Court Opinion

ID: 9480971
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:04:00.650085+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:01.496504
License: Public Domain

LAY, Chief Judge.
This is an airport search case. On. June 8, 1989, James A. McKines arrived at the Kansas City International Airport on an early morning flight from Las Vegas. Special Agent Carl Hicks of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) routinely watched that flight because previous passengers on it had been caught transporting drugs. Hicks was assisted by Detectives Paul Car-rill and Tully Kessler of the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. They were all dressed in plain clothes. McKines caught Hicks’ attention as he was deplaning because his rough clothes were casual and crumpled, he was not wearing socks, he had a beard, was wearing sunglasses, and did not appear to be a businessman, a student, or in the military service. Although the agents had no information that McKines was carrying drugs, they felt he looked suspicious and decided to watch him. They watched McKines make a phone call upon entering the terminal. They then followed *1079him to the baggage claim area where McKines went to the rear of the carousel so he could see the entire terminal. He looked around, retrieved two suitcases, and walked outside toward a taxi stand. Hicks decided to approach McKines outside the terminal. The other two detectives followed at a distance. Hicks told McKines he was a police officer and asked if he could talk to him. McKines consented. After asking McKines where he was going, Hicks asked to see his plane ticket. Hicks noticed that it had been purchased with cash and that it was a round trip ticket with a return date three days later. The ticket was in the name of “John” McKines. Hicks returned the ticket and asked McKines for some identification. McKines handed Hicks a driver’s license in the name of “James” McKines. Hicks also noticed that McKines’ luggage had tags with the name of “John” McKines. After returning the license to McKines and questioning him about the name difference, Hicks told him that he was a Special Agent with the DEA and that he was watching for drugs. He asked McKines if he had any drugs in his suitcases, McKines stated that he did not. Hicks asked McKines if he could look into his suitcases and McKines consented. Because it was crowded outside on the sidewalk, Hicks asked McKines if they could step inside out of the way. McKines agreed and they moved into an empty alcove right inside the terminal. Hicks opened the smallest suitcase and found only men’s clothing. Hicks then asked permission to open the large suitcase. McKines consented and opened the suitcase himself. The larger suitcase, which McKines said was not his but belonged to a friend, contained, among other things, an eight-pack of bottles of Mountain Dew. Hicks thought he smelled liquid Phencyclidine (PCP) but could not tell from where it was emanating since the bottles appeared to be sealed. Since he had found nothing, Hicks repacked the suitcase and McKines walked away toward the taxi stand. Detective Kessler approached Hicks from where he and Detective Carrill had been standing about ten feet away and asked what was in the bottles. Hicks told him they had contained Mountain Dew. Kessler told Hicks that he drank Mountain Dew and that it had not looked like Mountain Dew to him. He also told Hicks that he knew that a method had been developed of resealing bottles. Hicks decided to check the bottles again. He went outside the terminal, found McKines seated in a taxi, and asked him if he could search the large suitcase again. McKines consented again, got out of the taxi, and unlocked the suitcase for Hicks. Hicks opened one of the bottles and found that it contained liquid PCP. They arrested McKines. McKines has always contended that he did not know that the bottles contained PCP and that he was delivering the suitcase for a friend. He was convicted and received a mandatory life term based on two prior drug convictions concerning PCP.1
On appeal, McKines initially challenges the ruling of the district court that the search violated the Fourth Amendment. The district court, relying on the magistrate’s determination, found that there was no “seizure” and that the search was a consensual one. We agree and affirm the conviction.
It is conceded that there was no probable cause for the search. In addition it is clear that when McKines was approached and was told that the agents suspected that he was carrying drugs there existed no articulable suspicion for a “stop and frisk” search under Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968). The issue then arises as to whether there was an illegal seizure under the Fourth Amendment when Hicks approached McKines and asked if he could look in his luggage because he suspected McKines of carrying drugs.
