SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, BROWN and GOSS, 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

Febr uar y 19, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 92 2 . THE STATE v . PRESTON.

M I LLE R , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Van l en Ro s h au d Pres t o n was ch arg ed wi t h n u m ero u s d ru g -rel at ed offen s es ,

p o s s es s i o n o f a fi rearm d u ri n g co m m i ss i o n o f a fel o n y , o b s t ru ct i n g a p o l i ce o ffi cer,

an d l o i teri n g aft er p o li ce fo u nd d ru g s , d ru g-rel at ed p arap h ern al i a, an d a weap o n

d u ri n g a s earch o f h i s car. Th e t ri al co u rt g r a n t e d Pres t o n’ s m o ti o n t o s u p p res s t h e

ev i d en ce fro m t h e s earch

, an d t h e St at e n o w ap p eal s

. Aft er a t h oro u g h rev i ew o f t h e

reco rd

, we co n cl u d e t h at t h e tri al c o u r t e r r e d i n g ran t i n g t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

b ecau s e th e p ol i ce o ffi cer h ad reas on ab l e s u s p i ci on o f c r i m i n a l act i v it y wh en h e

a p p r o a ch ed Pres to n. Th e s earch o f t h e car was p erm is si b l e un d er t h e au t o m o b i l e

ex cep t i o n b ecau s e t h e p o li ce ob s erv ed t h e f i r e a r m i n p l ai n s ig h t w h i l e o b t ai n i n gPres t o n ’ s i d en t i fi cat i on

. Acco rd i n g l y , we rev ers e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er su p p res s i n g

t h e ev i d en ce.

Th ere are t h ree fu n d am en t al p ri n ci p les w h i ch m u s t b e fo l l o w ed wh en

co n d u ct i n g a n a p p el lat e rev i ew o f a t ri al co urt ’ s ru l i n g on a m o t i o n t o

s u p p res s

. Fi rs t

, w h en a m o t i o n t o s u pp res s i s h e a r d b y t h e t ri al ju d g e,

t h at ju d g e s i t s as t h e t ri er o f f a ct s

. Th e t ri al ju d g e h ears t h e ev id en ce,

a n d hi s fi n di ng s b as ed u p o n co n fl i ct i n g ev i den ce are an al og o us to t h e

v erd ict o f a ju ry an d s h o u l d n o t b e d i s t u rb ed b y a rev i ewi n g co u rt i f

t h ere is an y ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t h em

. Seco n d

, t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d eci s i o n

wi t h reg ard t o q u es t i o n s o f fact an d cred i b i l i t y m u s t b e accep t ed un l es s

cl earl y erro n eo u s

. Th i rd

, t h e rev i ewi n g co u rt m u s t co ns t ru e t h e ev i d en ce

m o s t fav o rab l y t o t he u p h o l d i n g 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

. T h es e p ri n ci p l es ap p l y eq u al l y w het h er t h e t ri al co u rt ru led

i n fav or o f t h e St at e o r t h e d efen d an t.

(Ci t at i o n s , p u n ct u at i o n , an d em p h as i s o m i t t ed .) Ph i l li

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

. 2 3 1

(7 8 9 S E 2 d 4 2 1 ) (2 0 1 6 ); s ee al s o Hu gh es v. S t a t e , 2 9 6 Ga. 7 4 4

, 7 4 6 (1 ) (7 7 0 SE2 d

6 3 6 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o wed t hat a Cl ay t o n Co u n ty p o l ice s erg ean t was at

a g as s t at i o n wh en h e o b s erv ed Pres t o n m ak e co n t act wi t h m u l t i p l e p eo p le i n a fi v e

m i n ut e p eri o d

. Th e s erg ean t h ad b een trai n ed t o reco g n i ze h an d -t o -h a n d d r u g

t ran s act io n s wh en h e was an u n d erco v er d et ect iv e i n t h e n arco ti cs d i v i s io n an d h ad

2m ad e ap p ro x i m a t e l y 2 0 0 arres t s fo r h an d -t o -h an d d ru g t ran s act i o ns

. Bas ed o n t h i s

t rai n in g , t h e s erg ean t b el i ev ed th at Pres t o n h ad en g ag ed i n h an d -t o -h an d d ru g s al es

.

