T H U R S M I T H , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s M A R C I A G R E E N L E E , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( A u gu s t 14, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: G r e g o ry S m ith ap p e a ls th e g r a n t o f s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t a g a in s t h im in th is2

c i v i l r i g h t s a c t i o n . W e a f f i r m. I. S m i th w as conv i ct ed of forci bl e r ape i n C al i forni a 198 3, se rved three ye ar s of a s i x y e a rs e nt e nc e , a nd w a s pa r ol e d i n 1986. U pon hi s r e l e a s e f r om pr i s on he w a s i nf or m e d tha tC a l i f

orni a l a w r e qui r e d hi m t o r e gi s t e ra s a s e x of f e nde rw i th the ap p r o p r ia te la w e n f

o r c e m e n t a g e n c y f

o rth e r e s t o f

h is lif e , w h e th e rh e liv e d in C a l i f orni a ore l s e w he r e . S m i th m ove d t o G e or gi a i n 1991, hi s pa r ol e ha vi ng expi re d i n 1 98 9. In 19 97 , G eorgi a a m ended i t s pri or se x-offe nd erre gi stry st atut e, w h ic h h a d n o t p r e v io u s ly r e q u ir e d S m ith to r e g is te r . A f te rth e 1 9 9 7 a m e n d m e n t, a pers on re qu i re d t o regi st eras a s ex offender under the l aw of anot her s t at e w here he w as conv i ct ed i s now al so re qu i re d t o regi st eri n G eorgi a w hen h e “ changes re si dence” f

rom anot her s t at e t o G eorgi a, re gardl es s of the dat e of c on vi ct i on . S ee G a . C ode § 42- 1- 12( e ) ( 6) . A s the di s tr i c tc our tnot e d, i tappe a r s thi s pr ovi s i on on i t s f ac e m ay no tre qu i re S m i th t o regi st er(bec ause he di d n otchange hi s r es i dence to G e o r g ia a f

te rth e a m e n d m e n t) , b u t G e o r g ia a u th o r itie s ap p a r e n tly th o u g h t it d id . S m i th w as n o treg i st ered as a sex o ffen d er atal l p ert i n en tt i m es. I n J une 1998, C a l i f

orni a ’ s S e x O f

f e nde rR e gi s tr a t i on pr ogr a m not i f i e d the G eorgi a B ureau o f I nv es t i gat i on thatS m i th w as l i vi ng i n G eorgi a a nd w as o b lig a te d to r e g is te rth e r e a s a s e x o f f e n d e r . T h e G B I m a ile d a n o tif ic a tio n to3

S m i th’ s l as tkn ow n add re ss i n Jun e 199 9 st at i ng thathe w as re qu i re d t o regi st er a n d w o u l d b e a rr e s t e d i f h e d i d n o td o s o . Th e l e tt e re l i c i t e d n o r e s p o n s e . G BI the n not i f

i e d the G w i nne ttC ounty S he r i f f’ s of f i c e of the s i tua t i on. I n M a r c h 2002, S gt . P i rkl e of the G w i nn ettS heri ff’ s off i ce se ntS m i th ano ther not i ce thathe w as re qu i re d t o regi st er . L i ke the G B I, she r ec ei ved n o res po nse. P i rkl e then o bt ai ned a n a rr e s t w a rr a n t f

o rS m ith , c h a r g in g h im w ith f a ilu r e to r e g is te ra s a s e x o f f e n d e r . C harges w er e l at erdi sm i ss ed because the l i m i t at i on s per i od had exp i re d. S ee G a. C od e § 17 -3-1(b)-( c) (l i m i t at i on s per i od s) . O n J u n e 2 0 , 2 0 0 3 , th e G B I s e n t S m ith a n o th e rle tte rv ia c e r tif ie d m a il, th is tim e to a n a d d r e s s in F u lto n C o u n ty , s ta tin g th a t h e h a d to r e g is te ra s s e x o f f e n d e r . T h a t le tte rw a s r e tu rn e d a s u n d e liv e r ab le . ( I n f a c t, it ap p e a r s S m ith p r e v io u s ly re si ded i n F ul t on C ou nty butm ov ed t o N orcr oss i n G w i nn ettC ou nty i n 2 00 2. ) I n J u ly 2 0 0 3 , th e G B I n o tif ie d ap p e lle e S g t. M a r c ia G r e e n le e o f th e F u lto n C o u n ty S h eri ff’ s O ffi ce th atS m i th w as req u i red t o reg i st er b y Ju n e 3 0 , 2 0 0 3 . Ital so i nf or m e d he rof

