THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, 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.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

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

A pr i l 30, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 26 2 . BOW L ER v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e.

A f te r a be nc h tri al

, Pau l Bo wl er was co n v i ct ed o f p o s s es s i ng m e tha m phe ta m ine

an d d ru g rel at ed o b

ject s

. He ap p eal s , ch al len g i n g t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t he ev i d en ce an d

t h e d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

. Becau se a rat i o n al t ri er of fact co u l d hav e fo u n d

g u i l t b ey o n d a reas o n a b l e d o u b t an d t h e t ri al co u rt d i d no t ab u s e i t s di s cret i o n in

d en y i n g t h e m ot i o n t o s u p p res s , we affi rm

.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

Vi ewed i n fav o r o f t h e ju d g m en t

, s e e J a c k s o n v. Vi r g i ni a , 4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7 (9 9

SCt 2 7 81

, 6 1 L E2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ), t h e ev id en ce s h o ws t hat o n J u n e 4

, 2 0 1 6

, at

ap p ro x i m at el y

1 0: 0 0 p .m

. , a p o l i ce o ffi cer on p at ro l s aw a ca r p a r k ed o u t s i d e a 2 4

-

h o u r co n v en i en ce s to re n ear St at e Ro u t e 2 2 5 i n M u rray Co u n t y . Th e car was n o t i na m ark ed p ark in g s pace i n fro n t o f t h e s to re an d was i ns t ead p ark ed on t h e s i d e o f t h e

b u i l d i n g wh ere i t co u l d no t b e s een f r o m i n s i d e t h e s t o re. T h e offi cer wen t i n t o t h e

s t ore an d s p o k e wi th em

p l o y ees , wh o s ai d t h at t hey d i d n o t k n o w wh o was i n t h e

v eh icl e. Th e o ffi cer wen t b ack o u t s i de an d fo u n d Bo w l er in t h e car. Bo wl er t o l d t h e

o ffi cer t hat h e was t i red an d w as g o i ng t o res t fo r t en to fi ft een m i nu t es b efo re d ri v i n g

t o h i s ho m e, w h i ch was l o cat ed s t rai g h t n ort h o n h i g h w ay 2 2 5 i n M urray Co u n t y n ear

t h e T en n es s ee b o rd er. T h e o ffi cer t o l d Bo wl er t o get h o m e s a f e l y a n d t h en l eft t h e

area.

Fo u r h o u rs l at er, at 2 : 0 0 a.m

. o n J u n e 5 t h

, t h e offi cer ret urn ed t o th e s t o re an d

s aw t h at t h e car was s t i l l p ark ed i n t h e s am e s p o t an d t h at i t s wi n d o w s were “ fo g g ed

u p .” Th e o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed t he v eh i cl e a n d s p o k e to Bo wl er, wh o was s weat i n g

p ro fu s el y , b reat h i ng h eav i l y , an d act i n g n erv o u s l y

. At t h e o ffi cer’ s req u es t , Bo wl er

g o t o u t o f t h e car an d i n it i al l y s ai d t h at he was st i l l t h e r e b ecau s e h i s b at t ery was

d ead

, b u t t h en l at er t o l d t h e o ffi cer t h at h e was s t i l l t h ere b ecau s e h e h ad g o t t en i n to

an arg u m en t w i t h h is g i rl fri en d an d w as “ ju s t b lo wi n g o ff s o m e st eam .” Bo wl er t o ld

t h e o ffi cer t h at h e l iv ed i n t h e t o wn o f Dawn v i ll e an d t h en al s o s ai d t hat h e l i v ed i n

t h e t o wn o f Et o n ; b u t th e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at t h o s e t o wn s are l o cat ed i n d i fferen t

co u nt i es an d are n o t cl o s e t o each o t h er. W h en t h e o ffi cer as k ed ag ai n wh ere h e l i v ed

,

2Bo wl er s ai d h e l i v ed i n D awn v i l l e. Th e o ffi cer arres t ed Bo wl er fo r l o i t e ri n g,

i m p o u n d ed h i s v eh icl e, co nd u ct ed an i n v en t o ry search o f t h e car, an d fo u n d a p l as t i c

b ag gy an d a s y ri n g e fi ll ed wi t h a s u bs t an ce t hat fi el d -t es t ed p o s i t i v e fo r

m et h am p h et am i ne.

Bo wl er was ch arg ed b y accu s at i on wi t h p o s s es s io n of m et h am p h et am i n e an d

p o s s es s i o n o f d ru g rel at ed o b ject s

. He fi l ed a m o t io n to s up p res s t h e s ei zed ev i d en ce.