Th e s erg ean t co n t act ed t wo n earb y p o l i ce o ffi cers , rel ay ed wh at h e h ad o bs erv ed

, an d

as k ed th em t o i nv es t ig at e

. T h e o ffi cers d ro v e i n t o t he g as s t at i o n p ark in g l o t

, an d

s h o rt l y t h ereaft er, Pres to n g o t i n t o hi s car an d p u l l ed u p to an av ai l ab l e g as p u m p

. As

Pres t o n ex it ed h i s car an d wa l k e d t o w a r d th e s t o re, o ne o f th e o ffi cers ap p ro ach ed

h i m an d req u es t ed i d en t ifi cat i o n

. T h e o ffi cer i n s tru ct ed Pres t o n t o s i t o n t h e cem en t

n ear t h e pu m

p

. W h en Pres t o n g av e t h e o ffi cer h i s n am e , t h e o f f i c er as k ed h i m to

p ro d uce h i s id en t i fi cat i o n

. As Pres t o n o pen ed t h e car d o o r t o g e t h i s i d en t i fi cat i o n,

an d s at i n t h e car, t h e o ffi cer p eered i n s i d e th e car fro m h i s p o s i t i o n by t h e d ri v er’ s

s i de d o o r. Fro m

t h at v an t ag e p o i n t , t h e o ffi cer o b s erv ed a fi rearm i n t h e car, an d h e

b el i ev ed t h at Pres t o n was reach in g fo r t h e weap o n

. Pres t o n ad m i t t ed t h at h e h ad a g u n

i n t he car.

Th e o ffi cer rem o v ed Pres t o n fro m t h e car, an d th e t wo s tru g g l ed

. E v en t u al l y ,

p o l i ce were ab l e to h an d cu ff Pres t o n

. Po l i ce t h en t as ed hi m , wh i l e h e w as h an d cu ffed

,

an d s earch ed h i m

. Du ri n g t h e s earch

, p o l ice fo u nd o v er $ 1 ,0 0 0 i n cas h

, i n m u l t i p l e

3d en om i n at i o n s

. In t h e car, po l i ce f o u n d n u m ero u s Xan ax an d o x y co d o n e p i l l s ,

p o wd er co cai n e, crack co cai n e, “ Fl ex ,” 1 b ag g i es , an d a s cal e.

Th e t ri al co u rt s u p p res s ed al l t h e ev id en ce, fi n d i n g t h at t h e p o l i ce o ffi cer wh o

i n t eract ed w i th Pres to n h ad ob s erv ed n o cri m i nal co n du ct an d th u s h ad n o reas o n ab l e

s u s p i ci o n t o co n d uct a s eco nd -t i er s t o p

. Th e t ri al co urt fu rt h er co n cl u d ed t h at Pres t o n

was s ei zed u n d er t h e F o u r t h Am en d m en t wh en h e w as i n s t ru ct ed t o si t o n t h e

co n cret e n ear t h e p u m

p s an d t h at t h e o ffi cer th en co n d uct ed an u n lawfu l s earch

,

req u i ri n g t h e ev i d en ce b e s u p p res s ed . Th e St at e n ow ap peal s

.

On ap p eal

, t h e S t a t e arg u es t h at t h e tri al co u rt erred i n co n cl u d i n g t h at t h ere

was n o reas on ab l e su s p i ci o n b ecau s e t h e co l l ect i v e k n o wl ed g e o f t h e o ffi cers

p ro v i d e d a reas o n ab le s u s p i ci o n t h at d ru g t ran s act i o n s o ccu rred

. Th e St at e fu rt h er

co n ten d s t h at t h e o ffi cer d et ect ed t h e o d o r o f m ari ju an a, wh ich g av e h i m p ro b ab l e

cau s e t o s earch t h e car. 2 W e ag ree t hat t h e p o l i ce co nd u ct ed a v al i d s earch

.

1 “ Fl ex ” i s co u n t erfei t crack co cai n e.

