SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M I LLER, P. J.

, and B RA N CH, J.

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

Febr uar y 9, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 83 6 . SIM S v . THE STATE.

A N D R E W S , Pres i d in g J u d g e.

Ben jam i n Si m s ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h is p re-t ri al m o t i o n t o

s u p p res s ev i d en ce s u pp o rt i n g t h e St at e’ s accu s at io n ch arg i n g h i m wi t h m i s d em ean o r

p o s s es s i o n o f m ari

ju an a an d m i s d em ean o r o b s t ru ct i o n o f l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers

. 1

Fo r t h e fo l lo wi n g reas o n s , we affi rm t h e d en i al o f t h e m ot i o n

.

Si m s cl a i m s th at

, in v i o lat i o n o f th e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t t o t h e U n i t ed St at es

Co n s t i t u t i o n

, p o l i ce offi cers : (a) i l l eg al l y s t o pp ed an d d et ai n ed h i m fo r q u es t i o n i n g

wi t h o u t reas o n ab le s u s pi ci o n o f cri m i nal act i v i t y ; (b ) i ll eg al ly a r r e s t ed h i m fo r

o b s t ru ct i on wh en h e wal k ed away fro m an d res i s t ed t h e u n l awfu l d et en t i o n; an d (c)

fo u n d m ari

ju an a o n h i s p ers on d u ri n g an i l l eg al s earch i n ci d en t t o t h e u nl awfu l arres t

.

1 W e g ran t ed Si m s ’ s ap p l i cat io n fo r an i n t erl o cu t ory ap p eal

.In i t s o rd er d e n yi n g t h e m o t io n t o s u p pres s

, t he t ri al co u rt fo u n d t hat t h e o ffi cers

l awfu l l y at t em

pt ed t o d et ai n Si m s fo r qu es t i o n i n g b as ed o n reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n

, an d

l awfu l l y arres t ed h i m fo r o b s t r u c t i o n wh en h e res i s t ed t h e d et en t i o n

. Th e s wo rn

ev i d en ce at t h e m o ti o n h eari n g s u p p o rt s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er.

Th e St at e i n t ro d u ced th e fo l l o wi ng t es ti m o n y at t h e h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n:

Offi cer Co o k, wh o was em p l oy ed as a p o l ice o ffi cer wi t h t h e At h en s -Cl ark e Co u n t y

Po l i ce Dep art m en t , t es t i fi ed t h at h e al s o wo rk ed o ff-d u t y p ro v id i n g s ecu ri t y

fo r t h e

Un i vers it y Oak s Ap art m en t s

. T h e A p a r t m en ts were l o cat ed i n a h ig h cri m e area

p l ag u ed b y b u rg l ari es

, ro b b eri e s

, a n d i l l eg al d ru g s al es

, an d t h e Ap art m en t s h i red

Co o k an d o t h er p o li ce o ffi cers t o p ro v i de o ff-d u t y s ecu ri t y a g a i n s t th es e cri m i n al

act i vi t i es

. Th e o ff-d u t y o ffi cers wo rk ed fo r t he Ap art m en t s i n fu l l p o l i ce u ni fo rm an d

u s ed t h e i r p o l i ce p at ro l v eh i cl es

. Th e Ap art m en t s s p eci fi cal l y as ked th e o ff-d u t y

o ffi cers t o l o o k fo r n o n -res i d en t s o n t h e Ap art m en t s p ro p ert y e n g a g i n g i n cri m i n al

act i vi t y

. Offi cer Co o k fi rs t en co u n t ered Si m s o n t h e Ap art m en t s p ro p ert y a few day s

p ri o r t o t h e p res en t i n ci d en t

. W h i l e p ro v i d i n g off-d ut y s ecu ri t y

, Co o k i n v es t i g at ed t h e

s m el l o f b u rn i n g m ari

ju an a co m i n g fro m o n e o f t he ap art m en ts

. Aft er t h e ap art m en t

res i den t ad m i t t ed t h at m ari ju an a was b ei ng s m o k ed i n s i d e t h e ap art m e n t

