THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and M C FA DDEN, 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

Septem b er 2, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 38 8 . M Y ERS v . THE STATE.

D I LLA R D , J u dg e.

Fo l l owi n g a s t i p u l at ed b en ch t ri al

, Sh am ek a Sh o n t ay M y ers was co n v i ct ed o f

p o s s es s i n g l es s th an on e o u n ce o f m ari ju an a. M y ers ap p eal s t hi s co n v i ct i on , s o l el y

c o n t e n d i n g t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g h er m o t io n t o s u pp res s ev i d en c e

d i s co v ered aft er l aw en fo rcem en t i l l eg al l y s ei zed a p as s en g er i n her v eh i cl e an d

, t h u s ,

i l leg al l y s ei zed h er as wel l . Fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h i n f ra , we affi rm

.

At t h e o ut s et , we n o te t h at t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h as rei t erat ed t h ree

fu n d am en t al p ri n ci pl es t o fo l l o w i n rev i ewi n g a ru l i n g o n a m o ti o n t o s u p pres s

. Fi rs t

,

t h e t ri al co u rt s i t s as t h e t ri er o f fact at a h e a r i n g o n a m o t i o n t o s up p res s , 1 an d

1 Br o wn v. St a t e , 29 3 Ga. 7 8 7

, 8 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (2 ) (7 50 SE2 d 1 4 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ); Mi ll er v. S t a t e , 2 8 8 Ga. 2 8 6 , 2 8 6 (1 ) (7 0 2 SE2 d 8 8 8 ) (2 0 10 ).b ecau s e i t hears t h e ev id en ce, t h e co u rt ’ s “ fi n d i n g s b as ed u p o n co n fl i ct in g ev i d en ce

are an al o g o u s to t h e v erd i ct o f a ju ry an d s h o u ld no t b e di s t u rb ed b y a rev i ewi n g co u rt

i f t h ere i s an y ev i den ce t o s u p p o r t [t h em ]

. ” 2 Seco nd

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n wi th

r e g a r d to q u es t i o n s o f fact an d cred ib i l i t y m u s t b e accep t ed “ u n les s cl earl y

e r r o n eo u s .” 3 Fi n al l y , we, as th e rev i ewi n g co u rt

, m u s t co n s t ru e t h e ev i d en ce “ m os t

fav o rab l y t o t h e u p h o l d i ng o f t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s an d ju d g m en t .” 4

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd refl ect s t h a t a t 3 : 3 0 a.m

. o n t h e d ay i n q u es t i o n , an

o ffi cer res p o n d ed t o a n o i s e co m p l ai n t i n a Hen ry

Co un t y n ei g hb o rh o o d an d

, wh i l e

i n v es t i g at i n g sam e, m ad e a m en t al n o te o f a v eh i cl e park ed i n fro n t o f a h o u s e t h at

h ad n o cars i n t he d ri v eway

. Th e o ffi cer al s o o b s erv ed t h at th i s v eh i cl e co n t ai n ed t wo

o ccu pan t s an d i ts wi nd o ws were fo g g ed

.

Aft er co n cl u d i n g h i s i n v es t i g at i o n i n t o t h e n o i s e co m p l ai n t, t h e o ffi cer ag ai n

p as s ed b y th e v eh i c l e an d d eci d ed t o m ak e co n t act

. Th e o ffi cer p ark ed n earb y an d

2 Mi l l er , 2 8 8 Ga. at 2 8 6 (1 ) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t ted ); acco r d Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at

8 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (2 ).

3 Mi l l er , 2 8 8 Ga. at 2 8 6 (1 ) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t ted ); acco r d Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at

8 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (2 ).

4 Mi l l er , 2 8 8 Ga. at 2 8 6 (1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); a cco r d Br o wn , 29 3 Ga. at

8 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (2 ).

2ap p ro ach ed t he v eh i cl e o n fo o t , n o t i ci n g t hat t h e wi n do ws were s t i l l fo g g y

. He al s o

d et ect ed t h e o d o r of m ari

ju an a an d s aw t h at t h e p as s en g er was b eg in n in g t o ex i t t h e

v eh icl e. Th e o ffi cer i n st ru ct ed t h e p as s en g er t o s i t b ack d o wn i n t h e v eh i cl e, wh i ch

t h e p as s en g er d i d.

