FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ar c h 14, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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. 06- 15382 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 06 -000 04 -C R -2 U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s J A M E S L A M A R L Y O N S , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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_________________________ ( M ar c h 14, 2007) B efo re D U B IN A , C A RN E S an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: Ja m es L am arL yons appeal s hi s c on vi ct i on for posse ss i on of on e or m ore2

f ir e a rm s a n d a m m u n itio n b y ac o n v ic te d f e lo n . 1 8 U .S .C . § § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) , 9 2 4 ( a ) ( 2 ) . L y ons a r gue s tha the ne ve rc ons e nt e d t o the w a rr a nt l e s s s e a r c h of hi s r e s i de nc e a nd th e fi rearm s fo u n d p u rsu an tt o th atsearch sh o u l d h av e b een su p p ressed . H e al so a r g u e s th a t h is M ir a n d aw a iv e rw a s n o t v o lu n ta ry , k n o w in g , a n d in te llig e n t. W e a f f i rm. I . B AC KG RO UN D A fe dera l grand j ury i nd i ct ed L yons on on e c ou ntof po ss es si on of a f i re arm b y ac o n v ic te d f

e lo n . 1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) . B e f o r e h is tr ia l, L y o n s f

ile d am o tio n to s uppr e s s ( 1) the f

i r e a rm s a nd a m m uni t i on r e c ove r e d f r om hi s hous e a nd c a r , a nd ( 2 ) c e r ta in s ta te m e n ts h e m a d e a f te rh is a rr e s t, o n th e g r o u n d s th a t h e d id n o t f r e e ly c o n s e n t to th e s e a r c h e s a n d h is p o s t- a rr e s t s ta te m e n ts w e r e ta in te d b e c au s e h is a rr e s tw a s m a de pos s i bl e by thos e s e a r c he s . T he di s tr i c tc our ta s s i gne d the m ot i on to am a g is tr a te ju d g e . T he f a c t s pr e s e nt e d a tthe s uppr e s s i on he a r i ng be f or e the m a gi s tr a t e j udge e s t abl i s he d tha ton June 15, 2005, O f f i c e r s J os h W i l l i a m s a nd M i ke L a w s on of the G lyn n C o u n ty P o li ce D ep ar tm en t arr iv ed at L yo n s’s r es id en ce af ter L yo n s’s g ir lf r ie n d , T e r e s aC r e w s , c a lle d th e p o lic e to r e p o r t th a t L y o n s w a s af e lo n in po ss es si on of on e or m ore f i re arm s. W i l l i am s t es t i fi ed thataf t erL yons answ er ed the door , L a w s on a s ke d L y ons t o pr ovi de i de nt i f i c a t i on. A f

t e rL y ons c om pl i e d,3

L a w s on a s ke d hi m w he the rhe ha d a ny guns i ns i de the r e s i de nc e . W he n L y ons s a i d no, L a w s on a s ke d w he the rthe y m i ghts e a r c h the hous e , a nd L y ons a gr e e d, though ne i the rof

f i c e rt ol d L y ons he c oul d r e f us e c ons e nt . N o guns w e r e f ound, butL a w s on s pott e d agun s a f e . L y ons s a i d the r e w e r e no guns i n the s a f e a nd he di d notha ve ake yt o the s a f e , a nd ha nde d hi s ke y r i ng t o L a w s on s o tha tL a w s on c oul d a tt e m ptt o ope n the s a f e . A f t e rtry i ng t o ope n the s a f e w i th e a c h ke y on the r i ng, L a w s on the n a s ke d f orpe rm i s s i on t o s e a r c h L y ons ’ s c a r , a nd L y ons consent ed. L aw son fou nd a f i re arm and am m un i t i on i n the truck, and L yons w as h an d cu ffed an dp l aced u n d er arrest. L aw so n al so d i sco v ered an o th er seto f k eys, and L yons vo l un t ee re d thatthe key t o the sa fe w as on thatri ng . L aw son w entback i nt o L y ons ’ s hous e w i th the ne w ke y a nd ope ne d the s a f e , w he r e he f

ound as e c ond f ir e a rm . W illia m s in itia lly te s tif ie d th a t th e f

