Opinion ID: 149612
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Extreme Nervousness

Text: We have held consistently that nervousness is `of limited significance' in determining whether reasonable suspicion exists. United States v. Williams, 271 F.3d 1262, 1268 (10th Cir.2001) (quoting United States v. Wald, 216 F.3d 1222, 1227 (10th Cir.2000)). Nervousness is of limited value in assessing reasonable suspicion for two reasons. First, it is common for most citizens, whether innocent or guiltyto exhibit signs of nervousness when confronted by a law enforcement officer. Wood, 106 F.3d at 948; see also Santos, 403 F.3d at 1127 ([N]ervousness is a sufficiently common-indeed natural-reaction to confrontation with the police that unless it is unusually severe or persistent, or accompanied by other, more probative, grounds for reasonable suspicion, it is of limited significance in determining whether reasonable suspicion exists. (internal quotation marks omitted)). Further, it is natural for a motorist to become more agitated as a stop is prolonged and particularly when the officer seems skeptical or suspicious. Id. at 1128-29 (For a motorist to become more nervous as the questioning becomes more prolonged and skeptical is not unnatural.). Second, unless the police officer has had significant knowledge of a person, it is difficult, even for a skilled police officer, to evaluate whether a person is acting normally for them or nervously. Wood, 106 F.3d at 948 (emphasizing the difficulty in making a proper assessment of what is normal nervousness when an officer had no prior acquaintance with [the defendant] which enabled the trooper to contrast [the defendant's] behavior during the traffic stop with his usual demeanor); accord United States v. Bloom, 975 F.2d 1447, 1458 (10th Cir.1992) (Nothing in the record indicates whether [a Border Patrol agent] had any prior knowledge of Defendant, so we do not understand how [the agent] would know whether Defendant was acting nervous and excited or whether he was merely acting in his normal manner. Rather, Defendant's appearance to [the agent] is nothing more than an inchoate suspicion or hunch.) (internal quotation marks omitted), overruled on other grounds by United States v. Little, 18 F.3d 1499, 1504 n. 5 (10th Cir.1994) (en banc). Extreme and persistent nervousness, however, is entitled to somewhat more weight. United States v. West, 219 F.3d 1171, 1179 (10th Cir.2000); Williams, 271 F.3d at 1268; United States v. Zubia-Melendez, 263 F.3d 1155, 1162 (10th Cir. 2001) (the court may still defer to the ability of a trained law enforcement officer to distinguish between innocent and suspicious action (internal quotation marks omitted)). The court examines specific indicia that the defendant's nervousness was extreme, rather than credit an officer's naked assertion. See, e.g., Santos, 403 F.3d at 1127 (pointing to the following factors: the defendant's changing the topic; swallowing hard; licking his lips which were quivering; and nervously stroking the top edge of the head liner of the patrol car with his hand). Here, Trooper Bowles testified that Mr. Simpson exhibited extreme nervous behavior. He recounted that he informed Mr. Simpson that he was only going to give him a warning ticket, which seems to calm most people. In this case it didn't. . . . He remained nervous during the entire encounter. Towards the end of the traffic stop I could still see his body trembling. Rec. Supp. vol. I, at 54. Given these justifiable concerns about crediting a claim of nervousness, we are somewhat reluctant to give substantial weight to that factor here. Nonetheless, despite our concerns, we conclude that extreme nervousness is a relevant factor in the totality of the circumstances analysis. Trooper Bowles did not merely assert that Mr. Simpson was nervous, he provided a basis for that conclusionMr. Simpson was shaking uncontrollably throughout the entire encounter, even when assured he would not get a ticket. Although we do not know how Mr. Simpson normally behaves, it is probable that he does not exhibit full body tremors in all his interactions with others. And although Trooper Bowles did not provide significant detail, he did indicate that others who are nervous do calm down when assured they are not getting a ticket. Accordingly, we credit as a factor towards reasonable suspicion, albeit cautiously, Mr. Simpson's manifestation of extreme nervousness.