Aft er a h eari n g , t h e tri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n , fi n d i n g t hat th e o ffi cer h ad p ro b ab l e

cau s e t o arres t Bo wl er an d t hat t h e i m p o u n d m en t an d i n v en t o ry s earch o f t h e v eh i cl e

was au t h o ri zed

. Bo wl er w a i v ed h i s ri g h t t o a ju ry t ri al an d req u es t ed a b en ch t ri al

.

Th e t ri al co u rt co n d u ct ed a s t i p u l at ed b en ch t ri al b as ed on t h e ev id en ce p res en t ed at

t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s heari ng an d t h e s tat e cri m e l ab o rat o ry tes t res ul t s

. Th e t ri al

co u rt fo u n d Bo wl er g u i l t y o f p os s es s i n g m et h am ph et am i n e an d d ru g rel at ed o b ject s

.

Th e co u rt i m

p o s ed a t h ree-y ear s en t e n c e f o r th e m et h am

p h et am i ne ch arg e an d a

co n cu rren t t wel v e-m o n t h s en t en ce fo r t he d ru g rel at ed o b j ect s offen s e , wi t h t h ree

m o nt h s t o b e s erv ed i n jai l an d t he rem ai n d er o n p ro b at i o n

. Aft er Bo wl er’ s m o t i o n fo r

a n ew t ri al was d en i ed , t hi s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

2

. S u f f ici en cy o f t h e evi d en ce.

3“ In ev al u at i n g t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce t o s up p ort a co n vi ct i o n , we d o

n o t wei g h t h e ev id en ce o r d et erm i n e wi t n es s cred ib i l i ty

, b u t o n l y det erm i n e wh et h er

a rat i o n al t ri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d t h e d efen d an t g u il t y o f t h e ch arg ed o ffen s es

b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u bt .” A n d er s on v. S t a t e , 3 5 2 G a. Ap p

. 2 7 5

, 2 77 (1 ) (8 3 4 SE2 d

3 6 9 ) (2 01 9 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted )

. Th e ev i d en ce reco u nt ed ab o v e

au t h o ri zed t h e t ri al co u rt t o fi n d Bo wl er gu i l t y o f t h e ch arg ed o f fen s es b ey o n d a

reas on ab l e d o u b t

. See i d

. at 2 7 8 (1 ) (b ) & (c) (s u ffi ci en t ev id en ce au t h o ri zi n g

co n vi ct i o n s of p o s s es s i o n o f m et h am p h et am in e an d d ru g rel at ed o bject wh ere

m et h am p h et am i ne d i sco vered i n a s y ri n g e).

3

. Mo t i o n t o s u

p p r es s

.

“ In co n s i d eri n g an ap p eal fro m a d en i a l o f a m o t i o n t o s u pp res s , t h i s [c] o u rt

co n st ru es t he ev i d en ce i n fav o r o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g , an d w e

. . . wi l l n o t rev ers e

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o r d e r o n a m o t i o n t o su p pres s u n les s it rep res en t s an ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n .” Bo

yd v. S ta t e , 2 90 Ga. Ap p

. 3 4 (6 5 8 SE2 d 7 8 2 ) ( 2 0 0 8 ) (ci tat i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Here, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ab u s e i t s d i s cret i o n i n den y i n g t h e

m o ti o n t o s u p p res s

.

(a) Pa t -d o wn

.

4Pri o r t o t h e arres t

, t h e o ffi cer co n d u ct ed a p at -d o wn search o f Bo wl er, d u ri n g

wh i ch h e d i s co v ered wo m en ’ s un d erwear in Bo wl er’ s p an t s p ock et

. Bo w l er co n t en d s

t h at t h e p at -d o wn w as n o t p ro p er u n d er Ter r y v. O h i o , 3 9 2 U. S. 1 (8 8 SCt

. 1 8 6 8

, 2 0

LE2 d 88 9 ) (1 9 6 8 ), an d t h at t h e ev i d en ce fo u n d d u ri n g t h e p at -d o w n s h o u l d n o t b e

co n si d ered i n det erm i n i n g wh et h er p ro bab l e cau s e ex is t ed

. Th e s t at e co n ced es t h at

t h ere was n o b as i s fo r th e p at -d o wn , b u t as s ert s t h at ev e n w i th o ut t h e ev i d en ce

o b t ai n ed b y t h e p a t

- d o wn , t h e o ffi cer st i ll h ad p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t Bo wl er fo r

l o i t eri n g

. Gi ven t h e s t at e’ s co n ces s i o n , w e w i l l n ot co n s i d er t h e ev id en ce o b t ai n ed

d u ri n g t h e p at -d o wn i n ev al u at i n g t h e ex i s t en ce o f p ro b ab l e cau s e.

(b ) Pr o b a b le ca us e t o a r r es t

.

