Opinion ID: 164462
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Encounter in the Living Room

Text: 39 Finally, Abdenbi argues that he was seized after he moved from his bedroom to the living room. Abdenbi, however, does not explain how the circumstances surrounding the encounter in the living room differ in any relevant way from the circumstances in his bedroom. Instead, his argument is based solely on Agent Grubb's subjective state of mind. Grubb testified that he, Bejaoui, and Abdenbi waited in the living room while Agent Mallard and Agent Godwin questioned Jlassi in Jlassi's bedroom. Grubb stood just to the right of the doorway to the living room; Abdenbi was seated in a chair and Bejaoui on a sofa. Grubb further testified that while the three waited, he made small talk to keep the situation calm. Defense counsel then engaged Grubb in the following line of questioning: 40 Q: [ ] You said that — the impression I get from your testimony is they were free to go about their business. Go about their business doing what? 41 A: Well, at that point we had two agents in the residence back in that hallway, so I would not have let them mill around or approach that area again. 42 Q: So they weren't free to go anywhere but sit on that couch? 43 A: Well, it never came to that, sir, because they consensually sat there and they never indicated they wanted to go anywhere. 44 Abdenbi argues that Grubb's testimony constitutes a candid admission that the encounter in the living room constituted a seizure. Abdenbi's argument, however, is foreclosed by binding circuit precedent. The correct framework within which this court must view the encounter has been clearly set forth in our prior cases. A person is seized only when that person has an objective reason to believe he or she is not free to end the conversation with the officer.... United States v. Hernandez, 93 F.3d 1493, 1498 (10th Cir.1996) (emphasis added). Neither the personal traits of the individual nor the subjective intentions of the individual or the officer are relevant. Sanchez, 89 F.3d at 718; Little, 18 F.3d at 1505. Because Abdenbi's argument is based on the subjective intentions of Agent Grubb, we must reject it. 45 The record demonstrates that Abdenbi was not advised that he could leave the living room and the encounter took place in a nonpublic place. There were, however, other individuals present. The encounter was calm; the agents did not display their weapons, raise their voices, or speak in a commanding tone; and there was no physical contact between Abdenbi and any of the agents. Based on a consideration of all the relevant circumstances, we conclude that a reasonable person in Abdenbi's position would have felt free to terminate the encounter in the living room. Consequently, the encounter in the living room was consensual and not in violation of the Fourth Amendment. 46 The dissent repeats its theory that an individual's subjective state of mind informs the objective analysis of whether a reasonable person would feel free to end a police encounter. Dissent at 1304-05. Again, we must firmly reject this attempt to allow subjective state of mind to drive the objective standard.