, Co o k

el ect ed n o t t o m ak e arres t s , b u t warn ed t h e res i d en t an d t h e o t h er i nd i v i d u al s i n t h e

2ap art m en t (i n cl u d i n g Si m s wh o d i d n o t l i v e t h ere) t h at s m o ki n g m ari ju an a was an

i l leg al act i v i ty n o t al lo wed on t h e p ro p ert y

. A few d ay s l at er, w h i l e Co o k was ag ai n

p ro v id i n g o ff-d u t y s ecu ri t y fo r th e A p art m en t s p ro p ert y

, h e rep eat ed ly s aw Si m s an d

an o th er p ers on h e d i d n o t reco g n i ze co m i n g o u t fro m beh i n d di fferen t b u i l d i n g s o n

t h e A p art m en t s p ro p ert y ov er a p eri o d of t i m e. At t h at p oi n t Offi cer Co o k k n ew t h at

Si m s w as n o t a res i den t o f t h e A p a r t m en ts ; co u l d n o t co n fi rm t h at t h e o t h er p ers o n

was a res i d en t ; k n e w t h at Si m s h ad recen t l y b een u s i n g m ari ju an a o n t h e p ro p ert y ;

k n ew o f t h e p ro b l em wi t h no n -res i den t s co m i n g on th e pro p ert y t o en gag e i n cri m i n al

act i vi t y ; an d k n ew o f recen t b urg l ari es an d recen t n arco t i cs s al es o n t h e p ro p ert y

.

Gi v en t h es e fact s

, al o n g wi t h t h e u n u s u al m o v em e n t b y S i m s an d t h e o t her p ers o n

fro m b eh i n d bu i l d i ng t o b u il d i n g o n t h e p ro p ert y

, Co ok s u sp ect ed t hat Si m s an d t h e

o t h er p ers o n m ay

b e n o n -res i d en t s en g ag ed i n cri m i n al act i vi t y o n t h e p ro p ert y . To

i n v es t i g at e t h i s s u s p i ci o n, Co o k d ro v e u p t o Si m s an d t h e o t her p ers on in h i s p at ro l

v eh icl e. W it h o u t ex it i n g t h e v eh i cl e, Co o k ro l l ed d o wn th e wi n d o w

, s ai d t o Si m s

, “ I

k n o w y o u ’ re n o t a res i d en t,” an d as k ed t h e ot h er p ers o n

, “ [D] o y o u l i v e here, s i r? ” In

res p o n s e t o t h i s q u es t i o n

, Si m s t o l d t h e o t h er p ers o n n o t t o a n s w e r

, cu rs ed at t h e

o ffi cer, an d b o t h m en wal k ed away

. Co o k p ark ed h i s p at ro l car, go t o u t

, fo l l o wed

b eh in d t he t wo m en as t h ey w al k ed away

, i d en t i fi ed h i m s el f as a p o l i ce o ffi cer h i red

3b y t he A p art m en t s

, an d at t em p t e d t o s t op t h e m en

. Bu t t h e m en refu s ed t o s t o p,

co n ti n u ed t o cu rs e at t h e o ffi cer, an d co nt i n u ed t o w al k away

. At t h at p o in t

, Offi cer

Co o k cal l ed fo r b ack u p

, an d a s eco n d p o l i ce o ffi cer arri ved

, Offi cer Herri n g

, wh o was

p at ro l l i n g o n -d u t y i n t h e area. Wh en Herri n g arri ved

, h e s aw t h e two m en wal k i n g

away fro m Co o k

. Co ok ex p lai n ed hi s s u s p i ci o n t o Herri n g an d as k ed Herri n g t o “ s ee

i f y o u can t al k s o m e s en s e i n t o t h em .” Herri n g wal k ed ah ead of t h e t wo m en an d t ri ed

t o g e t t h em to s to p an d an s w er q u es ti o n s ab o u t wh at t h ey were d o i n g at t h e