the out da t e d a ddr e s s a nd a s ke d he rt o obt a i n a c urr e nta ddr e s s f or S m i th i f a nd w he n he c a m e i n t o r e gi s t e r . A bouttw o m onths pa s s e d a f t e rthe J une 3 0 , 2 0 0 3 d ead l i n e an d S m i th st i l l h ad n o treg i st ered . A tso m e p o i n ti n l at e A u g u st ore a r l y S e pt e m be r2003, G r e e nl e e pr oc ur e d a w a rr a ntf orS m i th’ s a rr e s t . T he pa r t i e s di s put e the c i r c um s t a nc e s unde rw hi c h G r e e nl e e obt a i ne d the w a rr a nt . T he4

a rr e s tw a rr a nta nd s uppor t i ng a f f i da vi ta r e pr e - pr i nt e d f

or m s w i th bl a nks f

or of f i c e r s t o f i l l i n, e a c h f

or m oc c upy i ng one ha l f of the s a m e s he e tof

pape r . T he a f f i da vi toc c upi e s the t op ha l f . T he a f f i da vi tf orS m i th’ s a rr e s ti s s i gne d by G r e e nl e e a nd by a de puty c l e r k, w ho w r ot e tha tthe a f f i da vi tw a s “ s w orn a nd subscr i bed t o m e” on S ept em ber 2, 20 03 . In cont ra st , the arre stw arra nti s s i gn ed b y a m a g is tr a te a n d d a te d A u g u s t 2 8 , 2 0 0 3 . S m ith u r g e s th a t th is d is c r e p a n c y in dat es w ou l d p erm i ta j ury t o i nferthatG re enl ee di d n otcont em po ra neou sl y a ff i rm the supp ort i ng af

fi davi tun der oath. T hi s i nfer ence , he ar gu es , w ou l d further p erm i ta j u ry t o i n fer sh e k n ew th e affi d av i tt o b e fal se, o r atl eastw as reck l ess w i th r e s pe c tt o i t s truth. G r e e n le e m a d e e f

f o r ts to lo c a te S m ith a n d a rr e s t h im . S h e c o n ta c te d P ir k le a t th e G w in n e tt S h e r if

f’s o f f ic e , s ta te d th a t S m ith w a s a s e x o f f e n d e rr e q u ir e d to r e g is te ra n d h a d n o t d o n e s o , a n d a s k e d w h e th e rP ir k le h a d a c u rr e n t a d d r e s s . P ir k le s ta te d th a t s h e r e m e m b e r e d S m ith f r o m h is p r e v io u s a rr e s t f o rf a ilu r e to r e g is te r , b u t d id n o t in f

o r m G r e e n le e th a t th e p r io rc h a r g e s h a d b e e n d is m is s e d . S h e d id in f

o r m G r e e n le e o f

S m ith ’s th e n - c u rr e n t a d d r e s s , w h ic h w a s in G w in n e tt C o u n ty . P ir k le th e n o b ta in e d a n e w a rr e s t w a rr a n t f o rS m ith in G w in n e tt C o u n ty . S m ith w a s lo c a te d a n d a rr e s te d th a t s a m e d a y , O c to b e r2 7 , 2 0 0 3 , a n d d e ta in e d in G w in n e tt C o u n ty . H is F u lto n C o u n ty a rr e s t w a rr a n t w a s s till o u ts ta n d in g . D e s p ite5

