Opinion ID: 537758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Carlos Garcia's Claims

Text: 9 In the district court, and on appeal, the government alleged that Carlos lacked standing to contest the legality of the search and seizure. The government asserted that Carlos had neither a legitimate nor a reasonable expectation of privacy in the vehicle he was riding in because the truck was reported stolen. Smith v. Maryland, 442 U.S. 735, 740, 99 S.Ct. 2577, 2580, 61 L.Ed.2d 220 (1979) (quoting Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347, 361, 88 S.Ct. 507, 516-17, 19 L.Ed.2d 576 (1967) (to have standing, one must have a legitimate expectation of privacy in the area searched and that expectation must be objectively reasonable)). The trial court agreed with the government and held that Carlos lacked standing to challenge the search, but nevertheless reached the merits of his claims. 10 After noting that the issue of standing to challenge the search of a stolen vehicle has not been addressed by the Seventh Circuit, the district court reached its conclusion by finding that while defendants may have had a subjective expectation of privacy, it is not an expectation that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable. The court based its decision, in part, on a determination that the defendants could not persuade the court that they were exercising exclusive control over the truck with the owner's permission, in light of the stolen vehicle report and the defendants' inability to remember the owner's last name. 11 In determining that persons present in stolen cars do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in those cars, the trial court relied on the Supreme Court's statement in Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128, 141 n. 9, 99 S.Ct. 421, 429 n. 9, 58 L.Ed.2d 387 (1978), criticizing two decisions that inexplicably have held that a person present in a stolen automobile at the time of a search may object to the lawfulness of the search of the automobile. The court also looked to United States v. Hargrove, 647 F.2d 411, 413 (4th Cir.1981), where the Fourth Circuit held that a suspect arrested in a stolen motor vehicle did not have standing to object to the search because he lacked a legitimate expectation of privacy in the car he was driving since it was stolen. See also United States v. Hensel, 672 F.2d 578 (6th Cir.1982). 12 The dispositive factor in these cases was that the vehicles were actually stolen. The vehicles had been previously reported stolen, and the defendants attempted to conceal the vehicles' true identity. Also the defendants did not challenge the status of the vehicles as Carlos does here. Here, Carlos claims to have borrowed the vehicle from one McClavio who reported it stolen after apparently learning of Carlos' arrest in an attempt to disassociate himself from Carlos. In such a set of circumstances, it remains for the government to prove by the preponderance of the evidence that the vehicle was stolen. If they cannot meet this threshold, we need not reach the issue of standing. 13 Initially, the government relies on a stolen vehicle report filed the day after Carlos was arrested. The stolen vehicle report, standing alone, is not sufficient to rebut Carlos' assertion. As the trial court recognized, the filing of the stolen vehicle report the day after Carlos' arrest, subsequent to law enforcement attempts to apprehend other drug gang members, throws up a red flag as to the motives behind the filing. It is quite likely that the owner of the vehicle, in filing the report, was trying to disassociate himself from the criminal enterprise. Such a scenario is supported in the record by the testimony of one of the troopers, when he stated it was highly unusual in a case of a stolen vehicle that the owner, upon being informed of its recovery by the police, would not attempt to reclaim his vehicle. In any event, we conclude that the stolen vehicle report is not sufficient to refute the presumption in favor of Carlos that he had permission. 14 Carlos' assertion that he borrowed the truck is further supported by the truck's design. This truck was equipped with secret compartments in its bed to stash contraband. It would be extremely lucky or the result of very diligent work for Carlos to have stolen a truck so well equipped for his purposes. It is not likely that Carlos stole the vehicle and customized it to his needs. The truck, according to the stolen vehicle report, was missing in Texas as of November 14. Carlos was arrested at approximately 2:00 p.m. November 16 in Illinois. This hardly leaves a sufficient amount of time to modify the truck, conceal the marijuana and drive from Texas to Illinois. 15 The district court in reaching its decision also found it incredible that Carlos could borrow a truck to drive from Texas to Indiana and not know the last name of the lender. However, this is not inconsistent with Carlos' claim of having the owner's permission. Rather it is quite likely that the planned ignorance of drug couriers by other members of an organized drug gang as to members' last names may be for just such a situation as we have today. By this practice, the kingpins can help protect themselves from future arrest. We do not find this as important a factor as does the trial court. 16 The burden is on the government to prove by a preponderance that property is not being used with the permission of the owner. Here the evidence presented by the government and relied on by the district court is not strong enough to satisfy the government's burden. Rather, the stolen vehicle report and the inability to recall the last name of the lender leave the issue of permission still in doubt. In such a set of circumstances, we are unable to conclude that it is proved by a preponderance of the evidence that it is more likely the truck was stolen than Carlos had permission to use the truck. 17 Because the government hasn't proven the vehicle was stolen, we find Carlos satisfies the two-prong standing inquiry established by the Supreme Court in Smith, 442 U.S. at 740, 99 S.Ct. at 2580, for fourth amendment cases. First, this test requires Carlos exhibit a subjective expectation of privacy. This prong has been met by our determination that the government failed to prove the vehicle stolen and thus Carlos' assertion of permission to use the truck must prevail. Next, Smith requires his subjective expectation be one that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable and legitimate. If an individual has the owner's permission to use property, society surely recognizes this as reasonable. Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697 (1960) (an individual in an apartment with the permission of the owner has standing to challenge a search of the apartment); United States v. Miller, 821 F.2d 546 (11th Cir.1987) (driver of car that has asserted permission from a friend to use the car has standing to challenge the search of the borrowed car); United States v. Posey, 663 F.2d 37, 41 (7th Cir.1981) (defendant had an expectation of privacy in an automobile owned by his wife which he had permission to use at the time of the search). Thus, Carlos' use of the vehicle with the owner's permission provides Carlos with a subjective expectation of privacy that is reasonable and legitimate. Therefore Carlos has standing to assert his fourth amendment rights. We turn to the issue of whether the search was proper.
