Opinion ID: 2998977
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Russell Stoneking

Text: When Stoneking testified he acknowledged that he was the man in Julius’ apartment when Officer Butterfield first arrived to investigate the chemical odor. When the officers came back to search Julius’ apartment, he explained, he was sitting in his car with Julius. After Julius went upstairs with the officers, Stoneking realized that Julius had taken the remote control to Stoneking’s car stereo with him. Stoneking testified that he remained in the car for no more than a few minutes while the others went upstairs, and then walked upstairs —unescorted—to retrieve the remote control. He explained that Corporal Coons was still in his car when the other officers and Julius went upstairs, that he and Coons exited their respective vehicles at the same time, and that when he went upstairs Coons was still approaching the building. According to Stoneking, he entered the apartment, took the remote from a table inside the door, and made a statement out loud to the effect that he (Stoneking) had no business being there. Although Julius and all of the officers on the scene other than Coons were inside, no one spoke to him, and he left immediately. As he walked back downstairs, Stoneking decided that he needed to leave the area because he “knew that there were drugs and guns” in his car, and he “wanted to get as far away from them as I possibly could.” He testified that “I was going to take off walking down the sidewalk,” but that Corporal Coons stopped him. Stoneking was vague about how Coons caught his attention, saying that Coons “got my attention and he said something like hold on or wait a minute.” Stoneking said he “became agitated, demanding to know why I was not able to leave,” but got only vague answers from Coons such as “just hold on, wait a minute, you can’t leave yet.” He indicated that he requested permission to leave more than five times, but was denied each time. Adding to his agitation, according to Stoneking, was the fact that it was very cold outside, and he wanted his coat. When he asked permission to get the coat from his car, Coons denied it. Stoneking disputed Coons’ assertion that he went to Inspector Kitner’s truck and left Stoneking unescorted; according to Stoneking, Coons stayed with him while Kitner went to his truck alone. Stoneking testified that he believed at the time that if he had attempted to leave the scene he “would have been physically restrained.” After what he described as a twenty- or thirty-minute wait, Inspector Kitner came downstairs. Stoneking agreed with Kitner’s version of events, and stated that he not only gave Kitner permission to search his person but emptied his pockets, producing the 9 millimeter cartridge that prompted his arrest. He added, however, that he did not feel that he had a choice about being searched. Stoneking said that he felt that he “was in the process of being arrested,” and that if he had refused the search, “the officer would have told me to turn around and put my hands on the tree and at that time they would have probably read me my Mirandas and pat me down [sic].” No. 05-2609 Page 6