a bon d h ea ri ng and a ci vi l ac t i on for f al se i m pri sonm ent , S m i th rem ai ned i nc a r c e r a t e d i n G w i nne ttC ounty f orove ra y e a r . H e w a s di s c ha r ge d f r om G w i nn ettC ou nty J anuary 27 , 20 05 , af t erdi sm i ss al of the fa i l ure t o regi st erchar ges ( a ga i n, be c a us e the s t a tut e of l i m i t a t i ons ha d e xpi r e d) . H ow e ve r , be c a us e of the ou t st andi ng F ul t on C ou nty w arra nt , S m i th w as tra nsfe rr ed t o i t s c ust od y r ather tha n r e l e a s e d. S m i th w a s f i na l l y r e l e a s e d on J a nua ry 31, 2005 a f t e rthe F ul t on C ou nty c harges w er e a l so di sm i ss ed. U po n h i s r el ea se , S m i th w as i nform ed that he w as , i n fac t , no tre qu i re d t o regi st eras a s ex offender. T hi s s ui tagai nstG re enl ee fol l ow ed. T he es se nce of the com pl ai nti s that G r e e nl e e vi ol a t e d the C ons t i tut i on i n obt a i ni ng the a rr e s tw a rr a ntf r om a F ul t on C ounty m a gi s tr a t e . T ha tf a i l ur e i n turn l e d t o S m i th’ s a l l e ge dl y unl a w f ul a rr e s ta nd hi s pr ol onge d de t e nt i on. T he di s tr i c tc our tgr a nt e d s um m a ry j udgm e nti n f a vorof G r e e nl e e , w hi c h w e now r e vi e w de novo. II. S m i th br i ngs hi s c l a i m unde r42 U . S . C . § 1983. T ha ts t a tut e c r e a t e s no subst ant i ve ri gh t s; i nst ea d, i tprov i des are m edy f or depri vat i on s of r i gh t s s ec ured by the C ons t i tut i on orl a w s of the U ni t e d S t a t e s . S e e , e . g. , C i ty of H i a l e a h v. R o ja s , 3 1 1 F .3 d 1 0 9 6 , 1 1 0 3 n .1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . S m ith a r g u e s th a t a r e a s o n ab le j u ry co u l d fi n d G reen l ee’ s ex ecu t i o n o f th e affi d av i ti n su p p o rto f th e arrestAn ar rest is a quintessential “ seizure” within the mea ning of the Four th Amendment and 1 is theref ore w ithin that Amendment’s rea sonablene ss requirement. McClish v. Nugent, 483 F.3d 1231, 1238 (11th Cir. 2007) (c itation omitted). An a rre st in a public placeneed only be justified by probablecause , but an ar rest in the home must be a uthorized by

a wa rra nt to satisfy

the Four th Amendment. I d. It is unclear f rom the summary

judgment rec ord whe ther plaintiff w as arrested in his home or e lsewhere. F or purpose s of reviewingsummary judgment ag ainst Smi th, we will assume hewas a

rre sted at home. 6 w a rr a n t v io la te d h is F o u r th a n d F o u r te e n th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts in th r e e w a y s . F ir s t, he c ont e nds the a f

f i da vi ts uppor t i ng hi s a rr e s tw a rr a ntw a s uns w orn, i n vi ol a t i on of the F our th A m e ndm e nt ’ s r e qui r e m e nttha t“ no w a rr a nt s s ha l l i s s ue , butupon prob abl e c ause , supp ort ed by O ath o r A ff i rm at i on . ” S ec on d, he cont ends G re enl ee r e c kl e s s l y f

a i l e d t o i nve s t i ga t e the f a c tua l ba s i s f

orthe a rr e s ta r t i c ul a t e d i n the a f f i da vi t , a nd thi r d, tha ts he r e c kl e s s l y om i tt e d m a t e r i a l , e xc ul pa t ory f a c t s f r om the a f f id a v it, r e s u ltin g in a n u n r e a s o n ab le s e iz u r e in v io la tio n o f th e F o u r th A m e n d m e n t. 1 W e f ir s t a d d r e s s S m ith ’s a r g u m e n t th a t th e r e c o r d w o u ld p e r m it a ju ry to c onc l ude tha tG r e e nl e e vi ol a t e d the F our th A m e ndm e nt ’ s oa th ora f f i r m a t i on re qu i re m ent . S m i th i s c orre ctthatthe re cord cre at es a genui ne di sput e of f ac t c onc e rni ng the c i r c um s t a nc e s unde rw hi c h the w a rr a nti s s ue d. T he w a rr a ntf or S m i th’ s a rr e s tw a s i s s ue d A ugus t28, 2003. G r e e nl e e t e s t i f i e d i n he rde pos i t i on th a t b e f o r e th e w a rr a n t is s u e d , s h e a f f ir m e d th e c o n te n ts o f

h e rs u p p o r tin g a f

f id a v it u n d ero ath b ef

o re th e m ag istrate. In re sp o n se , S m ith p o in ts to th e d ep u ty cler k ’s s i gna tur e , w hi c h s t a t e s tha tG r e e nl e e appe a r e d a nd s w or e t o the a f f i da vi ton7

