Opinion ID: 779299
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Illegal Seizure Argument

Text: 8 Chapman argues that the police lacked reasonable suspicion to seize him for questioning and that only the invalid seizure occasioned the discovery of the drug paraphernalia in his trash bag. The Supreme Court in Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968), held that a police officer may briefly detain an individual, question him, and perform a limited frisk for weapons if the officer reasonably suspects the individual of criminal activity. 9 The district court, by adopting the magistrate judge's report and recommendation, determined that the police reasonably suspected Chapman of criminal activity. It could be questioned whether Chapman was sufficiently seized even to constitute a Terry stop. Chapman was never frisked before he dropped the bag. Napier simply identified himself as a police officer and requested to ask Chapman a few questions about a narcotics investigation. Napier never ordered Chapman not to move. 10 In Florida v. Royer, 460 U.S. 491, 103 S.Ct. 1319, 75 L.Ed.2d 229 (1983), a plurality of the Supreme Court noted: 11 Law enforcement officers do not violate the Fourth Amendment by merely approaching an individual on the street or in another public place, by asking him if he is willing to answer some questions, by putting questions to him if the person is willing to listen, or by offering in evidence in a criminal prosecution his voluntary answers to such questions. Nor would the fact that the officer identifies himself as a police officer, without more, convert the encounter into a seizure requiring some level of objective justification. The person approached, however, need not answer any question put to him; indeed, he may decline to listen to the questions at all and may go on his way. 12 Id. at 497-98, 103 S.Ct. 1319 (citations omitted). 13 Although this passage in Royer was supported by only a plurality of the Court and was in the context of finding that a particular encounter that went beyond these circumstances was a Terry stop, this court has consistently stated that such activity falls well short of a seizure requiring any justification by the police. United States v. Taylor, 956 F.2d 572, 575 (6th Cir.1992) ( en banc ) (Relevant precedent has made clear that a seizure within the meaning and purpose of the fourth amendment does not occur when governmental agents approach a pedestrian, identify themselves as law enforcement officers, and solicit conversation or request an interview.); United States v. Peters, 194 F.3d 692, 698 (6th Cir.1999). We have added that so long as a `reasonable person would have felt free to leave the situation, no seizure has occurred within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment.' United States v. Richardson, 949 F.2d 851, 855 (6th Cir.1991). 14 Napier did not directly prevent Chapman from leaving, and Chapman never asked to leave, only saying can't a man just take out his garbage as he dropped the bag. Napier had only identified himself as a police officer and requested to ask Chapman a few questions by the time Chapman had dropped the bag, revealing the evidence sufficient to establish probable cause for the arrest. Chapman does not contend that Napier did anything more than this. He also does not contend that Napier's actions were inappropriate after he saw the paraphernalia in Chapman's bag. Napier's actions, until the bag opened and revealed probable cause for an arrest, would not necessarily constitute enough of a seizure that the protections of Terry would even apply. 15 However, we need not resolve whether the encounter was a Terry stop to dispose of Chapman's argument. To the extent that Napier's questioning of Chapman constituted a Terry seizure and required reasonable suspicion, the circumstances surrounding the questioning more than supply it. By the time that Napier had approached Chapman, Napier was aware that a drug distribution operation was occurring in the hotel that Chapman had just left. Napier's fellow officer, Sherman Dotson, testified that he had been troubled by Chapman's suspicious reaction to Shelmon's arrest, quickly parting company with his companion and moving away from the police officers, and he had asked Napier to follow Chapman. 2 Immediately before Chapman left the hotel, Sergeant Hatchett had yelled over the radio that a black man had been involved in a fight inside the hotel and was exiting. Chapman was black. 16 Given the officers' information that a significant drug operation had been running in the very immediate past inside the hotel, the report that a black man involved in a fight was fleeing the hotel, and Chapman's suspicious behavior outside of the hotel, Napier and Dotson had observed articulable facts providing reasonable suspicion for a Terry stop. We have previously relied on a police officer's knowledge regarding recent criminal conduct in the area to find reasonable suspicion. United States v. Anderson, 923 F.2d 450, 456 (6th Cir.1991) (noting that large number of recent robberies in neighborhood contributed to reasonable suspicion sufficient to stop overloaded automobile); United States v. Harris, 192 F.3d 580, 584 (6th Cir.1999) (holding officer's observation of individual walking erratically in an area known for frequent drug sales sufficient for reasonable suspicion). Napier's knowledge of drug activity occurring in the building from which Chapman exited, immediately prior to his leaving, provides an even stronger case for reasonable suspicion. Chapman's Fourth Amendment argument is without merit.