FI FTH DI VI SI ON

RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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.

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

Febr uar y 17, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 41 8 . LOUALLEN v . THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

J erry W ay n e Lo u al l en was t ri ed b y a ju ry an d co n v i ct ed o f t raffi ck i n g in

m et h am p h et am i ne. On ap p eal

, Lo u al l en co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y d en y i n g

h i s m o t i o n t o su p pres s dru gs fo u n d fo l l owi n g a s earch o f hi s t ru ck d u ri n g a t r a f f i c

s t op an d, i n t h e al t ern at iv e, t hat h is t ri al co u n s e l ren d ered i neffect i v e as si s t an ce by

fai l i n g t o p res erv e t h at i s s ue fo r ap p eal

. F o r t h e fo l l o wi n g reas o ns

, we affi rm t h e

d en ial of h is m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s o n t h e m eri t s

, as a res u lt of wh i ch h i s i neffect i v eas s i s tan ce cl ai m

n eces s ari l y

fai l s

.

“ In rev i ewi ng a ru l i n g on a m o ti o n t o s up p res s

, [an ap p el lat e co u rt ] rev i ew[s ]

t h e t ri al c o u rt ’ s fact ual fi n d i n g s fo r cl ear erro r an d i t s l eg al co n cl u s i o n s de n o v o.”

W h i te v. S t a t e

, 3 0 7 G a

. 6 0 1

, 6 0 2 (2 ) (8 3 7 SE2 d 83 8 ) (2 0 2 0 ). “ In ad d i t i o n

, inrev i ewi n g s u ch a ru l i n g, an ap p el l at e co urt m u s t co n s t ru e t h e ev id en t i ary reco rd i n t h e

l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e tri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n gs an d ju d g m en t .” Id

. (ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

So v i ewed , t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at o n Oct o b er 2 3 , 2 0 1 7 , a s t at e t ro op er was

i n rad i o co n t act wi th Dru g En fo rcem en t A d m i n is trat i o n a g e n t s

, wh o i nfo rm ed h i m

t h at s o m eo n e h ad o b t ai n ed wh at was t h o u g h t t o b e i l l eg al n arco t i cs wh i l e i n t h e area

o f Daws o n Bo ul ev ard an d J im m y Cart er Bo u l ev ard i n Gwi n net t Co u n ty

. T h e t ro o p er,

wh o was t o l d t h at t h e s u s pect was a s o l o m al e d ri v er i n a g r a y Do d g e Ram t ru ck

,

l o c a t e d t he t ru ck o n t h e I-8 5 so u t h b o u n d ram p at J i m m y Cart er Bo u l ev ard

. DEA

ag en ts were fo l l owi ng th e veh i cl e. Th e DEA ag en ts n o ti fi ed t h e t ro o p er th at t h e d ri v er

h ad co n fi rm ed h e h ad “ t he p ro d u ct ” i n h i s v eh i cl e, an d ag en ts req u es t ed t h e t ro o p er

t o m ak e a t raffi c s t o p

. W h i l e h e was beh i n d t h e g r a y D o d g e Ram

, th e t ro o p er

o b s erv ed t h at t h e v eh icl e h ad a b rak e l i g ht o u t an d s aw t h e veh i cl e m ak e an i m p ro p er

s i gn al

. J u s t b efo re i n i t i at i ng t h e s t o p

, t he t ro o p er v eri fi ed wi th t h e DEA ag en t s t h at

t h e t ru ck h e was fo l l owi n g was t h e t arg et v eh i cl e.

W h en h e ap p ro ach ed t h e v eh i c l e aft er m ak i n g t h e t raffi c st o p

, t h e t ro o p er

n o t i ced th ree cel l p h o n es i n t h e cen t er co n s o l e o f t h e v eh i cl e. Th e t ro o p er t es t i fi ed

t h at

, b as ed o n h is t rai n i n g an d ex p e r i e n c e

, hav i n g t hree cel l p h on es i s co m m o n fo r

2n arco t i cs t raffi ck ers

. In res p on s e t o a req u es t fo r h i s l i cen s e

, t h e d ri v er, Lo u al l en

,

i n i t i al l y on l y p ro v id ed an i d en t i fi cat i o n card

. Lo u al l en l at er p ro d u ced a d ri v er ’s

l i cen se wh en t he tro op er p oi nt ed o u t t h at h e h ad b een g i v en an i d en t i fi cat i o n card

.