ir e a rm f o u n d in th e c a rw a s aM a r lin 30 / 30 ri fl e a nd the fi re arm foun d i n the sa fe w as a . 35 7 M agnu m , bu taf t er r e f r e s hi ng hi s m e m ory , he c orr e c t e d hi m s e l f a nd s t a t e d tha tthe M a r l i n w a s f ound in th e s a f e a n d th e M a g n u m in th e c a r . O ff i ce r L aw son then t es t i fi ed t o these sa m e f ac t s. H e a l so t es t i fi ed that before they kno cked on L yons’ s doo r, on e of L yons’ s nei gh bo rs t ol d them that L yons had a . 35 7 M agnu m i n h i s truck and al so ow ned a ri fl e. L aw son sai d that w h e n L y o n s a n s w e r e d th e d o o r , h e a s k e d w h e th e rth e y c o u ld d is c u s s th e p h o n e c a ll4

the po l i ce had rece i ved from C re w s. W hen L yons l etthe offi ce rs i nt o h i s hou se , L a w s o n to ld L y o n s th a t th e o f f ic e r s h a d b e e n in f

o rm e d th a t L y o n s w a s af e lo n in pos s e s s i on. L y ons i m m e di a t e l y de ni e d ha vi ng a ny w e apons i n the hous e , but adm i tt ed thathe w as a c on vi ct ed fe l on . Itw as then thatL aw son asked i f they c o u ld s e a r c h h is h o m e . O n cross -e xam i nat i on , coun se l for L yons as ked b oth o ff i ce rs w hether L a w s on t ol d L y ons tha tthe y “ ne e de d t o t a l k t o hi m a nd he m a y w a ntt o s i tdow n” a s arus e t o ga i n e ntr a nc e i nt o hi s hous e . B oth of f i c e r s de ni e d tha tL a w s on m a de s uc h as t a t e m e nt . C ouns e l f orL y ons a l s o a s ke d w he the re i the rof f i c e rt ol d L y ons “h e c o u ld e ith e ra llo w h is h o m e to b e s e a r c h e d o r[ th e o f f ic e r s ] w o u ld g o g e t a w a rr a n t a n d c o m e b a c k .” A g a in , b o th o f f ic e r s d e n ie d m a k in g s u c h as ta te m e n t. L yons then t es t i fi ed. H e s t at ed thatw hen h e a nsw er ed the do or, O ff i ce r L a w s on s a i d, “ W e l l , w e ’ ve gotaphone c a l l . W e ne e d t o t a l k t o y ou i ns i de the hous e . ” L y ons a s ke d w ha tw a s goi ng on, a nd L a w s on r e pl i e d, “ W e l l , y ou know i t ’ s T e r e s aC r e w s , r i ght ? ” A tthi s poi ntL a w s on he l d hi s he a d dow n abi ta nd c ont i nue d, “ W e l l , y ou m a y w a ntt o s i tdow n. ” L y ons t e s t i f i e d tha tw he n he l e tthe of f i c e r s i n the hous e , W i l l i a m s c l os e d the doora nd s t ood ne a ri t , a nd L a w s on p r o c e e d e d to w a r d th e liv in g r o o m a r e a . T h e o f f ic e r s to ld L y o n s ab o u t C r e w s ’s c a ll a n d L y o n s a d m itte d to b e in g ac o n v ic te d f e lo n . L a w s o n th e n a s k e d if th e y c o u ld5

s e a r c h the hous e , a nd L y ons a s ke d w hy the y w oul d do s o ba s e d onl y on one pe r s on’ s s t a t e m e nt . L a w s on the n r e s ponde d tha ti f L y ons di dn’ tc ons e nt , the o ffi cers w o u l d j u stg eta w arran tan d search an yw ay. L yo n s rep l i ed , “ W el l , I g u ess I c an’ tst op you, ” a nd L aw son b egan hi s s ea rc h. L yons t es t i fi ed thathe re spon ded in th e s a m e m a n n e rw h e n L a w s o n a s k e d w h e th e rth e o f f ic e r s c o u ld s e a r c h h is tru c k . A f t e rhe a r i ng thi s t e s t i m ony , the m a gi s tr a t e j udge e nt e r e d hi s R e por ta nd R ec om m endat i on , i n w hi ch he foun d thatthe offi ce rs had t ol d L yons they had i nform at i on he w as a f

