Opinion ID: 533
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 430 Donnelly Avenue

Text: Alfredo contends that consent to search the Donnelly Avenue residence was involuntarily given as a result of police coercion, rendering it unconstitutional. A warrantless search of a residence does not violate the Fourth Amendment if voluntary consent has been given by a resident. Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 222, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973). Consent is voluntary if it is the product of an essentially free and unconstrained choice by its maker, rather than the product of duress or coercion, express or implied. Id. at 225, 93 S.Ct. 2041. Whether consent was voluntarily given is a question of fact to be determined from the totality of the circumstances. Id. at 227, 93 S.Ct. 2041. In determining voluntariness, the personal characteristics of the individual who supposedly consented and the environment in which the consent allegedly occurred are relevant. United States v. Chaidez, 906 F.2d 377, 381 (8th Cir.1990). The magistrate judge and district court credited the testimony of King and Ortiz. Credibility is a determination left to the trier-of-fact, and its assessment is virtually unassailable on appeal. United States v. Rodriguez, 414 F.3d 837, 845 (8th Cir.2005). Only when credibility determinations are internally inconsistent, based upon incoherent or implausible testimony, or contradicted by objective evidence is a more searching review warranted. United States v. Jones, 254 F.3d 692, 695 (8th Cir.2001). Finding that there was no credible evidence that the officers were physically intimidating or made any promises in exchange for consent, the magistrate judge concluded that Garcia-Bobadilla voluntarily consented to a limited search of the premises to determine the presence of other individuals. The magistrate judge found that under the totality of the circumstances, Alfredo and Garcia-Bobadilla both voluntarily and knowingly consented to a full search of the residence. After reviewing the record, we find no error in the magistrate judge's determination. Because the searches were based on knowing and voluntary consent, we need not reach Alfredo's additional arguments that officers are not entitled to a protective sweep during a knock-and-talk and that Alfredo's statements were tainted by an illegal search.