Opinion ID: 727620
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Suppression of the Evidence Found in the South First

Text: Street Apartment 22 In addition to contesting the district court's refusal to suppress the evidence from the packages, Gerald asserts that the evidence found in the South First Street apartment should have been suppressed because the premises were searched without a warrant and because the consent of Susan Suarez was not effective as it was given involuntarily. 2 The validity of a person's consent is generally a question of fact to be determined from the totality of the circumstances; thus, the district court's findings will not be reversed unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Taylor, 956 F.2d 572, 577 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 952 (1992). A finding is 'clearly erroneous' when although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395 (1948). 23 Gerald's assertions of involuntariness stem from a conversation between Suarez and Officer Brackett of the Louisville Police Department in which Brackett informed Suarez that she could refuse to sign the consent form and stated that, if she did, we will have to go downtown. Although Brackett testified that his use of the word we was not meant to include Suarez, the district court found it conceivable that Suarez interpreted his statement to mean that she would have to go downtown with the officers if she did not sign the form. Nevertheless, the court found any misconception on Suarez's part inconsequential based on her testimony that she was not concerned about the police searching the apartment and that she would have consented to the search even if the officers had not said anything about going downtown. 24 Gerald contends that this ruling was erroneous. In addition to making a number of unsubstantiated assertions regarding Suarez's alleged vulnerability, Gerald argues that Suarez's admission that she would have consented even if going downtown had not been mentioned was only made because the district court badgered her into it. Based upon our review of the relevant portion of the transcript, we disagree. Furthermore, since the district court had the opportunity to observe Suarez's demeanor in testifying, we cannot say that the court committed clear error in crediting this admission. Accordingly, the evidence found in the South First Street apartment was properly admitted. 25