2 T h ere i s a co n fl i ct i n t h e t e s t i m o n y ab o u t wh et her t h ere was an o d o r o f

m ari ju an a em i n at i n g fro m t h e car. Th e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed th at h e s m el l ed a st ro n g o d o r

o f m ari ju an a co m i n g fro m t h e car, b u t Pres to n d en i ed t h at h e h ad sm o k ed m ari ju an a

o r t h at t h ere was s u ch an o d o r i n t h e v eh i cl e. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t referen ce t h i s in

i t s fact u al fi n d i n g s o r m ak e ex p l i ci t cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at i o n s

. W e t h erefo re d o n ot
rel y o n t h e o d o r o f m ari

ju an a as p ro b ab l e cau se t o s earch Pres t on ’ s v eh i cl e.

4Un d er t h e Fo u rt h A m en d m en t

, t he r e a r e t hr e e tie r s of polic e-ci t i zen en co u n t ers :

a fi rs t -t i er en co u n ter i n v ol v es o n l y v o l u n tary co m m u n i cat i o n s b et w een

p o l i ce an d ci t i zen s w i t h o u t an y co erci o n or det en t i o n b y l aw

en fo rcem en t ; a s eco n d -t i e r en co un t er i n v o l v es a b ri ef det en t i o n o f a

ci t i zen b y p o l i ce t o i n ves t i g at e t h e po s si b i l i t y t h at a cri m e h as b een o r

i s b ei n g co m

m it t ed ; an d a t h i rd -t i er en co u n t er i s an arr e s t an d m u st be

s u p p o rt ed b y

p ro b ab l e cau se.

(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) Jo h n s o n v. S t a t e , 34 3 Ga. Ap p

. 31 0

, 3 1 2 n. 4 (8 0 7 SE2 d 1 0 1 )

(2 0 1 7).

It i s wel l -es t ab l is h ed t h at “ a s ei zu re d o e s no t o ccu r s i m pl y b ecau se a pol i ce offi cer ap pro ach es an i n d i v i d ual an d as ks a few q u es t i on s

. Ra the r ,

an en co u n t er es cal at es fro m a fi rs t-t i er co n s en s u a l i nt eract i o n t o a

s eco nd -t i er i n v es t i g at o ry d et en t i o n o n ly wh en t h e i n d i v i d u al is “ sei zed ”

b y t h e o ffi cer, i .e., o n l y wh en t h e o ffi cer, b y m ean s o f ph y s ical fo rce o r

s h o w o f a u t h o ri t y , h as i n s o m e w ay res t rai n ed t h e l i b ert y o f th e

i n d i vi d u al

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at io n m ark s o m i t t ed .) D o u g h er t y v. S ta t e , 3 4 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 0,

1 2 4 -1 2 5 (7 99 SE2 d 2 57 ) (2 0 1 7 ). Here, t h e o ffi cer i n i t i al l y ap p ro ach ed Pres t on as k i n g

fo r i d en ti fi cat i o n, an i n t eract i o n t h at was cl earl y a fi rs t -t i er en co u n t er. Id

. W h en t h e

o ffi c e r i n s t r u c t ed Pres t on to s i t o n t h e cem en t n ear t h e g as p u m p, h o wev er, t h at

en co un t er ro s e t o t h e l ev el o f a s eco n d t i er. W a l ker v. S t a t e , 2 9 9 Ga. Ap p . 7 8 8 , 7 9 0

5(1 ) (6 8 3 SE2 d 86 7) (2 00 9 ) (en c o u n t er b ecam e seco n d -t i er i n ves t i g at o ry d et en t i o n

wh en s u s p ect s at o n p av em en t at t h e o f f i c e r ’ s d irect i on ). Th erefo re, th e qu es t i o n i s

wh et h er t h e o ffi cer h ad reas o n ab l e s u s p ici o n t o ju s t i fy a s eco n d -t i er en co u n t er.

To m eet t h e reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n s t an d ard fo r co n d uc t i n g a seco n d -t i er

i n v es t i g at o ry d et en t i on , “ t h e po l i ce m u s t h av e, u n d er th e t o t al i t y of the c ir cu m s t an ces ,

a part i cu l ari zed an d o b

ject i v e b a s i s fo r s u s p ect i n g [t h at a] p ers o n is i n v o l v ed in

cri m i n al act i v i t y .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) W al ker v. S t a t e , 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p.