Ap art m en t s p ro p ert y

, b u t n ei t her m a n w o u l d s to p o r an s wer q u es t i on s

. Th e m en

co n ti n u ed t o wal k away

an d act i n a b el l i g eren t fas h i o n to ward t he o ffi cers . Offi cer

Herri n g ev en t u al l y s ai d h e “ p ret t y m u ch h ad en o u g h ,” reach ed fo r h is h an d cu ffs

, an d

m o ved t o ward Si m s. Si m s s ai d “ Yo u ’ re n o t g o i n g t o pu t t h o s e o n m e,” an d ei t h er ran

o r wal k ed away at a fas t p ace t o av o i d t h e o ffi cer. At th at p o i n t

, Offi cer Herri n g

cau g ht an d h an d cu ffed Si m s , wh o co n t i n u ed t o p h y s i cal l y res i st t h e o ffi cers

.

Si m s c l a i m s t h at he l awfu l ly ex erci sed h i s ri g ht as a ci t i zen t o s i m p l y wal k

away fro m t h e o ffi cers b ecau s e t h ey h ad n o b as is un d er t he Fo u rt h A m e n d m en t to

4s t op an d q u es t i o n h i m t o i nv es ti g at e an y s u s p i ci o n o f cri m i n al act i v i ty

, an d n o b as i s

t o arres t h i m

wh en h e refu s ed to s t o p an d an s wer t h ei r q ues t i o n s

. 2

[E] n co u n t ers b et we en p o l i ce o ffi cers an d ci ti zen s co m e i n t h ree

v ari e t i es

, at l eas t as far as t he Fo urt h Am en d m en t i s co n cern ed : [t i er

o n e] en co u nt ers i n v o l v i n g n o co erci o n or d et en t i o n

, wh i ch are o u ts id e

t h e p u rv iew o f t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t al t o g et h er; [t i er t w o ] b ri ef

s ei zu res

, w h ic h r e qu i re an o ffi cer t o h av e a reas o n ab l e s u sp i ci o n o f

cri m i n al wro n g d o i n g ; an d [t i er t h ree] cu s t o di al arres t s, wh ich r e q u i r e

p ro b ab l e cau s e.

Cu l pep p er v. S ta te

, 3 1 2 Ga. Ap p

. 11 5

, 1 1 8 (7 17 SE2 d 69 8 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). In a t i er o n e en co u n t er i n v o l v in g n o co erci on o r d et en t i o n,

“ p o l i ce o ffi cers m ay ap p ro ach ci t i zen s

, as k fo r i d en t i fi cat i o n

, an d freel y q u es t i o n t h e

ci t i zen wi t h o u t an y b as i s o r b el i ef t h at t h e ci t izen i s i n v o l v ed i n cri m i n al act i v i t y

, as

l o n g as t h e o ffi cers d o n ot det ai n t h e ci t i zen o r creat e t h e i m p res si on t h at t h e ci t i zen

m ay n o t l eav e.” Id

. (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Th e t ou ch s t o n e o f t h i s k i n d

o f en co u nt er i s t h e ri g h t o f t h e ci t izen n o t t o an s we r t h e o ffi cer’ s q u es t i o n s an d to

w a l k o r ev en ru n away

. E wu mi v. S t a t e

, 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. 65 6

, 6 5 8 (7 2 7 SE2 d 2 5 7 )

2 Ev en t h o u g h Offi cer Co o k was pr ovidi n g o ff-d u t y s ecu ri t y fo r th e Ap art m en t s

d u ri n g t h e ev en t s at i s s u e, h e was s t i l l at al l t i m es act i n g i n t h e di s ch arg e o f h i s

o ffi ci al du t i es as a p o l i ce o ffi cer. “ [A] l l l aw en fo rcem en t offi cers h av e th e g en eral

d u t y t o en fo rce t h e l aw an d m ai n t ai n t h e peace. T h ey carry t h i s d u t y t w e n t y -fo u r

h o u rs a d ay

, on an d off d u ty .” S tr yker v. S ta t e

, 2 97 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 3

, 4 9 4 (6 7 7 SE2 d 6 8 0 )

(2 0 0 9) (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

5( 2 0 1 2). W e ag ree wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt t h at t h e fact s s h o w t h is was n o t a t i e r o n e

p o l i ce– ci t i zen en co u n t e r

, a n d t h at Si m s was n o t en t i t l ed t o res is t an d wal k away

.