Th e o ffi c e r t h e n m ad e co n t act wi t h t he d ri v er, M y ers , at her wi n d o w an d

d et ect ed an ev en m o re o v erwh el m in g o d o r o f m ari j u an a wh e n s h e ro ll ed d o wn t h e

wi n do w. He al so o b s erv ed a h o l l o wed o u t t ob acco wrap p er o n t h e g ro u n d o u t s i d e o f

t h e d ri ver’ s d o or. A n d w h en h e co n fro n t ed t h e occu p an t s ab o u t th e o do r, th ey d en i ed

h av in g m ari

ju an a. Th ereaft er, t h e o ffi cer as k ed M y ers an d t h e p as s en g er t o ex i t t h e

v eh icl e s ep arat el y , co n d u ct ed a p at d own o f t he p as sen g er, an d l o cat ed m ari ju an a an d

d ru g p a r a p h e r n a l i a o n t h e p as s en g er. He t h en co nd u ct ed a p at d o wn o f M y ers an d,

al t h o u g h h e d i d n o t fi n d an y t h i n g on h er, h e d i d d i s co v er m ari ju an a i n a co n t ai n er o n

h er s i d e o f t h e v eh i cl e d uri ng a s u b s eq uen t s earch

.

Fo l l owi n g h er ch arg e fo r p o s s es s i o n o f m ari ju an a, M y ers fi l ed a m o t i o n to

s u p p re s s t h e e v i d en ce, arg u i ng t hat s h e was i l l eg al l y d et ai n ed aft er t h e o ffi cer

i l leg al l y d et ai ned t he p a s s en g er b y o rd e r i n g t h e p as s en ger b ack i nt o t h e v eh i cl e

wi t h o u t reas o n ab l e art icu l ab le s u sp i ci o n o f cri m i nal act i v i t y

. An d aft er a h eari n g o n

t h e m at ter, t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed M y ers ’ s m o t i o n , fi n d in g t h at t h e offi cer h ad

3reas on ab l e art i cu lab l e su s p i ci o n aft er h e d et ect ed t h e o d o r o f m ari ju a n a u p o n

ap p ro ach i n g t h e v eh i cl e. Fo ll o wi n g h er co n v i ct io n in a s ti p u l at ed b en ch t ri al

, t h i s

ap p eal b y M y ers fo l l o ws

.

As we h av e p rev i o u s ly ex p l ai n ed

, t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f t h e Un i ted St at es h as

s cu l p t ed o u t , at l eas t t h eo ret i cal l y , t h ree t i ers o f p ol i ce-ci t i zen en co u n ters :

(1 ) co m m u n i cat i o n b et ween p o l i ce an d ci ti zen s i n vo l vi n g n o co erci o n

o r d et en t i o n an d t h erefo re wi t h ou t th e c o m p as s o f t h e Fo u rt h

Am en dm e n t

, ( 2) b ri ef s ei zu res th at m u s t b e s u p p o rt ed b y reas o n ab l e

s u s p i ci o n , an d (3 ) fu l l -s cal e arres t s t hat m us t be s u p p o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e

cau s e. 5

In t h e fi rs t t i er, p ol ice 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 qu es t io n th 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 i zen i s i n v o l v ed

i n cri m i n a l act i v i ty

, as l o ng as t h e o ffi cers d o n o t d et ai n t h e ci t i zen o r creat e t h e

i m p res s i o n t h at t h e ci t izen m ay n o t leav e.” 6 An d h ere, t h e t ri al co urt co rrect l y

d et erm i n ed th at t h e o ffi cer’ s i n i t i al ap p ro ach t o t h e v eh i cl e fel l u nd er t h e fi rs t

5 Br o wn v. St a t e , 3 0 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 2, 8 4 (6 8 6 SE2 d 7 9 3 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ); a cco r d S

a nt os v. S t a t e , 3 0 6 Ga. A p p

. 77 2

, 7 7 3 -7 4 (1 ) (7 0 3 SE2 d 1 4 0 ) (2 0 1 0).

6 Br o wn , 3 0 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 8 4 (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); a cco r d S a nt o s , 3 0 6 Ga. Ap p . at 7 7 3 -7 4 (1 ).