6 7

, 7 0 (1 ) (7 2 2 SE2 d 8 8 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ). “ Th i s s u s p i ci o n n e e d n o t m eet t h e s t an d ard o f

p ro b ab l e cau se, b u t m

u s t b e m o re t h an m ere cap ri ce o r a h u n ch o r an i n cl i n at i o n.”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) Go n z a l ez v. S t a t e , 3 34 G a. Ap p

. 7 0 6

, 7 1 1 (2 ) (7 8 0

SE2 d 3 8 3) (2 0 1 5). “ [T] h e d et erm i n at io n o f reas on ab l e s u s pi ci on m u s t be b as ed o n

co m m o n sen s e ju d g m en ts an d i n f e r e n ces ab o ut h u m an b eh av i or” rat her t h an o n

s ci en t i fi c cert ai n t y

. Il l i n o is v. W a r d l o w , 5 2 8 U. S. 11 9

, 1 2 5 (1 2 0 SCt 6 7 3

, 14 5 LE2 d

5 7 0 ) (2 00 0 ). In rev iewi n g t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s, we are m i n dfu l t h at

, “ [a] l t h o u g h

we o we su b st an t i al d eferen ce t o t h e w a y i n w h i ch t he t ri al co u rt res o l v ed d i s p u t ed

q u es ti o n s o f m at eri al fact

, w e o we no d eferen ce at al l t o t h e t ri al co u rt wi t h res p ect

t o q ues t io n s o f l aw, an d in s tead

, we m u s t ap p ly t h e law o urs el v es t o t he m at eri al

fact s.” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Hu g h es , s u p ra, 2 9 6 Ga. at 7 50

.

6Here, t h e co l l ect i v e k no wl ed g e o f t he p ol i ce g av e ri s e to a reas o n ab l e s u s p i ci o n

t h at Pres t o n was i n v o lv ed i n s el l i n g d ru g s

. As t h e t ri al co u rt ack n owl ed ged

, an o ffi cer

t rai n ed t o reco g n i ze h an d -t o -h an d t ran s act io n s o bs erv ed Pres t on en g ag e i n l i k e l y

h an d-t o -h an d t ran s act i o n s, an d t h e o ffi cer co m m u n i cat ed t h i s i n f

o r m a t i o n t o t h e

o ffi cer wh o st o p p ed Pres t o n

. See Ed mo n d v. St a t e , 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 3 8

, 2 39 (6 7 6 SE2 d

8 7 7 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (co ll ect i v e k n o wl ed g e can s up p ort reas on ab l e s u s p i ci o n ); S t a t e v.

Pen nyma n , 2 4 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 4 6 (5 4 5 SE2 d 3 6 5 ) (2 0 01 ) (“ Th e ‘ co l lect i v e k no wl ed g e’

ru l e p ro v i d es t h at reas on ab l e su s p i ci on m ay ex i s t b as ed o n t h e co l l ect iv e k n o wl ed g e

o f th e p ol i ce wh en t h ere i s rel i ab l e co m m u n i cat i o n bet ween t h e o ffi cer s up p ly i n g t h e

i n fo rm at i o n an d th e o ffi cer act i ng o n t h at i n fo rm at i o n i n s t ead of t h e a r r e stin g o ffi cer’ s

k n o wl ed g e al o ne.”) (fo o t n ot e o m i t t ed ); La mb ri g h t v. S t a te

, 2 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 2 4

, 4 2 6 (1 )

(4 8 7 SE2 d 5 9) (1 9 9 7 ) (o ffi cer h ad reas o n ab le su s p i ci o n aft er o b s erv i n g h an d-t o -h an d

t ran s act io n s i n an area kn o wn fo r d ru g act i v it y ). Co m pare Th o mp s o n v. S ta t e , 2 3 0 Ga.

Ap p

. 1 3 1

, 13 2 (4 9 5 SE2 d 6 0 7) (1 9 9 8 ) (fi n d i n g reas o n ab l e, art i cu l ab l e s u s p i ci o n fo r

s eco n d -t i er s t o p wh ere o ffi cer s aw wh at ap p e a r e d t o b e a h an d -t o -h an d d ru g

t ran s act io n i n a k n o wn d ru g area, an d t h e d efen d an t co ul d n o t p ro v i d e t he n am e o f

t h e u n cl e h e al l eg ed h e was v i si t i n g ).

