Opinion ID: 160460
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Validity of August 26, 1998 Arrest and Subsequent Identification

Text: 27 Mr. Allen challenges the admissibility of Officer Real's identification of Mr. Allen shortly after Mr. Allen's arrest on August 26, 1998, on the grounds that the arrest was in violation of the Supreme Court's decision in Steagald v. United States, 451 U.S. 204 (1981). Again, we review alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment de novo. United States v. Gordon, 168 F.3d 1222, 1225 (10th Cir. 1999). We accept the district court's findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous. United States v. Nielsen, 9 F.3d 1487, 1489 (10th Cir. 1993). 28 In Steagald, the Supreme Court held that, absent exigent circumstances or consent by one with authority, law enforcement officers may not enter the home of a third party to execute an arrest warrant on a defendant without a search warrant. Steagald, 451 U.S. at 216. The district court found that the arresting officers had consent from a person with the authority to grant such consent--the property manager--to enter Yolanda Madison's apartment on August 26th. A district court's factual finding is clearly erroneous only 'if it is without factual support in the record or if [this] court, after reviewing all the evidence, is left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made.' United States v. Patron-Montano, 223 F.3d 1184, 1188 (10th Cir. 2000) (alteration in original) (quoting Manning v. United States, 146 F.3d 808, 812 (10th Cir.1998)). 29 After reviewing the record, we cannot say the district court's findings are clearly erroneous. In the district court, Mr. Allen never even argued that the property manager lacked authority to open the apartment or that her consent was involuntary. Because the search of the apartment was with valid consent, there was no violation of Steagald and the subsequent identification was admissible. Thus, we affirm the district court's denial of Mr. Allen's motion to quash his August 26, 1998 arrest and to suppress the subsequent identification of Mr. Allen by Officer Real.