Opinion ID: 1444074
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Lyons's Motion to Suppress

Text: We turn, first, to appellant Lyons's motion to suppress identification evidence. On appeal from a denial of a motion to suppress, we review the legal conclusions of the trial court de novo and defer to its findings of fact. See Maddox v. United States, 745 A.2d 284, 289 (D.C. 2000). The court must view the evidence presented at the suppression hearing in the light most favorable to the government, and draw all reasonable inferences in the government's favor. See Womack v. United States, 673 A.2d 603, 607 (D.C. 1996). Out-of-court identifications and testimony concerning them are examined under a two-part inquiry. See Turner v. United States, 622 A.2d 667, 672 (D.C. 1993). The first inquiry is whether the identification procedure was so impermissibly suggestive as to give rise to a very substantial likelihood of misidentification, and if so, the second inquiry is whether the identification is nonetheless sufficiently reliable. Id. at n. 4, quoting Neil v. Biggers, 409 U.S. 188, 198, 93 S.Ct. 375, 34 L.Ed.2d 401 (1972). If the trial court finds undue suggestivity, it must then determine whether the identification was none the less reliable. See United States v. Hunter, 692 A.2d 1370, 1376 (D.C.1997). The appearance that the suspect is in custody does not necessarily make an identification so suggestive as to create [a] substantial likelihood of misidentification where the show-up takes place at the scene of the crime within a short period of time after the incident. See Turner, 622 A.2d at 672. Even though we recognize the potential for suggestivity in a single person show-up, we repeatedly have upheld the admission of identifications from a show-up carried out soon after the commission of the crime because prompt show-ups enhance the reliability of an identification. See, e.g., Hunter, 692 A.2d at 1375. In the instant case, when Ms. Shives identified Lyons, he not only was in custody, but in handcuffs and under the high beams of a police car. Although these factors have the potential for making the show-up more suggestive than usual, we agree with the trial court's finding that ultimately the procedure was not unduly suggestive and the identification was reliable. Any potential for suggestivity was outweighed by the promptness of the show-up, which took place about one hour and fifteen minutes after the robbery. Moreover, there was good lighting and involved a victim who had already given a detailed description of the robber, noting his height, weight, race, and clothing. [6] Even if we were to think that the procedure was unnecessarily suggestive, however, we are satisfied that the identification was reliable. See Turner, 622 A.2d at 672 (noting that assuming the show-up created substantial likelihood of misidentification, the trial judge could properly conclude that identification was still reliable and admissible.) Ms. Shives testified at trial that she had looked at the robber several times during the robbery when he was chasing her around her car. She stated, and Detective Harkins confirmed, that during the show-up she was able to observe appellant under good lighting and was certain of her identification. [7] See generally id. at 673 (noting that an on-the-scene identification may be appropriate where witness has sufficient opportunity to observe the person and has a vivid impression of characteristics such as height, race, and clothing); Jones v. United States, 277 A.2d 95, 98 (D.C.1971) (discussing that although confrontation may have been suggestive, victim's description was detailed and memory was fresh somewhat more than an hour after her purse had been snatched). Therefore, there was no error in the trial court's denial of the motion to suppress.