Case Name: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Christopher DOWNER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2001-07-18
Citations: 789 So. 2d 1208
Docket Number: No. 4D00-2174
Parties: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Christopher DOWNER, Appellee.
Judges: STONE and GROSS, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 789
Pages: 1208–1208

Head Matter:
STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Christopher DOWNER, Appellee.
No. 4D00-2174.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
July 18, 2001.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee and Michael J. Neimand, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Carey Haughwout, Public Defender, and Louis G. Carres, Assistant Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
WARNER, J.
The state appeals the suppression of evidence in a possession of cocaine prosecution. In this case, the law enforcement officers approached appellee and either asked or demanded to see what was in his hand. Appellee responded by hitting one of the officers. During the ensuing scuffle, the cocaine was dropped and then recovered by the officers. We reverse the order of suppression. Even if the initial contact by the officers was unauthorized or illegal, appellee had no right to commit a battery on the officer. Battery on a law enforcement officer is illegal. See § 784.07, Fla. Stat. (2000). Once appellee committed a battery on one of the officers, the officers had the lawful right to seize and arrest him. Evidence seized during a lawful arrest is not subject to suppression. See Lennear v. State, 784 So.2d 1181, 1183 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001); Reed v. State, 606 So.2d 1246, 1247 (Fla. 5th DCA 1992).
Reversed.
STONE and GROSS, JJ., concur.