S ept em ber 2, 20 03 , som e f i ve days l at er . S m i th argues thatthe di sc re pancy be tw e e n G r e e nl e e ’ s s t a t e m e nta nd the c l e r k’ s s i gna tur e da t e c r e a t e s a tr i abl e i s s ue o f f a c t c o n c e rn in g w h e th e ra n d w h e n th e a f f id a v it w a s s u b s c r ib e d to u n d e ro a th . W e a gree thatthere i s afa ctual di sput e, bu tw e a gree w i th the di stri ctcourt thati ti s i m m at er i al . A tthe ou t se t , i ti s i m po rt antt o charac t er i ze the const i tut i on al r i ghtS m i th a s s e r t s . S m i th appe a r s t o a r gue tha ttha the ha s a n i nde pe nde nt c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h t, q u ite ap a r t f r o m th e r ig h t to b e f

r e e f r o m u n r e a s o n ab le sei zu res, t o n o tb e arrested p u rsu an tt o an u n sw o rn w arran t , ev en i f p ro b ab l e cau se e xi s t s a nd the m a gi s tr a t e c l e a r l y w oul d ha ve i s s ue d the w a rr a ntha d the t e s t i m ony e s t abl i s hi ng pr obabl e c a us e be e n pr e s e nt e d unde roa th. A s s um i ng w i thout de c i di ng s uc h a r i ghte xi s t s unde rthe F our th a nd F our t e e nth A m e ndm e nt s , no re as on abl e j ury pre se nt ed w i th thi s r ec ord cou l d con cl ud e i thas bee n v i ol at ed be c a us e S m i th w a s a rr e s t e d on s w orn w a rr a nt . T he de puty c l e r k’ s s i gna tur e on the af fi davi tm i gh tperm i ta j ury t o i nferthatthe arre stw arra ntw as no taf fi rm ed un der oa th unt i l S e pt e m be r2, r a the rtha n A ugus t28. B utS m i th doe s nota r gue tha tthe S ept em ber 2 si gn ature a nd dat e of the depu ty c l erk i s f orged o r i naut hent i c. G i ven thi s c onc e s s i on, G r e e nl e e ’ s t e s t i m ony tha ts he a f f i r m e d the a f

f i da vi tunde roa th, a n d S m ith ’s f

a ilu r e to p r o d u c e c o n tr a ry e v id e n c e , n o r e a s o n ab le tr ie ro f f a c t c o u ld co n cl u d e th atth e w arran tw as n ever s ubs c r i be d t o unde roa th. A nd S m i th w a s notWe also note that the discrepancy in dates is likely

a clerical error

of no constitutional 2 signific ance . 8 a rr e s t e d unt i l O c t obe r27, w e l l a f t e rthe w a rr a ntw a s a f

f i r m e d unde roa th on ( a tthe l a t e s t ) S e pt e m be r2. H e nc e , S m i th w a s nota rr e s t e d on a n uns w orn w a rr a nt , a nd 2 th e r e f o r e h e h a s p r o v e n n o v io la tio n o f th e F o u r th A m e n d m e n t. S m i th ne xta r gue s tha tG r e e nl e e vi ol a t e d hi s c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s by f a i l i ng t o do a n a de qua t e i nve s t i ga t i on be f or e obt a i ni ng the a rr e s tw a rr a ntorby om i tt i ng e xc ul pa t ory i nf

or m a t i on f

r om the a f

f i da vi t . “ [ A ] pol i c e of

f i c e rvi ol a t e s the C o n s titu tio n if

, in o r d e rto o b ta in a w a rr a n t, s h e p e r ju r e s h e r s e lf

o rte s tif ie s in re ckl es s di sr egar d o f the truth. ” K el l y v. C urt i s, 21 F . 3d 15 44 , 15 54 (11t h C i r. 1994) . L i ke w i s e , a n of

f i c e rm us tc onduc ta c ons t i tut i ona l l y s uf f i c i e nti nve s t i ga t i on be f or e m a ki ng a n a rr e s t . S e e , e . g, K i ngs l a nd v. C i ty of M i a m i , 382 F . 3d 1220, 1228- 30 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . W hi l e of f i c e r s m a y noti gnor e e xc ul pa t ory i nf or m a t i on of w hi c h the y a r e a c tua l l y a w a r e i n de c i di ng w he the rt o a rr e s t , the y ne e d not e x p lo r e e v e ry p r o f

f e r e d c la im o f

in n o c e n c e . I d . S m ith c o n c e d e s th a t G r e e n le e d id n o t k n o w th a t c h a r g e s s te m m in g f r o m h is pr i ora rr e s tf

orf a i l ur e t o r e gi s t e rha d be e n di s m i s s e d a s unt i m e l y a tthe t i m e s he s o u g h tth e a rr e s twa rr a n t . T h u s , S m i th a r g u e s th a tGr e e n l e e s h o u l d h a v e k n o wn abou tthe pri or di sm i ss al . T he es se nce of S m i th’ s a rgum enti s thatG re enl ee ac t ed unr e a s onabl y i n t a ki ng G B I ’ s w or d tha tS m i th w a s a s e x of f e nde rl i vi ng i n F ul t on9