Rat h er, t hi s was an at t em

p t ed t i er t wo en co u n t er in wh i ch t he p o l i ce o ffi cers t ri ed to

s t op an d d et ai n Si m s b as ed o n reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n o f cri m i nal wro n g d o i ng

.

Th e Fo u rt h Am en d m e n t a l l o ws a p ol i ce offi cer t o s t o p p ers o n s

. . . t o

i n v es t i gat e t h e off

i c e r ’s reas o n ab le s u s p i ci o n “ t h at t h e pers o n s t o p p ed

i s

, o r i s ab ou t t o b e, en g ag ed i n cri m i n al act i v i t y .” Un i ted S t a t es v.

Co r t ez

, 44 9 U. S. 4 1 1

, 4 1 7 (1 0 1 SC[ t ] 90

, 6 6 LE2 d 6 21 ) (1 98 1 ); Ter r y

v. Oh i o

, 3 9 2 U. S. 1

, 9 (8 8 SC[t ] 1 8 6 8

, 20 LE2 d 8 8 9 ) (1 9 6 8); Va n s a n t

v

. S t a te

, 26 4 Ga. 3 1 9, 3 2 0 (4 4 3 SE2 d 47 4 ) (1 9 9 4). To es t ab l i s h t h e

neces s ary reas o n ab le s u s p i ci o n to m ak e an i nv es t ig at i ve stop, the tota lity

o f t h e c i rcu m st an ces m

u s t s h ow t h at t h e o ffi cer had “ s p eci fi c an d

art i cu l ab l e fact s wh i ch

, t ak en t o g et h er wi t h rat i o n al i n feren ces fro m

t h o s e fact s

, . . . [p ro v i d ed ] a p art i cu l a r i zed an d o b ject i v e b as i s fo r

s u s p ect i n g th e part i cu l ar p er s o n st o p p ed o f cri m i n al act i v i t y .”

(Pu n ct u at io n o m i tt ed .) Va n s a n t

, s u pra at 3 2 0

. Al t h o u gh an i nv es t i g at iv e

s t op can n o t b e bas ed o n an o ff i c e r’ s m ere h u n ch t h at cri m i n al act i vi t y

i s afo o t

, “ [t ] h i s p ro ces s al l o ws o ffi cers t o d raw o n t h ei r o wn ex p eri en ce

an d s p eci al i zed t rai n i n g t o m ak e in feren ces fro m an d d ed u ct i o n s ab o u t

t h e cu m u lat i v e in fo rm at i o n av ai l ab le t o t h em t hat m i g h t wel l el ud e an

u n t rai n ed pers o n .” (Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Un i ted St a t es v.

Ar vi zu

, 5 34 U

. S. 2 6 6

, 2 7 3 (1 22 SC[t ] 7 4 4

, 1 5 1 L E 2 d 7 4 0 ) (2 0 0 2). In

co n s i d eri ng t h e t o t al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces i n each cas e, a co u rt m u s t

a v o i d ev al u at i n g t h e fact s i n i s o l at i o n

. Ev en wh ere each i n a s eri es o f

act s m ay be s us cep t i b l e to an i n n o cen t ex p l an at i o n

, t ak en to get h er t h ey

m ay co l l ect i v el y am o u n t t o reas o nab l e s u s p i ci o n ju s t i fy in g an offi cer’ s

i n v es t i gat i v e s t o p

. Id

. at 2 7 4 -2 7 5

. M oreo v er, “ [a] det erm in at io n t hat

reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci on ex i s t s

. . . need n o t ru l e o u t t he p o ss i b il it y o f

i n n o cen t co n d uct .” Id . at 2 7 7.

