Opinion ID: 769380
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Kithcart's First Appeal.

Text: In Kithcart I we concluded: 16 [T]he district court erred in concluding that there was probable cause to arrest and search Kithcart prior to the discovery of the guns. The mere fact that Kithcart is black and the perpetrators had been described as two black males is plainly insufficient. As we have previously noted, a description of  `two negro males' and two `black males'... without more... would not have been sufficient to provide probable cause to arrest [the suspect]. Edwards v. City of Philadelphia, 860 F.2d 568, 571 n. 2 (3d Cir. 1988). Moreover, the match between the description of the perpetrators' car (a black sports car, possible Z-28, possible Camaro) and the vehicle in which Kithcart was spotted (a black Nissan 300ZX) was far from precise. Although the Camaro Z-28 and the Nissan 300ZX could be considered sports cars, there was no evidence offered at the suppression hearing that the shapes of the two cars were sufficiently similar so as to warrant an inference that a 300ZX could be mistaken for a Z-28. 17 Nor is probable cause established by either the location or time of the stop. There was no evidence presented as to where in Bristol Township the final robbery occurred; nor was there evidence presented that the Bristol robbery occurred shortly before Officer Nelson stopped the car carrying Kithcart. Although the radio transmission regarding the Bristol robbery came approximately 10 minutes before the vehicle was stopped, Officer Nelson testified that she did not recall that the radio transmission revealed when the Bristol robbery occurred, other than that it occurred that same evening.... In sum, we think that it is clear that the facts and circumstances within Officer Nelson's knowledge at the time she stopped the Nissan were insufficient to allow a prudent person to believe that the car and its occupants had committed or were committing an offense. In other words, armed with information that two black males driving a black sports car were believed to have committed three robberies in the area some relatively short time earlier, Officer Nelson could not justifiably arrest any African- American man who happened to drive by in any type of black sports car. 18 134 F.3d at 531-532. 19 However, since the district court had focused only upon probable cause, we remanded for the district court to consider whether the officers had reasonable suspicion for an investigative stop and weapons search of Kithcart's person. Id. at 532. We directed the district court to: 20 consider both of the government's asserted grounds for the stop: (1) the alleged traffic infraction and (2) the information regarding the robbery suspects discussed [in the above excerpt]. The district court should also consider whether the events leading to the discovery of the weapon in Kithcart's pouch can be justified as a Terry pat-down. 21 Id. 22