Opinion ID: 3062088
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: First-Count Incident

Text: The first took place in the early morning hours of September 18, 2010. Barnsdall, Oklahoma police officer Danny Couffer was on patrol, accompanied by his wife, Angie Couffer. He observed a motorcycle being driven erratically. He pulled in behind the motorcycle and turned on his overhead lights. Instead of slowing down, the motorcycle sped up. Officer Couffer turned on his siren, which also proved futile, because the motorcycle continued to accelerate and led Officer Couffer on a high-speed chase. Eventually, the driver lost control of the motorcycle in a ditch, but he managed to roll to his feet in the middle of road. Officer Couffer got out of his patrol car and stood about eight to ten feet away from the driver. The scene was illuminated by the patrol car’s headlights and overhead light bar, which included red and blue flashing lights, as well as “white take-down lights.” R. Vol. 2 at 26. During the ensuing face-off, the driver reached -2- inside his jacket. Officer Couffer believed the driver was reaching for a weapon, and he drew his firearm. While pointing his gun at the driver, Officer Couffer ordered him to show his hands and get on the ground. The driver smiled at Officer Couffer, who continued to repeat his commands. The face-off ended when the driver pulled his hand out of his jacket and put his hands in the air. He told Officer Couffer he did not have anything. Id. at 29. The driver fled on foot. Officer Couffer estimated that the confrontation lasted thirty seconds. Other law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene. Officer Couffer, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Brett Barnett, righted the motorcycle. On the ground under where the motorcycle had come to a landing, they found a loaded pistol. Officer Couffer also searched the saddlebags, in which he found a cell phone, an envelope, and an address book. The name “Jeannie Maxwell” appeared on the home screen of the phone. The envelope was addressed to “Jimmy Don Maxwell” in Tulsa from “Jimmy Maxwell” in Oklahoma City. The name “James Maxwell” was written on the inside cover of the address book. Several hours later, and after law enforcement had traced the ownership of the motorcycle to a James S. Maxwell, Sheriff Barnett showed Officer Couffer some photographs from the Department of Corrections (DOC). The photos depicted a person known as James Maxwell, and included his name, physical description, and criminal history. Sheriff Barnett asked if this was “[his] guy,” id. at 101, and Officer -3- Couffer identified Mr. Maxwell as the driver of the motorcycle. At trial and over the objection of Mr. Maxwell’s lawyer, he also identified Mr. Maxwell as the driver. Ms. Couffer, who was riding in the patrol car with her husband, also testified about the events leading up to the face-off. She told the jury that she could see the motorcycle driver clearly when her husband got out of the patrol car to confront him: “My husband’s headlights were on, and I just – I could see him. I mean, he was lit up because of the headlights.” Id. at 109. When asked about the driver’s facial expression, she said: “That he didn’t care . . . that he was committing this crime. . . . Almost like a smirky smile.” Id. at 111. She admitted being scared during the confrontation and described it as a memorable experience. A few hours later at their home, Officer Couffer showed his wife a photograph of Mr. Maxwell from the DOC. A few weeks later, Officer Couffer showed his wife a photo of Mr. Maxwell wearing an orange jumpsuit. At trial, she was also permitted, over the objection of defense counsel, to make an in-court identification of Mr. Maxwell as the driver.