7Al t h ou g h t h ere was n o ev i d en ce pres en t ed t hat t h e area i n wh i ch Pres t o n was

fo u n d was k n o wn as a h i gh d ru g cri m e area, th e ab s en ce o f s uch ev id en ce d o es n ot

el i m i n at e t h e o ffi cers ’ reas o nab l e s u s pi ci o n

. “ A det e r m i n a t i o n t h at reas o n ab l e

s u s p i ci o n ex i s t s

. . . n eed n o t ru l e o u t t h e po s s i b i l i t y o f i n n o cen t co nd u ct .” Un i t ed

S t a t es v. Ar vi

z u , 5 3 4 U. S. 26 6

, 2 7 7 (1 2 2 SCt 7 4 4

, 15 1 L E2 d 7 4 0 ) (2 0 0 2); s ee al s o

Di s t r i ct o f Co l u mb i a v. W

es b y , 5 8 3 U. S.

_

_ _ (III) (B) (1 38 SCt 5 7 7

, 5 8 8 -5 8 9 (III)

(B), 1 9 9 LE2 d 4 5 3) (2 01 8 ) (t ri al co u rt can co n s i d er i n n o cen t b eh av io r as p art o f t h e

t o t al i t y of the c ircu m s t an ces i n reas o n ab l e s u s p ici o n an al y s i s ). T h u s , t h e o ffi cers were

en t i t l ed t o co n s i d er, an d d raw reas o n ab l e i n feren ces fro m , th e fact s t h at Pres t o n h ad

p ark ed h i s car n ear t h e b ui l d i n g o u t s i d e t h e gas s t at i o n, m et wi th s ev eral p eo p l e i n a

fi ve-m i n u t e p eri o d wh i l e s t an d i n g o u t s i de hi s car, an d ret urn ed t o h i s car an d p u l l ed

u p t o a g as p u m

p aft er th e o ffi cers pu l l ed i n t o t h e g as s t at i o n l o t

. Mak i n g reas o n ab l e

i n feren ces fro m t h i s b eh av i o r, co up l ed w i t h t h e ob s erv at io n o f s u sp ect ed h an d -t o

h an d d ru g t ran s act i o n s , t he o ffi cers h ad reas o n ab l e s us p i ci on o f cri m i n al act i v i t y an d

t h e i n t eract i o n was a perm i s s i b l e seco n d -t ier en co u n ter th at perm i tt ed th e o ffi cers to

d et ai n Pres t o n . See La mb r i g h t , s u p ra, 2 26 Ga, Ap p . at 4 26 (1 ).

Du ri n g t h es e perm i s s i b l e fi rs t an d s eco n d -t i er en co un t ers , th e offi cer o b s erv ed

t h e g u n i n p lai n v i ew. W h en Pres t on ret urn e d t o h i s car an d reach ed fo r h i s

8i d en t i fi cat i o n , h e t u rn ed h i s b ack t o ward t h e o ffi cer, an d t h e o ffi cer wan t ed t o s ee

wh at Pres t o n was d o i n g

. Th e o ffi cer was ab l e t o see t h e fi rearm fro m h i s p o s i t i o n by

t h e d ri ver’ s s i d e d o o r.

Th e p lai n v i ew ex cep t i o n ap p l i es wh en th e p o l i ce o ff i c e r h ad a p ri o r ju s t i fi cat i o n fo r an i n t ru si o n in th e co u rs e o f wh i ch he cam e

i n ad vert e n t l y acro s s a p i ece o f ev i d en ce in cri m i nat i ng th e accu s ed