Du ri n g t h ei r d i s cu s s i on

, Lo u al l en s ai d th at h e had t rav el ed t o Au g us t a t h at d ay

, wh i ch

t h e t ro o per k n ew t o b e u nt ru e bas ed o n h i s co m m u n i cat i o n s w i t h t h e DEA ag en t s

.

W h en as k ed “ i f he h ad been i n an y t ro u b le b efo re,” Lo u al l en res p o n d ed t h at h e h ad

b een arres t ed fo r on e o r m o re m et h am p h et am i n e offen s es i n t h e p as t an d h ad s erv ed

a p ri s o n s en t en ce.

Af t e r f i l l i n g o u t a wri tt en warn i n g, t h e t ro o p er ch eck ed Lo u al l en ’ s d ri v er’ s

l i cen se o n h i s car co m

p u t er an d p rep ared an d p ri n ted a co ns en t t o s earch fo rm . Th e

t ro o p er o b t ai n ed b o t h o ral an d wri t ten co ns en t t o s earch t h e v eh i cl e fro m Lo u al l en

.

Pri o r t o t h e s earch

, Lo u al l en co n fi rm ed t h at ev ery t h i ng i n s id e t h e v eh i cl e b el o n g ed

t o h i m

. T h e t ro o p er th en s earch ed t h e veh i cl e an d fo u n d a p l a s t i c b ag co n t ai n i n g a

co o ki e b o x

. In s i d e t h e co o ki e b o x was ap p ro x i m at el y h al f a k i l o g r a m o f

m et h am p h et am i ne. Lo ual l en was s u b s eq uen t l y i n di ct ed fo r t r affi ck i n g in

m et h am p h et am i ne.

Lo u al l en fi l ed a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s t he ev i d en ce s ei zed d u ri n g t h e t raffi c s t o p.

A h eari ng o n t h e m o t i o n w as hel d aft er ju ry sel ect i o n

. Aft er t h e h eari n g, t h e t ri al co u rt

3d en ied Lo u al l en ’ s m o ti o n t o s up p res s

. Th e t ri al co u r t f o u n d t h at t h ere w as a l eg al

b as i s fo r t h e t raffi c s t o p an d, b as ed o n t h e co ll ect i v e k n o w led g e an d o b s erv at i o n o f

al l o ffi cers i n v o l v ed i n t h e i n ves t i g at i o n

, t here was pro b ab l e cau s e fo r t h e s earch o f

t h e v e h i c l e

. Th e t ri al co u rt al s o fo u nd t h at Lo u al l en g av e v al i d oral an d wri t t en

co n sen t t o s earch h i s v eh i cl e.

Aft er a ju ry fo und L o ua lle n guilty of t raffi ck i ng i n m et h am p h et am in e, Lo u al l en

fi led a m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

, wh i ch h e am en d ed wi t h n e w c ou n s el

. Th e t ri al co u rt

d en ied Lo u al len ’ s m ot io n fo r n ew tri al i n an o rd er i n w h i ch t h e co u rt m ad e d et ai l ed

wri t ten fi n d i n g s s u p p o rt in g i ts d en i al o f Lo u al l en ’ s m o t i on t o s up p res s. Th i s ap p eal

fo l l o w ed

.

1

. Lo u al l en co n t en d s t hat t he t ri al co u rt erred b y den y i n g h i s m o t i o n to

s u p p res s . Pret erm it t i n g wh et h er Lo u al len wai v ed t h i s i s su e, 1 we fi n d n o erro r.

