Opinion ID: 522980
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Eye Contact with Police

Text: 10 The government first contends that, when Robert L glanced quickly at Agent Truty and then returned his eyes to the road, he was engaging in suspicious conduct that lends support to its assertion that sufficient cause existed to detain him. We have held in numerous cases that the manner in which a suspect looks at or avoids looking at an officer can be a factor in assessing whether criminal activity is afoot. See, e.g., United States v. Magana, 797 F.2d 777, 781 (9th Cir.1986), modifying, 775 F.2d 1354 (9th Cir.1985). Whether the visual contact or lack of it is furtive and suspicious, however, is highly subjective and must be evaluated in light of the circumstances of each case. See, e.g., United States v. Pulido-Santoyo, 580 F.2d 352, 354 (9th Cir.) (eye contact with police not suspicious but rather a quite natural reaction under the circumstances), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 915, 99 S.Ct. 289, 58 L.Ed.2d 263 (1978). 11 Here, Agent Truty was standing in the midst of an accident scene directing traffic. There is nothing more natural, as those who have waited in traffic slowed by curious drivers will attest, than looking around the scene of a collision as one passes an accident site. In the context in which it was observed, then, Robert L's conduct seems more the norm than unusual, suspicious activity.