C o u n ty a n d s u b

je c t to r e g is tr a tio n r e q u ir e m e n ts . H e c o n te n d s th a t a const i tut i on al l y a dequ at e i nv es t i gat i on w ou l d h ave r equi re d G re enl ee t o check c om put e r i z e d c r i m i na l - hi s t ory da t aba s e s s uc h a s the N C I C , w hi c h w oul d ha ve r e v e a le d th a t th e p r io rc h a r g e s h a d b e e n d is m is s e d a s u n tim e ly . T h e f a ilu r e to i nve s t i ga t e a nd di s c ove rthi s e xc ul pa t ory i nf or m a t i on ( a nd r e ve a l i tt o the m a g is tr a te ) , h e a r g u e s , r e n d e r e d h e rp r e - a rr e s t in v e s tig a tio n c o n s titu tio n a lly u n re as o n ab le. W e d isag re e. G re en lee a cted re as o n ab ly in re lyin g o n th e G B I’s in f o r m a tio n . A t th e p e r tin e n t tim e s , th e G B I w a s s ta tu to r ily c h a r g e d w ith pr ovi di ng the c onvi c t i on da t a ( i nc l udi ng na m e s a nd f i nge rpr i nt s ) of

pe r s ons re qu i re d t o regi st eras se x o ff enders t o l ocal sher i ff

s, w ho i n turn w er e c harged w i th m ai nt ai ni ng a l i stof thei r nam es and add re ss es . S ee G a. C od e§ 42 -1-12(c) (200 3). G B I i nd i ca t ed t o G re enl ee thatS m i th w as re qu i re d t o regi st eras a s ex o f f e n d e r( a f

a c tGr e e n l e e wa s i n n o p o s i t i o n t o d i s p u t e ) a n d th a th e wa s l a s tk n o wn to b e liv in g in F u lto n C o u n ty . G r e e n le e v e r if ie d th a t S m ith h a d n o t p r o v id e d h is ad d ress t o th e F u l t o n C o u n ty sh eri ff. T h atp ro v i d ed h er su ffi ci en tp ro b ab l e cau se to s e e k S m ith ’s a rr e s t. F ur the r , the r e c or d i s c l e a rbe y ond di s put e tha tG r e e nl e e ’ s r e l i a nc e on i nform at i on fr om the G B I a nd l ocal dat abas es w as the typi ca l m etho d b y w hi ch la w e n f o r c e m e n t e n f

o r c e d th e s e x o f

f e n d e rr e g is tr a tio n la w s a n d w a s , in d e e d , a10

re as on abl e i nv es t i gat i on . T o form the basi s f or prob abl e c ause , i nform at i on need onl y be r e a s onabl y trus tw or thy a nd of a ty pe w hi c h w oul d i nduc e a prude ntpe r s on t o be l i e ve a n of

f e ns e ha d be e n c om m i tt e d. K i ngs l a nd, 382 F . 3d a t1231 n. 11. T he i nf or m a t i on G r e e nl e e r e l i e d upon undoubt e dl y m e e t s tha ts t a nda r d. S m i th u rges thatbecause G B I’ s 199 9 n ot i ce t o S m i th w as re turned as un del i verabl e, G re enl ee l ac ked p roof thatS m i th l i ved i n F ul t on C ou nty. B uteven assu m i n g G reen l ee w as aw are o f th atfact , G B I l i st ed F u l t o n C o u n ty as S m i th ’ s l ast know n a ddr e s s . F ur the r , w e r e S m i th r e qui r e d t o r e gi s t e ra s a s e x of f e nde r , a s the pe r t i ne ntof

f i c i a l s r e a s onabl y but( appa r e nt l y ) e rr one ous l y be l i e ve d he w a s , he w oul d be r e qui r e d t o not i f y a uthor i t i e s of

a ny c ha nge i n hi s a ddr e s s . I n the abs e nc e of

othe ri nf or m a t i on aboutS m i th’ s w he r e about s , the G B I ’ s not i f i c a t i on and t he abse nce of any r eport ed change of address t og ether w er e s uffi ci entt o form a r e a s o n ab le b e lie f

th a t S m ith c o n tin u e d to r e s id e in F u lto n C o u n ty . In short , G re enl ee cond uct ed a r ea sonabl e i nv es t i gat i on before se eki ng an a rr e s tw a rr a nt , a nd tha ti nve s t i ga t i on r e ve a l e d pr obabl e c a us e f orthe a rr e s t . A ny re as on abl e j ury w ou l d b e c om pel l ed t o so con cl ud e. A cc ordi ng l y, w e AF F I RM th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s ju d g m e n t.