4cat eg o ry o f s u ch en co u n ters

. 7 Fu rt h erm o re, wh et h er o r n o t th e o ffi cer’ s o rd er t h at t h e

p as s en g er ret u r n t o t h e veh i cl e es cal at ed t h e s i t u at i o n t o a s eco nd -t i er en co u n t er as

t h e t ri al co u rt det erm i n ed

, 8 t h e o ffi cer at t hat p o i n t u n q u e s t i o n ab l y had reas o n ab l e

art i cu l ab l e s u s p i ci o n t o b ri efl y d et ai n b ot h M y ers an d t h e p as s en g er.

7 See, e.g

. , W

h i t mo r e v. S t a t e , 2 8 9 G a

. Ap p

. 1 0 7

, 1 0 9 (6 57 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (n o t i ng t h at o ffi cer’ s ap p ro ach t o m ak e i n q u i ry o f v eh icl es th at were al read y s t o p p ed

was a fi rs t -t i er en co u n t er); Ca r r er a v. S t a t e , 2 6 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 3 2

, 8 3 4 ( 5 8 4 SE2 d 2 ) (2 0 0 3) (“ It i s wel l es t ab l i s h ed t h at an offi cer’ s ap p ro ach t o a s t o p p ed veh i cl e an d

i n q u i ry i nt o t h e s i t u at i o n are no t a ‘ s to p ’ or ‘ s ei zu re’ b u t rat h er cl earl y fal l wi t h i n t h e real m o f t h e fi rs t t y

pe o f p o l i ce-ci t i zen en co u n ter.” (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed )).

8 See S a n to s , 3 06 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 7 4 (“ Ex am pl es o f ci rcu m s t a n ces t h at m i g ht

i n d i cat e a s eco n d -t i er d et en t i on i n cl u d e

. . . t h e u s e o f l an gu ag e o r to n e o f v o i ce i n d i cat i n g co m

p l i an ce wi t h t h e o ffi cer’ s req u es t m i g h t b e co m p el l ed .” (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed )); Aki n s v. S t a t e , 2 6 6 Ga. Ap p

. 2 14

, 2 1 6 (1 ) (5 9 6 SE2 d 7 19 ) (2 0 04 ) (“ [P] o l i ce

o ffi cers m ay ap p ro ach a ci t i zen , as k fo r i d en t i fi cat i o n , as k h i m t o ro l l d o wn a wi n d o w

o r s t ep o u t o f a car, an d freel y q u es t i o n h i m wi t h o u t an y art i cu lab l e su s p i ci on , as l o n g

as t h e o ffi cers do n o t d et ai n t h e ci t i zen o r creat e t h e i m pres s i o n t h at t h e ci t izen m ay

n o t l eav e.”); Jo h n s o n v. S t a t e , 2 3 1 Ga. Ap p. 2 7 3

, 2 7 3 (4 9 8 SE2 d 3 5 9) (1 9 9 8 ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n ly ) (“ Defen d an t’ s res p o n s e to th e req u es t f or i den t i fi cat i o n was

‘ do I h av e t o

. ’ In res p o n d i n g affi rm at iv el y , t h e d ep u t y s ei zed t h e p ers o n o f

d efen d an t .”). Cf

. W h it m or e , 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p. at 1 1 0 (h o l d i ng t h at en co u n t er was s t i l l

wi t h i n th e fi rs t t i er wh en , aft er m ak i n g in q u i ry of veh i cl es s t o pp ed o n t h e si d e o f t h e

ro ad

, o ffi cer “ r eq u es ted th at [t h e d ri v ers ] m o v e t h ei r v eh i cl es t o a p ark i ng l o t

. . . s o

as t o av o i d im

p ed i ng t raffi c an d t o en s u re g reat er s afet y ” (em p has i s s u p p l i ed )); S t o kes

v. S t a t e , 2 3 8 Ga. Ap p. 2 3 0

, 2 3 2 (5 1 8 SE2 d 4 4 7 ) (1 9 99 ) (“ As ki n g an i n di v i d u al t o s t ep

o u t s i d e f o r s afet y reas on s i s a p erm i s s i bl e act i o n t h at d o es n o t ri s e t o t h e l ev el o f a

s ei zu re. Th i s co u rt has al s o reco g n i zed th at di s t i n ct i o n b et w een an d o ffi cer’ s

‘ ap p ro p ri at el y

d eferen ti al ’ req u es t fo r co o p erat i o n an d a d em an d ri s i n g t o t h e l ev el

o f a s t o p .” (ci t at i on s o m i t t ed ) (em p h as is s u p p l i ed )).