Lo u al l en co n ced es th at t h e t ro o p er was au t h o ri zed t o i n i t i at e t h e t raffi c s t o p

d u e t o a b rak e l i gh t vi o l at i on

. He ar g u e s

, h o wev er, t h at t h e t ro o p er u n l awfu l l y

e x p a n d ed t h e s co p e o f th e t raffi c s t o p wh en h e as k ed Lo u al l en fo r p erm i s s i o n t o

1 Lo u al len a n d t h e S t a t e ag ree t h at t h i s i s su e was p ro p erl y p res erv ed fo r

ap p el l at e rev iew. Becau se we affi rm t h e d en ial o f Lo u al l en ’ s m o ti o n t o s u p p res s o n

t h e m eri t s

, wh ich n eces s ari l y al s o d i sp o s es o f h i s d eri v at iv e i n eff e ct i v e-as s i s t an ce

cl ai m , we n eed n o t d eci de wh et h er t h e s u p pres s i o n i s s u e was p res erv ed

.

4s earch hi s v eh i cl e an d t hat th e ev i d en ce s ei zed as a r e s u l t o f t h e i m pro p er s earch

s h o u ld hav e b een s u p p res s ed

. Lo u al l en co n t en d s t h at t h e d o cu m en t ed m i ss i o n o f t h e

s t op w as co m

p let e wh en t h e t ro o p er fi n i s hed wri t i n g t h e warn i n g fo r t h e b rak e l i g ht

an d s ig n al v i o l at i o n s

.

It i s wel l es t ab l i s h ed t hat “ wh en an o ffi cer o b s e r v e s a t raffi c o ffen s e, t h e

res u l ti n g t raffi c s t o p d o es no t v i o l at e t h e Fo urt h A m en d m en t o f t h e U n i t ed St at es

Co n s t i t u t i o n ev en i f t he o ffi cer h as u l t eri o r m o t i v es i n i ni t i at i ng t h e st op

, an d ev en i f

a reas o n a b l e o ffi cer wo u l d no t h av e m ad e t he s t o p u n d er t he s am e ci rcu m st an ces .”

Ha l l v. S t a t e

, 35 1 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 5

, 6 9 9 ( 1 ) (8 3 2 SE2 d 6 6 9 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). Ho w ev er, “ a s ei zu re t hat i s l awfu l at i t s i n cep t i o n can v i o l at e

t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t if i ts m a n n e r o f ex ecu t i o n u n reas o n ab l y i n fri n g es i n t eres t s

p ro t ect ed b y t h e Co n s t i t ut io n .” Id

. (ci t at i o n s a nd punc tuat i o n o m it t ed ). An d

, “ aft er t h e

t as k s rel at ed t o t he in ves ti g at i o n o f t h e t raffi c v io lat i on an d p ro ces s i n g o f th e ci t at i o n

h av e b een acco m

p l is h ed

, an o ffi cer can n ot co n t i n u e t o d et ai n an i n d i vi d u al wi t h o ut

reas on a b l e art i cu lab l e s u s pi ci o n .” Id

. at 6 9 9 -7 0 0 (1 ) (ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). “ [I] m

p o rt an t l y

, ‘ reas on ab l e art i cu lab l e su s p i ci o n ’ req u i res a p art i cu l ari zed

an d o b ject iv e b as i s fo r s us p ect i n g t h at a ci t i zen i s i n vo l ved in cri m i nal act i v i t y .” Id

.

at 7 0 0 (1 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at i on o m i t t ed ).

5Here, t he tro o p er h ad reas o n a b l e art i cu l ab le s u s p i ci on t h at Lo u al l en was

i n v o l v ed i n cri m i n al act i v i t y

— o t h er t h an m ere t raffi c v i ol at i o n s

— wh en t h e t ro o p er

i n i t i at ed t h e t raffi c s t o p

. “ Th i s i s b ecau s e reas o n ab l e art i cu l ab l e s u sp i ci o n n eed n ot

b e b as ed o n an a r r e s t i n g o ffi cer’ s k n o w l ed g e al o n e, b u t m ay ex i s t b as ed o n t h e

co l l ect i v e k n o w l ed g e o f t h e p o l i ce wh en t h ere i s rel i ab l e co m m u n i cat i o n b et ween an

o ffi cer s u p p l y i ng t h e inf

or m at i on an d an o ffi cer act i n g o n t hat i n fo rm at i o n .” Ha l l

, 3 5 1

Ga. Ap p

. at 7 0 0 (1 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t ted ). Befo re t h e t ro o p er s t o p p ed