18 Initially, Carlos asserts that the troopers did not have reasonable suspicion or probable cause to stop the truck. He claims the stop was merely a pretext to conduct a warrantless evidentiary search of the truck based solely on the trooper's observation of two Hispanic males traveling north with Texas license plates. 19 While such conduct, if unsupported by any suspicion other than race, would clearly raise serious fourth amendment concerns, this is not the case here. Trooper Baker pulled the defendants over for speeding. It is uncontestable that traveling at any speed over the posted speed limit is a traffic offense and a trooper is justified in stopping a vehicle for the offense. Therefore, we must conclude that the stop of Carlos' vehicle was proper. 20 Carlos also claims that the search was improper because he did not voluntarily consent and, in any event, the scope of the search exceeded any purported consent. The trial court, after hearing the evidence, held the search was conducted pursuant to valid consent, and we agree. 21 In Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 219, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 2043-44, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973), the Supreme Court noted that it is well-settled that one of the specifically established exceptions to the requirements of both a warrant and probable cause is a search that is conducted pursuant to consent. The government bears the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the consent was freely and voluntarily given. The voluntariness of a consent is a question of fact to be determined from the totality of the circumstances. United States v. Matlock, 415 U.S. 164, 171 n. 7, 177, 94 S.Ct. 988, 993 n. 7, 996, 39 L.Ed.2d 242 (1974); Schneckloth, 412 U.S. at 227, 93 S.Ct. at 2047-48. The fact that the defendant was not told that he had a right to refuse to give consent is not, in and of itself, sufficient to invalidate the consent. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. at 227, 93 S.Ct. at 2047-48. 22 In the present case, the trial court found that Carlos' consent was given freely and voluntarily when viewed under the totality of the circumstances. Carlos contends that his consent was not freely given because he understands and speaks little English. The district court, however, concluded his ability to speak and understand English was clearly proven as he conversed with different troopers for considerable periods of time and translated the trooper's questions to Jose at the time of the stop. Based on our review of the evidence in the record we find that the district court's determination that Carlos voluntarily consented to the search was not clearly erroneous. Additionally, we note that [a] driver may consent to a search of all areas of a vehicle to which he has joint access and control. United States v. Morales, 861 F.2d 396, 401 (3rd Cir.1988). Because Carlos' consent was sufficient to search the entire truck, we need not reach the question of Jose's consent. 23 The only issue remaining for us is whether the search conducted by Baker was valid in light of the consent given. Initially, we note that the scope of a consent search is limited by the breadth of the actual consent. United States v. Gay, 774 F.2d 368, 377 (10th Cir.1985). Baker's request to search was directly linked to his inquiry regarding the presence of drugs or weapons in the truck. Without more, police can only search areas these items may reasonably be expected to be found. The opening of door panels is not normally included in this set of areas to be searched. Such a search is inherently invasive, and extends beyond the consent given under these circumstances. 24 In this case, however, we believe the dismantling of the doors was justified by probable cause. While conducting the consensual visual search, Baker's suspicions were aroused by the lack of door handles and the mismatched and ill-fitting screws on the door panels. Investigating more closely, Baker spotted packages inside the door while looking through the window opening. This visual observation established the probable cause for the troopers to extend their search and take apart the door. For these reasons the search of the truck was valid. The district court properly denied the defendant's motion to suppress the evidence.