Opinion ID: 1978971
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Temporal Proximity Factor

Text: First, we examine the temporal proximity between the illegal stop and the evidence obtained. The stop and discovery of the marijuana were nearly contemporaneous in this case, which is likely not enough of a time lapse to attenuate the taint of the presumptively illegal stop, as Petitioner suggests. This factor suggests that the greater the time lapse between the illegality and discovery of evidence, the greater the chance that the taint has been purged. In the case sub judice, there existed a time lapse of merely two minutes. Neither the Supreme Court, nor this Court, has articulated an exact length of time that would guarantee that the taint had been purged, however, the time lapse between the illegal stop and discovery of evidence can hardly be less than it was here. Although, the two minute time lapse in this case, on the surface weighs in Petitioner's favor, it is not, on its own, dispositive. The temporal proximity factor must depend, therefore, on other factors to which it relates, because a lengthy detention can be used to exploit an illegal arrest at least as easily as a brief detention. Ferguson, 301 Md. at 550, 483 A.2d at 1259 (citing Dunaway, 442 U.S. at 220, 99 S.Ct. at 2261, 60 L.Ed.2d at 841 (Stevens, J., concurring)). Because the temporal proximity factor has been labeled ambiguous and our observation in Myers that the question of timing is not dispositive on the issue of taint, we focus on the other two factors. This proposition has been echoed in other courts, including the Seventh Circuit in Green, where a period of only five minutes elapsed between the illegal stop and discovery of evidence. See Green, 111 F.3d at 521 (stating that `the time span between the police misconduct and the search is not dispositive on the question of taint') (citations omitted). We also note our conclusion in Ferguson that the Brown factors must be balanced and that no single factor is dispositive on the issue of attenuation. See Ferguson, 301 Md. at 553, 483 A.2d at 1260.