Th e Un i t ed St at es S u p r e m e Co u rt rep eat ed l y h as ex p lai n ed t hat

p ro b ab l e cau se to j u s t i fy an arres t m ean s fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces wi t h i n

t h e o ffi cer’ s k n owl ed g e t h at are s u ffi ci en t t o w arran t a p ru d en t p ers o n ,

o r o n e o f reas o n ab l e cau t i o n , i n b el i ev i n g , i n t h e ci rcu m s t an ces sh o w n , t h at th e s u s p ect has co m

m i t t ed

, i s co m

m i tt i n g , o r i s ab ou t t o co m m i t an

o ffen s e. To d et erm in e w h et h er an o ffi cer h ad p ro b ab l e c a u s e fo r an

arres t

, we ex am i n e t h e ev en t s l ead i n g u p t o t h e arres t

, an d t h en d eci de

wh et h er t h es e h is t o ri cal fact s , v i ewed fr o m t h e s t an d p o in t o f an obj e c tive ly r e a s o n ab l e po l i ce o ffi cer, am o u n t t o p ro b ab l e c a u se

. B e c a use

p ro b ab l e cau s e d eal s wi t h p ro b ab i l i t i es an d d ep en d s o n t h e t o t al i t y o f th e ci rcu m s t an ces , i t i s a fl u id co n cep t t hat i s n ot read i l y , o r ev en us efu l l y , red u ced t o a n eat s et of l eg al ru l es

. It req u i res o n l y a p ro b ab i l i t y o r

s u b s t an t i al ch an ce o f cri m i n al act i v i ty

, n o t an act u al s h o wi n g o f s u ch

act i v i t y

. Pro b ab l e cau s e i s n o t a h i g h b ar.

5W

es t b r oo k v. S t a t e ,

_

_ _ Ga.

_ _ _ (2 ) (Cas e No

. S1 9 A1 1 2 0

, d eci ded Feb ru ary 2 8,

2 0 2 0 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

As o u t l i n ed ab ov e, t h e ev en t s l ead i n g u p t o t h e arres t fo r l o i t eri n g were t h at t h e

o ffi cer fi rs t o b s erv ed t h a t B o w l er’ s car w as n o t i n a p ro p er p ark in g sp ace, b u t was

p ark ed o n t h e s i de o f t h e b u i l d i n g wh ere i t co u l d n o t b e s een fro m in s i d e t h e s t o re;

t h at Bo wl er i ni t i al l y t o l d t h e o ffi cer h e wo u l d o n l y b e t h ere fo r ap pro x i m at el y fi ft een

m i n u t es an d wo u l d th en l eav e fo r h i s h o m e n ear t h e Ten nes s ee b ord er; th at fo u r h o u rs

l at er, at t wo o’ cl o ck i n t h e m o rn i n g , th e o ffi cer s aw th at t h e v eh i cl e was s t i l l t h ere an d

h ad fo gg ed u p wi nd o ws , wh ich was s u sp i ci o u s t o t h e o ffi cer s i n ce i t was J u n e; t h at

Bo wl er w as s weat i n g p ro fu s el y , b reat h i ng h eav i l y, a n d act i n g n erv ou s l y wh en t h e

o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed t h e car; t h at Bo wl er ch an g ed h i s earl i er s t o ry ab o ut n eed i n g t o res t

an d o ffered d i fferen t cl ai m s as t o wh y h e was th ere, fi rs t cl ai m i n g t h at hi s b at t ery was

d ead an d t hen cl ai m i n g t h at h e h ad arg u ed wi t h h is g irl fri en d ; an d th at Bo wl er al s o

g av e co n fl i ct i n g i n fo rm at io n ab o u t wh ere h e l iv ed

.

“ A p ers o n co m

m i t s t h e o ffen s e o f l o i t eri n g o r p ro wl i n g wh en h e i s i n a p l ace

at a t i m e o r i n a m an n er n o t u s ual fo r l aw-ab id i n g i n d i v i d u al s u n d er ci rcu m s t an ces

t h at warran t a ju s t ifi ab l e an d reas o n ab le al arm o r i m m ed i at e co ncern fo r t h e s afet y o f

p ers o n s o r p ro p ert y

i n t h e v i ci n i t y .” OCGA § 1 6 -1 1-3 6 (a).

6Un l es s fl i g h t b y t h e p ers o n o r o t h er ci rcu m s tan ces m ak e i t

i m p ract icab l e, a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer s hal l

, p ri or t o an y arres t fo r an

o ffen s e u n d e r t hi s Co d e s ect i o n , affo rd t h e p ers o n an o pp o rt un i t y t o d i s p el an y al arm o r i m

m ed ia t e c o n cern wh i ch wo ul d o th erwi se be

warran t e d by req u es t i n g t h e pers on t o i d en t i fy hi m s el f an d ex p lai n h i s

p res en ce an d co n du ct

.

OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -3 6 (b ).