5Art i cu l ab le s u s p i ci o n , o f co u rs e, req u i res a “ p art i cu lari zed an d o b j ect i v e b as i s

fo r s u s p ect in g t h at a ci t izen i s i n v o l v ed i n cri m in al act iv it y

. ” 9 T h i s su s p i ci o n n eed n ot

m eet t h e h i g h er s t an d ard o f p ro b ab l e cau se, b u t it m u st b e m o re t h an a m ere cap ri ce

o r a h u n ch

. 1 0 Th us , i n as s es s in g wh et h er a reas o n ab le art i cu l ab l e su s p i ci on ex i s t s , we

are ch arg ed w i th lo ok i n g t o “ t h e t o tal i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces .” 1 1 An d i n t hi s cas e, t h e

o ffi cer o b s erv ed a v eh i cl e w i t h t wo o ccu p an t s p ark ed i n a res i d en t i al area at 3 : 3 0

a.m

. , it s wi n d o w s o b s c u r ed b y fo g

. Th en , as t h e o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed th e v eh i cl e to

m ak e i n q u i ry o f t h e o ccu p an t s , h e d et ect ed t h e o d o r o f m ari ju an a. In d eed

, t he o ffi cer

t e s t i f i ed t h at h e fi rs t det ect ed t h e o d o r as h e ap p ro ach ed t h e v eh i cl e, wh i c h w a s

s i m u l t an eo u s wi th t h e p as s en g er’ s at tem p t t o ex i t t h e v eh i cl e, an d t h at t h e o d o r was

wh y h e “ wo u l d h av e h er s t ay .” Th e d et ect i o n o f t h e o d o r o f m ari ju an a p ro v i d ed t h e

o ffi cer wi t h reas o n ab l e art i cu lab l e s u s p i ci o n t o b ri efl y d et ai n bo t h M y ers an d t h e

9 S t a t e v. W

h i t t

, 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9

, 5 0 (6 2 5 S E 2 d 4 1 8 ) ( 2 0 0 5) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ); a cco r d Pa d

r o n v. St a t e , 2 5 4 Ga. Ap p. 2 6 5, 2 6 8 (1 ) (5 6 2 SE2 d 2 44 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

1 0 W h i t t , 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p . at 5 0 ; Pa d r o n , 2 5 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 8 (1 ).

1 1 H o l m e s v

. S t a t e , 2 9 3 Ga. 2 2 9

, 2 3 0 (2 ) (7 4 4 SE2 d 7 0 1 ) (2 0 1 3 ); S t a t e v. Th o mp so n , 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p . 1 8 8 , 1 8 9 (5 6 9 SE2 d 2 5 4 ) (2 0 02 ).

6p a s s en g er to co n d u ct an i n v es t i g at i on i n t o t h e m at t er. 1 2 As a res u l t

, t h e t ri al c o u r t

p ro p erl y d en i ed M y ers ’ s m ot i o n t o s u p p res s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . El l i n g t o n , P. J., a n d McFa d den , J., co ncu r

.

1 2 S ee, e.g

. , Ba il ey v. St a t e , 28 3 Ga. Ap p

. 3 6 5

, 3 68 (2 ) (6 4 1 SE2 d 54 8 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (h o l d i n g t h at t ri al co u rt “ co ul d h av e co n cl u d ed t h at [t h e o ffi cer] s m el l ed m ari ju an a

s m o k e rat h er t han u n bu rn ed m ari ju an a i n [t h e d efen d an t ’ s ] veh i cl e, wh i ch g av e h i m

a r e a s o n a b l e art i cu l ab le s u sp i ci o n o f cri m i n al act iv i ty ”); To m l i n v. S ta t e , 2 4 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 0 5

, 4 0 6 (5 3 0 SE2 d 2 7 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (“ Th e o do r o f m ari ju an a em an at i n g fro m a car

p ro v id es a reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n t h at m ari j u an a i s p res en t i n t he car.”).

7