Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Delmus G. FINNE
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1994-02-11
Citations: 632 So. 2d 819
Docket Number: No. 92-KA-2555
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Delmus G. FINNE.
Judges: Before CIACCIO, ARMSTRONG and JONES, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 632
Pages: 819–822

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Delmus G. FINNE.
No. 92-KA-2555.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.
Feb. 11, 1994.
M. Craig Colwart, Orleans Indigent Defender Program, New Orleans, for appellant.
Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Susan M. Erlanger, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for appellee.
Before CIACCIO, ARMSTRONG and JONES, JJ.

Opinion:
CIACCIO, Judge.
Defendant, Delmus Finne, was charged by bill of information with possession of cocaine, a violation of La.R.S. 40:967, and defendant pled not guilty. The trial court denied defendant's motion to suppress evidence and defendant entered a plea of guilty as charged under the provisions of State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976). Defendant was sentenced to serve two years in the Department of Corrections.
Defendant asserts one assignment of error on appeal: The trial court erred in denying the motion to suppress the evidence. For the reasons stated, we affirm defendant's conviction and sentence.
Facts
On February 6, 1992, Officer Michael Glassier, along with members of the Jefferson Parish Narcotics Section, was conducting a surveillance of 7211 Bunker Hill Drive in New Orleans East. According to Officer Glassier, Jefferson Parish agents had received information describing that location as a wholesale and retail outlet for cocaine.
Officer Glassier observed an individual enter this residence and leave a short time after. This individual was known to the officers as a convicted cocaine trafficker who, although when searched had no cocaine on his person, was arrested for an outstanding warrant. Soon after the first individual left, the defendant and another individual arrived at the residence. Officer Glassier testified that he was not sure whether the defendant or his companion entered the residence as the Jefferson Parish agents were "maintaining that portion of the surveillance". Officer Glassier testified "[Ujpon leaving the residence they [the defendant and his companion] were ultimately stopped by Jefferson Parish agents. At which time, Mr. Finne threw down a small plastic bag containing about a half gram of cocaine." The contents of the bag were later tested and found to be cocaine.
Discussion
Defendant contends that the police officers did not have reasonable cause to make an investigatory stop, and therefore the discard ed evidence was unlawfully seized, We disagree.
Based on the provisions of La.C.Cr.P. art. 215.1, "a law enforcement officer may stop a person in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed or is about to commit an offense and may demand of him his name, address, and an explanation of his actions." "Reasonable suspicion" is something less than probable cause, and must be determined under the facts of each case considering whether the officer had sufficient knowledge of facts and circumstances to justify an infringement on the individual's right to be free from governmental interference. State v. Williams, 621 So.2d 199, 200 (La.App. 4th Cir.1993); State v. Belton, 441 So.2d 1195 (La.1983), cert. den. Belton v. Louisiana, 466 U.S. 953, 104 S.Ct. 2158, 80 L.Ed.2d 543 (1984).
In the present case, Jefferson Parish authorities received information that drugs were being sold from the address on Bunker Hill Drive. New Orleans police officers, along with Jefferson Parish agents, set up a surveillance of this residence. During the surveillance, the officers observed several individuals enter and exit the residence, one of which was a person known to the police as a narcotics trafficker. This individual was spotted by police and arrested on an outstanding warrant. The officers then observed defendant and a companion enter and exit the residence. The officers approached the pair, at which time defendant threw down the bag of cocaine.
Based on the totality of circumstances, we find that the officers were justified in stopping defendant as they may reasonably have suspected that defendant had engaged in drug trafficking. Defendant was seen entering and leaving a residence which had been reported to police as a drug outlet, and police officers had independently observed several individuals coming and going from the residence, including one known narcotics trafficker. We find that under these circumstances the officers had reasonable suspicion of criminal activity to justify the investigatory stop.
Therefore, the cocaine, which was abandoned pursuant to a lawful investigatory stop, was legally subject to seizure. State v. Jones, 553 So.2d 928 (La.App. 4th Cir.1989). Defendant's- voluntary abandonment of cocaine was not precipitated by any unlawful conduct by the police, and therefore was legally seized. State v. Richardson, 575 So.2d 421, 424 (La.App. 4th Cir.1991), writ denied, 578 So.2d 131 (La.1991).
Accordingly, we find no error in the trial court's ruling denying defendant's motion to suppress this evidence. Defendant's conviction and sentence are affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
JONES, J., dissents with reasons.