Ro l f e v. S t a t e , 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p

. 6 0 5 , 6 0 6 -6 0 7 (6 3 0 SE2 d 4 3 8 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

6Ap p ly i n g t hes e s t an d ard s

, we fi n d u n d er t h e t o t al i t y of t h e ci rcu m s t an ces t h at

Offi cers Co o k an d Herri n g h ad a reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci on t h at Si m s was

, o r was ab o ut

t o b e, en g ag ed in cri m i n al act i v i t y o n t h e Ap art m en t s p ro p ert y

. Offi cer Co o k s aw

Si m s

, wh o h e k new w as n o t a res i den t

, an d an ot h er p ers o n h e co u ld n o t i d en t i fy as

a res i d en t

, m o v i n g ab o u t i n u nu su al way s b eh i n d v ari o u s b u il d i n g s o n t h e Ap art m en t s

p ro p ert y

. Al t h ou g h i t was cert ai n l y p o s s ib l e th at th e t w o m en were en gag ed in

i n n o cen t co n d u ct

, t h e o ffi cer al s o k n ew o f Si m s’ s recen t i nv o l v em en t wi t h m ari ju an a

o n th e Ap art m en t s p ro p ert y

, k n ew o f co n t i n u i n g p ro b l e m s wi t h n o n -res i d en t s

en g ag ed i n cri m i n al act i v i t y o n t h e p ro p ert y

, an d k n ew of recen t b u rg lari es an d i l l eg al

d ru g s al es o n th e p ro p ert y. A l l o f t hi s k n o wl ed g e, al o n g wi t h t h e o ffi cer’ s

o b s erv at i o n s

, s u pp o rt ed reas o n ab l e i n feren ces t h at led h i m t o s u s p ect th at Si m s an d

t h e p ers o n wi t h h im were en g ag ed i n cri m i n al act i v i t y o n t h e p ro p e r t y. M o r eo v er,

wh en Co o k ap p ro ach ed Si m s an d t h e ot h er p ers on an d at t em p t ed t o d et erm i n e i f t h e

o t h er p ers o n was a res i den t o f t h e Ap art m en t s p ro pert y

, Si m s t o l d t h e o t h er p ers o n n ot

t o an s wer t h e o ffi cer. Th i s co n d u ct was ad d i t i o n al s u s p i c i o u s b eh av i or. Tak en

t o g et h er, t h e ci rcu m s t an c e s w e r e s u ffi ci en t t o g i v e t h e o ffi cers a part i cu lari zed an d

o b ject i ve b as i s fo r reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n t o s t o p Si m s an d t h e o t h e r p ers o n to

i n v es t i g at e.

7Acco rd i ng l y

, t h e fact s s h o w t h at Offi cers Co o k an d H erri n g h ad l awfu l

au t h o ri t y u n d e r t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t to d et ai n an d q ues t i o n Si m s in a t i er t wo

en co un t er, an d t h at th e offi cers at t em p t ed rep eat ed l y t o ex erci s e t h at au t h o ri t y

.

Becau s e t h e fact s s h o w t h at Si m s refu sed t o s u b m i t t o t h e as s ert i o n o f t h at au t h o ri t y

,

Si m s was n o t s ei zed i n a t i er t wo en co u nt er. S t a t e v. W a lker

, 2 9 5 Ga. 8 88

, 8 9 0 -8 9 5

(7 6 4 SE2 d 8 0 4 ) (2 01 4 ). Rat h e r

, S i m s ’s co n t i n u ed res i s t an ce t o t he o ffi cers ’ l awfu l

au t h o ri t y t o co n d u ct a t i er t wo en co u n ter p ro v id ed t he o ffi cers wi t h p ro b ab l e cau s e

t o arres t Si m s fo r o b s t ru ct i o n. M cCl ar y v. S t a t e

, 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 84

, 18 7 (6 6 3 SE2 d

8 0 9 ) (2 0 0 8 ); S

p en ce v. S t at e

, 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p

. 5 8 3

, 5 8 6 ( 6 7 2 SE2 d 5 3 8 ) (2 0 0 9 ); S t a t e

v. Qu a r t er ma n

, 3 3 3 Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 3 (7 7 7 SE2 d 48 9 ) (2 0 1 5 ). It fo l l ows t h at t h e t r i a l

co u rt d i d n o t err i n d en y i n g Si m s ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Br a n ch , J., co n cu r

.

8