Opinion ID: 2105166
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Hugo Mendoza

Text: Mendoza was charged in the circuit court of Kane County with unlawful use of a weapon (720 ILCS 5/24-1.6(a)(1), (a)(3)(A) (West 2002)). Mendoza's trial counsel filed a motion to suppress evidence. A hearing on that motion was held, at which two police officers testified. At about 11 p.m. on May 10, 2004, two Aurora police officers, Inspectors Jeff Wiencek and Joe Weber, observed Mendoza driving his Pontiac Grand Prix sedan. They noted that the car's rear license plate cover was tinted, in violation of Illinois law. They also noticed a red bandana hanging from the rearview mirror of Mendoza's car, which they considered a gang symbol of the Vice Lords. In addition, the officers determined the bandana to be large enough to obstruct Mendoza's view, which was also a violation of Illinois law. The officers pulled Mendoza over. Pursuant to their request, Mendoza handed them his driver's license and proof of insurance. After determining that the license and insurance card were valid and that Mendoza had no outstanding warrants, the officers decided to ask Mendoza for permission to search his car. In explaining this decision, Wiencek, who had been a gang investigator for seven years, testified that the neighborhood was known for its gang activity. Although Wiencek did not know whether Mendoza was a gang member, he knew from covert surveillance, police reports, and interviewing people that Mendoza was an affiliate of the Vice Lords. Mendoza had been seen in the presence of gang members. The bandana hanging from Mendoza's rearview mirror was red, which was one of the colors used by the Vice Lords. Using the bandana was one way of signifying affiliation with the gang. The officers were concerned that Mendoza might have a gun in his car. After checking Mendoza's driver's license and insurance, the officers returned to the car, one on each side. Weber returned Mendoza's license and insurance card, gave him a verbal warning, and asked him if he had anything illegal in the car. Mendoza responded that he did not. Weber then asked Mendoza for permission to search his car. Mendoza refused consent. Meanwhile, Wiencek, who was standing on the passenger side of the car, shined his flashlight inside the car and saw the butt of a gun sticking out from under the driver's seat between Mendoza's feet. Not wanting to create a hostile situation by drawing his gun on Mendoza, Wiencek tried to surreptitiously signal Weber to the presence of the gun. However, Weber was talking to Mendoza and Wiencek could not get Weber's attention. After Mendoza refused consent to search his car, Weber told him he was free to leave. Mendoza started to drive away and Wiencek told Weber about the gun. Weber yelled at Mendoza to stop, but he did not. The two officers got into their squad car and drove after Mendoza. Wiencek could see Mendoza's head and shoulders moving, but could not tell what he was doing. Weber did not notice any movement. The officers pulled Mendoza over again. They ordered Mendoza to exit the car. They handcuffed him and patted him down. Wiencek searched the car. Although Wiencek did not find a gun under the driver's seat, he found a handgun underneath a plastic tray in the center console of Mendoza's car. The trial court, relying on Gonzalez, granted Mendoza's motion, concluding that Weber's questions to Mendoza after the traffic stop was concluded were neither related to the traffic stop nor justified by a reasonable suspicion of additional criminal activity. Since the gun was not discovered until the officers had already violated the fourth amendment by their questioning of Mendoza, the trial court found that the gun would not have been discovered absent the violation. The State appealed. The appellate court rejected the trial court's reliance on Gonzalez. However, the court nonetheless affirmed the trial court's grant of Mendoza's motion to suppress. The court reasoned that Gonzalez only applies to traffic stops that are still ongoing. Once Weber returned Mendoza's driver's license and insurance card to him, the traffic stop concluded and Mendoza was free to leave. Thus, the proper inquiry is whether Weber's questioning amounted to a second seizure. Questioning constitutes a seizure if, in light of the circumstances, a reasonable person would not have felt free to leave. If there is a seizure, the fourth amendment is violated if there is no constitutional justification for it. The appellate court concluded that Mendoza was seized, noting the presence of more than one officer, that Mendoza was not told he was free to leave, that the officers used a flanking maneuver in which one officer stood on each side of the car, and that Wiencek shined a flashlight into the car. The court further found that the officers lacked either probable cause or a reasonable articulable suspicion that Mendoza had committed or was about to commit a crime. The court noted that Wiencek did not see the gun until after Mendoza was seized. Thus, this fact could not support the seizure of Mendoza once the traffic stop was concluded. People v. Mendoza, 364 Ill.App.3d 564, 581, 301 Ill. Dec. 207, 846 N.E.2d 169. We allowed the State's petition for leave to appeal (210 Ill.2d R. 315(a)) and consolidated this case with the appeal in People v. Cosby.