el on i n p osse ss i on ; L yons t ol d the offi ce rs they c ou l d sea rc h hi s hom e a nd truc k, a nd pr ovi de d the m w i th the ke y s t o hi s truc k; a nd L y ons vol unt e e r e d tha tthe ke y t o hi s gun s a f e w a s on the ke y r i ng f

ound i n hi s truc k. T he m agi stra t e j ud ge foun d “ no cr edi bl e e vi dence . . . thatW i l l i am s or L aw son coerce d o ro th e rw is e p r e s s u r e d L y o n s to g iv e c o n s e n t to th e s e a r c h e s .” T h e m a g is tr a te ju d g e a ls o f

o u n d th a t L y o n s ’s p o s t- a rr e s t s ta te m e n ts w e r e v o lu n ta r ily m a d e . O ve rL y ons ’ s obj e c t i ons , the di s tr i c tc our tnot e d tha tthe m a gi s tr a t e j udge foun d the t es t i m on y of the offi ce rs t o b e m ore c re di bl e than L yons’ s a nd adop t ed the R eportand R ec om m endat i on of the m agi stra t e j ud ge. T he courtconcl ud ed that the se cond se ar ch of L yons’ s hom e w as a c on t i nu at i on of the fi rs tand L yons had consent ed t o the se ar ch of hi s hom e a nd hi s truck. T he courtal so concl ud ed that6

L y o n s ’s p o s t- a rr e s t s ta te m e n ts h a d b e e n v o lu n ta r ily g iv e n . L y o n s p r o c e e d e d to tr i a l a nd w a s c onvi c t e d. I I . STA N D A R D S O F R EVI EW

“ T hi s c ou rtre vi ew s adi stri ctcourt ’ s deni al of a m ot i on t o sup pres s und era m i xe d s t a nda r d of

r e vi e w , r e vi e w i ng the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f i ndi ngs of

f a c tunde rthe cl earl y erro n eo u s st an d ard , an d th e d i stri ctco u rt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n o f th e l aw t o th o se f a c ts d e n o v o .” U n ite d S ta te s v . R h in d , 2 8 9 F .3 d 6 9 0 , 6 9 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . W hether c on se ntt o a se ar ch w as vo l un t ary i s aqu es t i on of fa ctw e r evi ew for c l ea r er ro r. U n it ed S tates v . A co sta, 3 6 3 F .3 d 1 1 4 1 , 1 1 5 1 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 4 ). “[I]n e va l ua t i ng the f

a c tua l ve r s i on of

e ve nt s be tw e e n the l a w e nf or c e m e ntof

f i c e r s a nd [ ad e f e n d a n t], w e s h o u ld d e f

e rto th e m a g is tr a te ju d g e ’s d e te rm in a tio n s u n le s s h is un ders t andi ng of the fa ct s app ea rs t o b e unb el i evabl e. ” U ni t ed S t at es v. R am i re zC h ile l, 2 8 9 F .3 d 7 4 4 , 7 4 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON L yons ra i se s tw o chal l enges. F i rs t , he m ai nt ai ns thatthe di stri ctcourterre d w h e n it c o n c lu d e dh e f

r e e ly c o n s e n te d to th e s e a r c h o f h is h o u s e a n d tru c k . S e c ond, he a r gue s tha thi s pos t - a rr e s ts t a t e m e nt s w e r e i na dm i s s i bl e be c aus e he w o u l d n o th av e b een p l aced u n d er arrest absen tth e i m p ro p er search o f h i s h o u se a nd truc k. W e a ddr e s s e a c h a r gum e nti n turn.7

