Opinion ID: 1740932
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: was it error to fail to suppress the marijuana seized from the vehicle driven by boches?

Text: Boches argues that once he produced a valid driver's license and proved that the car had a valid inspection sticker and tag, the officers could no longer lawfully detain him and that any incidental search conducted was thereby illegal. Morgan v. Town of Heidelberg, 246 Miss. 481, 150 So.2d 512 (Miss. 1963); Simmons v. State, 301 So.2d 565 (Miss. 1974). The State responds citing Moss v. State, 411 So.2d 90, 95 (Miss. 1982), and Green v. State, 348 So.2d 428 (Miss. 1977), and argues that Boches' evasion of the roadblock and the strong smell of marijuana emanating from the car justified the detention of Boches. First we must note there is conflicting testimony concerning any search that may or may not have taken place at the roadblock. Officers at the scene denied the search and Boches claims that the trunk in fact was searched at the roadblock. The issue however as framed is whether or not the officers were justified in detaining Boches at all after he showed them a valid drivers license, valid inspection sticker, and a valid tag. The initial stop of Boches was both warranted and legal. When a motorist evades a police roadblock we have recognized that police may stop them and check the validity of their license tag, and inspection sticker. See Morgan v. Town of Heidelberg, supra . Such investigative stops of vehicles are clearly covered by the Fourth Amendment. See United States v. Sharpe, 470 U.S. 675, 105 S.Ct. 1568, 1573, 84 L.Ed.2d 605 (1985). An investigative stop must be limited in scope. Where a detention ... exceeds the scope of an investigative stop, it approaches a seizure. McCray v. State, 486 So.2d 1247, 1250 (Miss. 1986); see also, Floyd v. State, 500 So.2d 989 (Miss. 1986) (citing McCray and discussing investigatory stops). The United States Supreme Court recently noted that in evaluating the reasonableness of such investigatory stops, the appropriate inquiry is whether the officer's action was justified at its inception, and whether it was reasonably related in scope to the circumstances which justified the interference in the first place. United States v. Sharpe, 105 S.Ct. at 1573 (quoting Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968). The action of the officers in this case meets the test set forth in Sharpe. The initial stop was justified and the officers asked Boches to produce his drivers license. Boches produced a valid drivers license and the car had a valid tag and valid inspection sticker. However, Boches was also asked to produce the ownership papers of the vehicle which Boches could not do and he could not identify the owner of the car. Under such circumstances, it is reasonable that the officers would be able to detain Boches and the vehicle until they determined whether or not the automobile was stolen. The officers further testified that when Boches opened the window they smelled marijuana emanating from the car. We have held that probable cause may be established through the sense of smell. See Hall v. State, 455 So.2d 1303, 1304-05 (Miss. 1984). Once the officers established probable cause to believe that the vehicle was carrying contraband, then it was reasonable to detain the vehicle for a longer period of time. Smell can be the basis for probable cause therefore, it appears that the officers could also search the vehicle. See United States v. Ross, 456 U.S. 798, 102 S.Ct. 2157, 72 L.Ed.2d 572 (1982); Jackson v. State, 440 So.2d 307, 309 (Miss. 1983); Roby v. State, 419 So.2d 1036, 1038 (Miss. 1982). We therefore hold that the detention of the vehicle was both warranted and justified. The search of the interior was justified because the officers had probable cause to believe that the vehicle was carrying contraband. There is no question that once the search warrant was obtained at the Alcorn County Jail the officers had full authority to search the trunk. This assignment is also without merit. We therefore find that the conviction and sentence of Bruce Allen Boches should be and is hereby affirmed. CONVICTION OF POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO SELL, TRANSFER AND DISTRIBUTE AND SENTENCE OF TWELVE (12) YEARS AND $30,000.00 FINE AFFIRMED. WALKER, C.J., ROY NOBLE LEE and HAWKINS, P.JJ., and DAN M. LEE, PRATHER, ROBERTSON, ANDERSON and GRIFFIN, JJ., concur.