Opinion ID: 744861
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Suppression of statements made at pre-primary inspection area.

Text: 10 Leasure contends that the district court committed error when it denied defendant's motion to suppress her statements made to the first inspector while she was still in the van. The Government asserts that those statements were made prior to defendant being in custody, that no Miranda warnings were required, and that the district court's denial of defendant's motion was proper. We review de novo. United States v. Miller, 812 F.2d 1206, 1208 (9th Cir.1987). 11 This court has on several occasions considered the problem of Miranda warnings in the context of border searches. See United States v. Manasen, 909 F.2d 1357, 1358 (9th Cir.1990); United States v. Duncan, 693 F.2d 971, 979 (9th Cir.1982); United States v. Estrada-Lucas, 651 F.2d 1261, 1265 (9th Cir.1980). Those cases have all held that Miranda warnings need not be given in a border crossing situation unless, and until, the questioning agents have probable cause to believe that the person has committed an offense. The results of those cases remain good law but for reasons somewhat different than advanced in them. In Stansbury v. California, 511 U.S. 318, 114 S.Ct. 1526, 128 L.Ed.2d 293 (1994), the Court directs the reviewing court to look to the objective circumstances of the interrogation, not to the subjective view harbored by either the suspect or the interrogating officers to determine whether the defendant is in custody. Id. 511 U.S. at 324, 114 S.Ct. at at 1529. Stops and routine questioning are the norm at the border in the primary inspection areas. In most cases, the earliest that a person could be in custody is at the point when she is moved into a secondary inspection area and asked to exit her vehicle while it is searched. 12 Leasure's is a typical case. As is usual, officers roamed the pre-primary area questioning drivers. The first inspector approached Leasure and asked her several questions as to why she went to Mexico and what she had done there. It is immaterial whether his questioning at this stage continued after Salem had alerted on the vehicle or not. Objectively, there was nothing to suggest that Leasure was in custody before she was asked to step out of her vehicle.