Opinion ID: 1813641
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Our Task in this Case

Text: In this case, we confront a decisive doctrinal crossroads. We are called upon to choose between two diametrically opposed approaches. On the one hand, we have the overly broad and simply incorrect per se approach articulated by the First District in Wyche, which essentially holds that all varieties and gradations of police deception are simply irrelevant in determining whether an alleged consenter freely and voluntarily relinquished his or her Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. In other words, according to the First District, [d]eception does not negate consent. Id. at 1144; but cf. United States v. Drayton, 536 U.S. 194, 201, 122 S.Ct. 2105, 153 L.Ed.2d 242 (2002) ([F]or the most part per se rules are inappropriate in the Fourth Amendment context. The proper inquiry necessitates a consideration of `all the circumstances surrounding the encounter.' (emphasis supplied) (quoting Florida v. Bostick, 501 U.S. 429, 439, 111 S.Ct. 2382, 115 L.Ed.2d 389 (1991))). On the other hand, we have a pragmatic, case-by-case approach articulated by the Fourth District in McCord, which upholds the totality-of-circumstances approach and stands for the proposition that the type and level of police deception present in a given case is a relevant voluntariness factor to consider under Schneckloth and under the lower federal court precedent applying that decision. See McCord, 833 So.2d at 830 ([T]he use of police trickery may result in the exclusion of the confession depending upon the level of trickery employed.  (emphasis supplied) (citing Thomas v. State, 456 So.2d 454, 458 (Fla. 1984))). As explained below, it is my conclusion that only a pragmatic, case-by-case inquiry, which deems police deception a relevant consideration, comports with the Schneckloth totality-of-circumstances test and preserves the palpable distinctions that should exist between our accusatorial system and the type of unreasonable police inquisition that occurred in this case.