Lo u al l en ’ s v eh i cl e, DEA ag en t s i nfo rm ed t h e t ro o per t h at t h e d ri v er o f Lo u al l en ’ s

v eh icl e was s u s p ect ed of en g ag i n g i n a d ru g t ran s act i o n s h o rt ly befo re t h e t raffi c s t o p.

Th i s co l l ect i v e k n owl ed g e g av e t h e t ro o p er reas o n ab l e art i cu lab l e s u s p i ci o n

, wh i ch

ju s t ifi ed t h e t ro o p er’ s req ues t fo r p erm i s s i o n t o search Lo u al len ’ s v eh i cl e. See Ha l l

,

3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 9 9 -7 0 0 (1 ). Fro m i t s i ncep t i o n, t h e i n v es t i g at i o n t h at w arran t ed t h e

d et en t i o n i n t h e fi rs t p l ace en co m p as s ed b o t h t h e t raffi c v i ol at io n an d t h e su s p ect ed

d ru g t ran s act i o n

. Co n s eq u en t l y

, t h e m is s io n o f t h e t raffi c s t o p was n o t co m p let e u n t i l

,

at t h e earl i es t

, Lo u a l l e n e i t h er g av e o r d en ied p erm i s s i o n t o s earch t h e v eh i cl e.

Co n t rary t o Lo u al l en ’ s arg u m en t , t h e t ro op er’ s req u es t fo r p erm i s s i o n t o s earch t h e

v eh icl e d id n o t i m

p ro p erl y ex p an d t h e s co p e of t h e t raffi c s to p

. Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e t ri al

6co u rt d i d n o t err i n den y i n g Lo u al l en ’ s m ot i o n t o s u p p res s t h e ev i d en ce s ei zed fro m

h i s v eh i cl e.

2

. As an al t ern at i v e arg u m en t

, Lo ual l en co n t en d s th at h e recei v ed i n effect i v e

as s i s tan ce of co u n s el b ecau se h i s t ri al co u n s el fai l ed t o p res erv e h i s ch al l en g e t o t h e

ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f t h e d ru g ev i d en ce. Ho wev er, o ur ru li n g affi rm i n g t h e d en i al o f

Lo u al l en ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s n eces s ari l y di s p os es of hi s cl ai m i n so far as h e can n ot

es t ab l i s h p reju di ce res u l t i n g fro m an y al leg ed d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce. See S t r i ckl a n d

v. W a s hi n g t o n

, 4 66 U. S. 6 6 8

, 6 8 7 (III) (1 0 4 SCt 20 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4 ) (1 9 8 4 ) (t o

p rev ai l on an i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el cl ai m

, a cri m i nal d efen dan t m u s t p ro v e

b o t h t h at h i s t ri al co u n sel ’ s perfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t an d t h at h e was p reju d i ced by

t h i s d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce); Fer n a n d ez v. S t a te

, 2 7 5 G a. Ap p

. 1 5 1

, 1 5 6 -1 5 7 (3 ) (b )

(6 1 9 SE2 d 8 2 1 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (“ W h en u rg i ng i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el o n t h e b as i s

o f c o u n s el ’ s fai l u re t o p res erv e t h e ri g h t t o ap p eal fro m t h e d en i al o f a m o t i o n to

s u pp res s ev i d en ce, ap p el l an t m u s t sh o w t h at

, h ad t h e s u p p res s i o n i s s u e b e e n

p r e s erv ed

, t h e ap pel l at e co u rt wo u ld h av e fo u nd i t m eri t o ri o u s an d rev ers e d t h e

co n vi ct i o n o n t h at b as i s .”).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ri ckma n , C. J., a n d McFa d d en , P. J., co n cu r

.

7