. In

Geo rg i a, “ t h i s p ri n ci p l e ex t en ds t o t h e ob s erv at i o n of ev id en ce i n p l ai n

v i ew i n s i de a u t o m o bi l es wh en t h e offi cer was l awfu l l y at t h e p l ace

wh ere h e o b s erv ed th e i n cri m i n at i n g ev i d en ce. Th e v i ewi n g n eed n o t be

m o t i v at ed b y an y art i c u l ab le s u s p i ci o n. On t h e co n t rary , l aw

en fo rcem en t o ffi cers s i m

p l y h av e t h e ri g h t t o l o o k i n t o au to m o b i l es , s o

l o n g as th ey h av e a l e g i t i m at e reas on an d are l oo k i n g fro m a p l ace i n

wh i ch t h ey h av e a ri g h t t o b e (e.g

. , a s t reet or r o a d s i d e )

. An y

i n cri m i n at i n g ev i d en ce t h ey h a v e t h e fo rt u n e t o s ee in p l ai n v i ew m ay

b e s ei zed an d l at er ad m i tt ed as ev id en ce.

(Fo o tn o tes o m i t t ed .) Cr o s b y v. S t a t e , 2 6 6 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 6, 8 5 8 (5 9 8 SE2 d 5 07 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

Here, wh en t h e o ffi cer was s t an d i n g by t h e d ri v er’ s si d e d o o r o f Pres to n v eh i cl e

i n t h e g as s t a t i o n l o t

, h e was l o o k i n g fro m a l awfu l v an tag e p o i n t

. An d he h ad a

l eg i t i m at e reas o n t o b e t h ere a s h e was s eek i n g Pres t o n ’ s id en t i fi cat i on wh i l e

f o l l o wi n g u p o n Pres t o n ’ s p o ss i b l e d ru g act i v i t y

. M o reo ver, h e h ad a l eg i t i m a t e

reas on t o l o o k in t he car wh en Pres t o n t u rn ed h i s b ack t o ward th e offi cer wh i l e s eat ed

9i n t he car. See G as t o n v. S t a t e , 2 5 7 Ga. Ap p. 4 8 0

, 4 83 (2 ) (5 7 1 SE2 d 4 7 7 ) (2 0 0 2 ). As

a res u l t , t h e o ffi cer o b serv ed t h e fi rearm i n p l ai n v i ew.

Fi n al l y , o nce p o l i ce o b s erv ed t h e g u n i n t h e car, t h ey had p ro b ab l e cau s e to

s earch th e v eh i c l e. “ Un d er t h e au t o m o bi l e ex cep t i o n t o t h e w arran t req u i rem en t

i m p o s ed b y t h e Fo u rt h A m en d m en t

, a p o l i ce o ffi cer m ay s earch a car wi t h o u t warran t

i f h e h as p ro b ab l e cau s e t o b el i ev e t h e c ar co n t ai n s co n trab an d

, ev en i f t h ere i s n o

ex i g en cy p rev en t i n g t h e o ffi cer fro m g et t i n g a s earch wa r r a n t .” (Ci t at io n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n om i tt ed .) S t a t e v. S a r d en , 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p

. 58 7

, 58 9 (6 9 9 SE2 d 8 80 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

Th i s i s t ru e ev en i f t h e d e f e n d an t h as b een p l aced u n d er arres t p ri o r t o t h e s earch

.

Ho r ne v. S t a t e , 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 4

, 4 9 0 (3 ) (7 3 3 SE2 d 48 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ). “ Th e ex i s t en ce o f

p ro b ab l e cau s e is det erm i n ed b y wh et h er, g i v en al l t h e ci rcu m s t an ces , t h ere i s a fai r

p ro b ab i l i t y t h at co n trab an d o r ev i d en ce o f a cri m e wi l l b e fo u n d i n a p art i cu lar p l ace.”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Ri ver a v. S t a t e , 2 4 7 Ga. Ap p. 7 13

, 71 4 (1 ) (5 4 5

SE2 d 1 05 ) (2 0 0 1 ). In li g ht o f t he o ffi cer’ s o b serv at i on o f t h e g un , an d t he su s p ect ed

h an d-t o -h an d d ru g t ran s act i o n s , t h ere was a fai r p ro b ab i l i t y t h at t h ere was co n t rab an d

i n t h e car. Th erefo re, t h ere was p ro b ab l e cau s e t o co n d u ct t h e s earch

. Acco rd i n g l y ,

we co n cl ud e t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran ti n g t h e m o t io n t o s up p res s.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Br o wn a n d Go s s , JJ., co ncu r

.

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