Opinion ID: 9265
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Other Factors Creating a Subjective Fear

Text: 100 Likewise, a reasonable person, after witnessing federal agents dressed in tactical gear, crashing through the electronic gate across the driveway, attempting to rip the burglar bars off the residence with a tactical vehicle and exploding concussion devices in the yard would have felt that the restraint on his freedom of movement was to the degree that is associated with a formal arrest. 101 When Douglas was initially brought out of the house, he was unclothed from the waist down. The agents forced him onto the driveway facedown and kept him there at gunpoint for several minutes. The agents did not cover Douglas' naked body, nor allow him to have clothing for a period of time which was significant under the circumstances. Being unclothed, face down on the driveway and held at gunpoint in front of both male and female federal agents would certainly increase a reasonable person's subjective fear and is a degree of restraint associated with a formal arrest. 102 In light of the specific facts surrounding the execution of this search warrant, I believe that the trial court erred in failing to suppress Douglas' statements centering on the existence of weapons in his residence. Because the agents' custodial interrogation of Defendant violated his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, and some of the guns were the fruit of the poisonous tree, I would also suppress the guns that were found as the result of Douglas's statements and vacate Douglas' conviction on Count 18 (Felon in Possession of a Firearm). I dissent with my colleagues on this issue, but concur with the remainder of the majority's opinion.