Court Opinion

ID: 9526501
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:18:52.469095+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:20:16.443651
License: Public Domain

VAIDIK, Judge,
concurring in result.
I respectfully disagree with the majority's conclusion that the police officers lacked reasonable suspicion to stop Coleman based on the confidential informant's tip. But because the cocaine found in Coleman's car was the result of an invalid search, I agree with the majority that the cocaine from Coleman's car must be suppressed.
Here, the confidential informant, who was an admitted crack cocaine addict, was in police custody on a theft charge stemming from an incident where he stole a credit card to pay off his drug debt. In order to receive lenient treatment for the theft charge, the informant gave the police information about some of his cocaine suppliers. Based on the informant's tip, the police were able to arrest one man. After that arrest and on the same day, the informant told the police about another one of his suppliers, a man named "J.C." who he would typically meet at a bench outside of L.S. Ayres at Greenwood Park Mall. The informant gave a description of J.C. as a black male, approximately thirty years old, and approximately 510". The informant, who knew J.C.'s phone number, called J.C. from a payphone at LS. Ayres. Officer Jeffrey McCorkle listened to the informant's side of the conversation. Specifically, the informant used the name "J.C.," told J.C. that he had the money that he owed him, and asked to purchase a quarter-ounce of crack cocaine. The informant agreed to meet J.C. on the north side of L.S. Ayres at Greenwood Park Mall, their usual meeting place, at a specific time.
At the specified time, Officer MeCorkle drove the informant past L.S. Ayres in an unmarked car, and the informant pointed out J.C., who was walking outside of L.S. Ayres at the time, as the man from whom he had purchased cocaine. At that point, Officer MeCorkle instructed a marked patrol unit to approach the man. Officer McCorkle approached shortly thereafter and asked the man if he was J.C., and he said "yes." The man also said that he was there to meet a friend who owed him money. The man provided Officer MeCor-kle with identification, which was in the name of "Jermaine Coleman."
Though the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution protect citizens against unreasonable search and seizure, police officers may briefly detain an individual if they have reasonable suspicion that criminal activity has occurred or is about to occur. Burkett v. State, 785 N.E.2d 276, 278 (Ind.Ct.App. *2662003). "The reasonable suspicion requirement is satisfied where the facts known to the officer at the moment of the stop, together with the reasonable inferences arising from such facts, would cause an ordinarily prudent person to believe that criminal activity has occurred or is about to occur." State v. Gladney, 798 N.E.2d 264, 268 (Ind.Ct.App.2003), reh'g denied, trans. denied. In addition to stopping the individual, the officer can conduct a reasonable search for weapons for the protection of the officer, where he has reason to believe that he is dealing with an armed and dangerous individual. Wilson v. State, 745 N.E.2d 789, 792 (Ind.2001).
A tip from an identified or known informant can provide the basis for an investigatory stop if it contains sufficient indicia of reliability. Kellems v. State, 842 N.E.2d 352, 355 (Ind.2006). One of the reasons for this is that "a known or identified informant's reputation can be assessed and ... [he may] be held responsible if [his] allegations turn out to be fabricated ...." Id. (quotation omitted). Whether a tip has sufficient indicia of reliability is determined by looking at the totality of the circumstances. Id. at 356. The court must first determine whether the informant is reliable, such as if the informant provided information in the past that has resulted in an arrest and/or conviction. See Johnson v. State, 659 N.E.2d 116, 119 (Ind.1995). The court must determine whether the informant's tip provided specifics by which it could be confirmed. Id. at 119. In determining whether a tip has been sufficiently corroborated, a court must distinguish between information that is easily knowable by many members of the general public and that which is known to only a few. See id. at 118-19; see also State v. Stickle, 792 N.E.2d 51, 55 (Ind.Ct.App.2003) ("Because only a small number of people are generally privy to an individual's itinerary, it is reasonable to believe that people with access to such information are likely to also have access to reliable information about the individual's illegal activities."), trams. denied.
Admittedly, there is always more that the police can do before stopping an individual for suspected criminal activity. However, that is not the issue before us. Rather, the issue is whether these facts are enough to establish reasonable suspicion to stop and frisk Coleman. I believe that they do. Specifically, these facts demonstrate that the informant provided the police with credible information on a specific impending crime that the police confirmed by listening to the informant's side of the telephone conversation with J.C., by driving the informant past L.S. Ayres at the pre-determined meeting time, and by asking the man if he was J.C. In addition, the information the informant gave the police was not easily knowable by the general public and showed that the informant had intimate knowledge of J.C.'s personal itinerary. Moreover, the police provided information that the informant was reliable. The record shows that earlier that same day, the informant gave the police information about another one of his cocaine suppliers that resulted in an arrest.
Based on all of these facts, I believe that the police had reasonable suspicion to stop Coleman. In addition, Officer James Long, who frisked Coleman, testified that he feared for his safety because drug deals frequently involve firearms; therefore, I believe that the pat down was proper. Moreover, the record shows that Coleman consented to the pat down. Therefore, the evidence found during the frisk is admissible.
However, I must agree with the majority that the cocaine seized from Coleman's car was the result of an invalid search. *267That is, the record shows that at the time of the search of his car, Coleman was handcuffed and in police custody, but he had not been advised of his Mirando rights. Specifically, Coleman should have been told of his right to consult counsel before agreeing to the search of his car. See Sellmer v. State, 842 N.E.2d 358 (Ind.2006). Furthermore, the State has failed to prove that the search of Coleman's car falls into one of the exeeptions to the warrant requirement. Consequently, the cocaine found in Coleman's car should be suppressed. I therefore concur in result.