A . T he D is tr i c t

C our t D i d N ot C le ar l y E r rW he n I t C onc lude d T

hat L yons V ol un tari l y C on se nt ed to the Search of His H ou se an d T

ruck. W he the ra n i ndi vi dua l vol unt a r i l y c ons e nt e d t o as e a r c h i s ba s e d on the t ot al i ty of the ci rc um st ance s. A cost a, 36 3 F . 3d at11 51 . A di stri ctcourtl oo ks at s e ve r a l f a c t or s t o de t e rm i ne w he the rc ons e ntt o as e a r c h w a s vol unt a ry , i nc l udi ng: (1) w hether the defendantw as fr ee t o l ea ve; (2) w hether there w as coer ci ve po l i ce pr oc e dur e ; ( 3) the e xt e ntof the de f e nda nt ’ s c oope r a t i on a nd a w a r e ne s s of the r i ght t o r e f us e c ons e nt ; ( 4) the e xt e ntof the de f e nda nt ’ s e duc a t i on a nd i nt e l l i ge nc e ; a nd ( 5 ) th e d e f

e n d a n t’s b e lie f

th a t n o in c r im in a tin g e v id e n c e w o u ld b e f o u n d . R a m ir e z - C h ile l, 2 8 9 F .3 d a t 7 5 2 . T he di s tr i c tc our tdi d notc l e a r l y e rrw he n i tc onc l ude d tha tL y ons v o lu n ta r ily c o n s e n te dto th e s e a r c h o f h is tru c ka n d b o th s e a r c h e s o f h is h o m e . A l though the thi r d f

a c t orl i s t e d above w e i ghs i n L y ons ’ s f a vor , the t ot a l i ty of

the c ir c u m s ta n c e s e s tab lis h e s th a t L y o n s v o lu n ta r ily c o n s e n te d to th e s e a r c h o f h is h o u s e a n d tru c k . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t c r e d ite d th e f a c tu a l f in d in g o f th e m a g is tr a te j udge tha tthe t e s t i m ony of the of f i c e r s w a s m or e c r e di bl e tha n the t e s t i m ony of L yons, and thatfi nd i ng i s not“ un bel i evabl e. ” S ee i d. at74 9. T he offi ce rs t es t i fi ed th a t th e y d id n o t d e c e iv e L y o n s in to a llo w in g th e m in to h is h o u s e n o rc o e r c e h im in to le ttin g th e m s e a r c h h is h o u s e o rtru c k . I n s te a d , th e y te s tif ie d th a t th e y to ld L y ons w hy the y w e r e the r e , a s ke d w he the rthe y m i ghts e a r c h hi s hous e a nd truc k,8

an d w ere g i v en p erm i ssi o n t o d o so . T h ey al so t est i fi ed , an d L yo n s d i d n o td en y, tha tL y ons vol unt e e r e d the i nf orm a t i on tha tthe ke y t o the s a f e w a s pr e s e nton the ke y r i ng f

ound i n hi s truc k. B e c aus e L y ons ha d pr e vi ous l y a gr e e d t o a l l ow the offi ce rs t o sea rc h h i s hou se and p rovi ded them w i th ano ther s etof keys w i th w hi ch the y c oul d try t o ope n the s a f e , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d notc l e a r l y e rri n c onc l udi ng th at b y v o lu n teer in g th is in fo rm atio n L yo n s s h o w ed th at h e c o n se n ted to L aw so n ’s re-en t eri n g o f th e h o u se. Itm att ers n o tw h eth er w e co n stru e th i s co n sen tas a c o n tin u a tio n o f

L y o n s ’s in itia l c o n s e n t o ra s ar e n e w e d c o n s e n t to a llo w L a w s o n to s e a r c h th e s a f

e . B . L yo n s’s P o st-A rrest

S ta tem en t

s W ere V o lu n ta ri l y M a de a n d W ere N ot the Fr ui t

of an I l legal Se ar c h. L yons’ s onl y a rgum enton appeal thathi s post -a rr es tst at em ent s w er e i na dm i s s i bl e i s tha thi s a rr e s tw a s the f rui tof a n unl a w f

ul s e a r c h. W e ha ve a l r e a dy c onc l ude d tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tdi d notc l e a r l y e rrw he n i the l d tha tL y ons v o lu n ta r ily c o n s e n te dto th e s e a r c h o f h is tru c ka n d b o th s e a r c h e s o f h is h o m e . W e co n cl u d e th atth e d i stri ctco u rtd i d n o terr w h en i tad m i tt ed L yo n s’ s p o st -arrest s ta te m e n ts a s w e ll. I V . CONCL US I ON L y o n s ’s c o n v ic tio n is AF F I RME D.