Opinion ID: 153281
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Like I say, he sat more upright, he adjusted the rearview mirror.

Text: 15 Q. Inside his vehicle? 16 A. Yes. 17 Q. What else did you see him doing? 18 A. He was watching me. 19 Q. How was he watching you? 20 A. He was looking in the mirror at me. 21 Q. Could you see his eyes? 22 A. Yes. 23 Id. at 17. The officer testified that such actions were unusual. Id. at 45. Specifically, he testified that [t]he way he did it I considered to be unusual ... [b]ecause sitting up straight and readjusting his mirror, most people don't do that when you pull them over. Id. (emphasis added). Officer Colyar further stated that [t]he way he was watching me, the intensity with which he was doing it, yes, I consider that to be unusual. Id. (emphasis added). When the officer noticed Mr. McRae watching him, Officer Colyar asked for a Triple I check to see if Mr. McRae had a criminal record. 24 Officer Colyar was informed that Mr. McRae's driver's license was valid, but that he had been arrested for numerous ... drug trafficking charges. Id. at 19. The police dispatcher advised the officer to use extreme caution. Id. Officer Colyar asked for a back-up officer in the area. 25 After he finished writing the citation and warning, Officer Colyar walked back up to Mr. McRae's vehicle, leaving behind in his patrol car Mr. McRae's driver's license and rental agreement. The officer asked Mr. McRae if he had ever been arrested before, to which Mr. McRae responded that he had a traffic citation that went to a warrant one time and that was it. Id. at 21. Officer Colyar proceeded to ask him if he had any firearms in the car, to which Mr. McRae said no. Id. at 22. The officer asked if he had any alcohol in the car, to which he again said no, and finally, Officer Colyar asked if Mr. McRae had any narcotics in the car. Mr. McRae again responded negatively. Id. 26 Officer Colyar then said, [D]o you mind if I look in the car? Id. at 22. He testified that Mr. McRae said no, not really. Id. Officer Colyar then asked Mr. McRae to step out of the car, advised him that I was going to pat him down for weapons, he said he understood. Id. As he was getting out of the car, Mr. McRae reached in the backseat and put [a leather jacket] on. Id. at 22-23. While patting him down, the officer felt a sharp object in the pocket of the jacket. When he asked Mr. McRae if it was a weapon, Mr. McRae responded negatively. When asked to take it out of his pocket, Mr. McRae did so, thereby revealing a plastic grommet type fastener. Id. at 24. 27 At this point, Officer Colyar's back-up, Trooper Haycock, arrived, who identified the fastener as coming from the trunk of the car. Officer Colyar testified that Trooper Haycock asked Mr. McRae if he could search the trunk of the car, and Officer Colyar said he gave an affirmative, yes, go ahead, or something to that extent, although he couldn't recall word for word. Id. at 26. Mr. McRae testified that he was never asked whether the officers could specifically search the trunk. Id. at 70-71. When they searched the trunk, they discovered a row of fasteners identical to the fastener found in Mr. McRae's pocket all along the top edge of the carpet and one missing fastener, with crinkled carpet around it. Officer Colyar pulled back the carpet at that spot, and observed cellophane packages inside, which contained cocaine. Mr. McRae was then arrested. The total length of time between the initial stop of Mr. McRae's car and the discovery of the cocaine was approximately five minutes. When the car was taken to police headquarters and a search warrant obtained, more packages containing cocaine were found. 28 Mr. McRae was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He filed a motion to suppress the evidence seized from the vehicle. A magistrate judge held a hearing on the motion, and issued a report and recommendation recommending that the motion be denied. The district court adopted the magistrate judge's report, following de novo review of the record, and denied the motion. Following a two-day trial, the jury found Mr. McRae guilty. He now appeals, arguing: (1) the initial stop of his vehicle was an invalid pretextual stop; (2) after issuing the citation and warning, Officer Colyar lacked articulable suspicion to detain Mr. McRae further and question him about contraband; 1 (3) Officer Colyar lacked reasonable suspicion to frisk Mr. McRae; (4) Mr. McRae did not voluntarily consent to a search of his vehicle, including the trunk; (5) the scope of the search exceeded any consent that was given; and (6) there was insufficient attenuation between any voluntary consent and the unlawful stop, detention and frisk.