Here, p ri o r t o t h e arres t

, th e o ffi cer g av e Bo wl er t h e o p p o rt u n i ty to ex p l ai n h i s

p res en ce an d co n d u ct

. G i v en t h e i n co n s i s t en ci e s i n Bo wl er’ s ex pl an at i o n s an d “ u n d er

t h e t o t al i t y

o f t h e ci rcu m s tan ces [k n o wn t o t h e offi cer, we fi n d t hat t h e o ffi cer] was

ju s t ifi ed i n b el i ev i n g th at [Bo wl er] h ad co m m i t t ed th e offen s e o f l o i t eri n g

. . . .

Acco rd in g ly

, we fi n d t h at p ro b ab l e cau se ex i s t ed fo r [Bo w l er’ s ] arres t an d t h e t r i al

c o u r t p r o p e rl y d en i ed h i s m o t i o n t o s u pp res s

. ” Bo yd v. S t a t e , 29 0 Ga. Ap p

. 3 4

, 3 6

(6 5 8 SE2 d 7 82 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). See Eva n s v. S t a te

, 2 16 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1,

2 3 -2 4 (2 ) (4 5 3 SE2 d 1 0 0 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t fo r l o i t eri n g wh ere, am o n g

o t h er t h i n g s , occu p an t s o f car were d ri v i n g aro u nd p ark in g l o t fo r 4 5 m i n ut es wi t h o ut

en t eri n g a s t ore an d m ad e m i s l ead i ng cl ai m s t o o ffi cer). See al s o In t h e In t er es t o f R.

F.

, 27 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 0 8

, 7 1 1 (2 ) (a) (6 3 2 SE2 d 45 2 ) (2 00 6 ) (s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o fi n d

l o i t eri n g b ey o n d a r e a s o n ab l e d o u b t wh ere o ffi cer en co u n t ered j u v en i l es s t an d i n g

7n ear t wo v eh i cl es o n t h e s i d e o f a ro ad at 1 : 3 0 a.m

. , t h ey co u l d n o t ex p l ai n t h ei r

p res en ce i n t h e area, an d t h ey g av e co n fl i ct in g s t o ri es ).

(c) In ven t or

y s ea r ch

.

Bo wl er co n t en d s t h at th e i n v en t o ry search o f hi s veh i cl e w as i m p ro p er. W e

d i s ag ree.

J u s ti fi cat i o n of an i n v en t o ry s earch is p rem i sed u p on t he val i di t y

o f t h e i m p o u nd m en t o f t h e v eh i cl e. Im p o u n d m en t o f a v eh i cl e is v al i d

o n l y i f t h ere i s s o m e n e ces si t y fo r t h e p ol i ce t o t ak e ch arg e o f th e

p ro p ert y

. In each i n s t an ce, t h e u l t i m at e t es t fo r t h e v al id i t y of th e

p o l i ce’ s co n d u ct i s wh et h er, u n d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces t h en co n fro n t i n g

t h e p o l i c e, t h ei r co n d u ct w as reas o n ab l e wi th i n t h e m ean i n g o f th e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t

. Th e t es t i s wh et h er t he i m p o un d m en t w a s

reas o n ab l y n ece s s a r y u n d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces , no t wh et h er i t w as ab s o l u tel y

n eces s ary

.

Bevi l l e v. S t a t e , 3 22 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 3

, 6 7 7 (3 ) (b ) (7 4 5 SE2 d 8 58 ) (2 0 1 3) (ci t at i o n s an d

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

Here, B o w l e r w a s th e s o l e o ccu p an t of t h e v eh i cl e, wh i ch w as p ark ed

i m p ro p erl y o n t he s i d e o f th e s t o re d u ri n g earl y m o r n i n g ho u rs

. Acco rd i n g t o t h e

o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y , t h ere was n o o n e t o rel eas e t h e c a r t o , s o i t was n eces s ary to

i m p o u n d i t an d co n du ct an i n v en t o ry s earch i n o rd er t o p ro t ect t h e po l i ce d ep art m en t

fro m an y l i ab i l i t y . Un d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces , t h e o ffi cer’ s co n du ct was reas o n ab l e

s i nce “ n o o n e rem ai n ed t o t ak e cu s t o d y o f t h e veh i cl e an d rem o v e i t fro m th e s i d e o f

8t h e [b u il d i n g ]

. Becau s e th e offi cer h ad l eg i t i m at e g ro u n d s fo r an i n v en t o ry s earch

, t h e

ev i d en ce s ei zed d u ri n g t h e search w as p ro p erl y ad m i t t ed , an d t he t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

err b y d en y i n g [t h e] m o ti o n t o s u p p res s o n t h i s g ro u n d .” Id

. at 6 7 7 -6 7 8 (3 ) (b ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r

.

9