Opinion ID: 1346868
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: seizure analysis

Text: Next, the State contends the court of appeals erred in using a seizure analysis to determine whether an arrest was being made because the concepts of arrest and seizure are different. We agree. At the outset, we note the concepts of arrest and seizure are related in the sense that an arrest represents the highest form of seizure of the person under Fourth Amendment jurisprudence. California v. Hodari D., 499 U.S. 621, 624 n. 3, 111 S.Ct. 1547, 1551 n. 3, 113 L.Ed.2d 690 (1991). However, the concepts are distinguishable because under Terry v. Ohio and its progeny, an individual can be seized under the Fourth Amendment without being arrested under state law. 392 U.S. 1, 16, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 1877, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968). As the United States Supreme Court stated in Terry, [i]t is quite plain that the Fourth Amendment governs `seizures' of the person which do not eventuate in a trip to the station house and prosecution for crime'arrests' in traditional terminology. Id. Furthermore, the concepts of arrest and seizure are also distinguishable because each concept requires a distinct analysis. In determining whether an arrest has occurred, the focus is on the intent of the police officer and the suspect. State v. Williams, 237 S.C. 252, 257, 116 S.E.2d 858, 860-61 (1960). By contrast an individual is seized under the Fourth Amendment when a reasonable person, in view of all the circumstances of a particular case, would not believe he was free to leave. Michigan v. Chesternut, 486 U.S. 567, 573, 108 S.Ct. 1975, 1979, 100 L.Ed.2d 565 (1988). Based on the foregoing, we find the analysis employed by the court of appeals constitutes error because the concepts of arrest and seizure are unique creatures of criminal law, calling for distinct inquiries. Accordingly, we turn our attention to the common law of arrest to determine whether an arrest was being made at the time of Brannon's flight.