This issue turns on whether, at this point, a reasonable person would feel *1080that he or she was no longer free to leave. As the magistrate related, not all questioning of an individual must be construed as a seizure. United States v. Mendenhall, 446 U.S. 544, 554-55, 100 S.Ct. 1870, 1877, 64 L.Ed.2d 497 (1980); United States v. Campbell, 843 F.2d 1089, 1092 (8th Cir.1988). Consent or coercion is determined by the totality of the circumstances because consent will validate a search unless it is vitiated by the investigatory procedures of the police. Consent is a question of fact for the trial court and that finding will be reversed only if it is clearly erroneous. United States v. Drinkard, 900 F.2d 140, 144 (8th Cir.1990).2 A person is “seized” only when a reasonable person would feel that he or she is not free to leave. United States v. Sadosky, 732 F.2d 1388, 1392 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 884, 105 S.Ct. 254, 83 L.Ed.2d 191 (1984). We find nothing in the record to indicate that McKines was in any way restrained, which would indicate that he was not free to leave, or coerced, which would indicate he could not refuse to consent to a search. It is true the officers did not inform him that he was free to leave or could refuse to consent to the search but this is not a sine qua non of a lawful arrest and a finding of a consensual search. Schneckloth v. Bustamante, 412 U.S. 218, 227, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 2047, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973); United States v. Nunley, 873 F.2d 182, 185 n. 2 (8th Cir.1989). We hold that there was not a seizure under the Fourth Amendment.
After the first search, McKines did in fact leave. He was next approached by Hicks while he was sitting in the taxi. Once again, he consented to a search after a simple request. There was no coercion by means of physical force or by show of authority. Demonstrative of McKines’ voluntary consent was his testimony that he knew he could have refused to allow Hicks to search the suitcase. (Tr. at 90). It is a strain under these facts to find that the consent given was coercive or involuntary. See Campbell, 843 F.2d at 1095-96. We find that there is substantial evidence to support the district court’s determination that McKines voluntarily consented to the search and that this determination was not clearly erroneous.
McKines also argues that the court should not have admitted evidence of his two prior drug convictions because they were more prejudicial than probative and that his mandatory life sentence without parole violates the Eighth Amendment. We find no merit in these arguments. We agree the sentence is extremely severe. However, Congress, in its legislative wisdom, has provided for enhanced punishment, under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, for persons convicted under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) (1988) who have had previous narcotics convictions.3 Persons in this category bear the risk of knowing that their sentence may be enhanced, resulting in a life sentence without parole. United States v. Collado-Gomez, 834 F.2d 280, 281 (2d Cir.1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 969, 108 S.Ct. 1244, 99 L.Ed.2d 442 (1988). The enhanced penalty is rationally related to Congress’ purpose of deterring a particularly insidious form of narcotics transactions. Id. Due process is not violated by *1081this purpose or by allocating the risk to persons with multiple drug convictions.
The life term without parole imposed on McKines does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment. In analyzing the proportionality of McKines’ penalty with his crime we have considered several factors. The offense he committed is very serious. Congress has proven how strongly it feels about drug offenses by enhancing the penalty for repeat offenders. While the penalty is harsh, the offender bears the risk of receiving this penalty by continuing to traffic in drugs. Congress has reserved life sentences for serious offenses and by amending section 841(b)(1)(A) to include a mandatory life sentence has clearly shown us it considers repeat drug offenses to be serious crimes. The government has a significant interest in isolating these repeat offenders. Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 277, 296, 103 S.Ct. 3001, 3012, 77 L.Ed.2d 637 (1983).4 For these reasons we hold that a mandatory life sentence for a third conviction for drug trafficking is not cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
Judgment affirmed.

. The two prior convictions subjecting McKines to the enhanced penalty provisions of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), 846 (1988), were for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell Pyrrolidine (a PCP analog) in 1982, and in 1986, for possession of PCP for sale. Appellee’s Brief at 11.

. This case is clearly distinguishable from Drinkard. In Drinkard, the DEA agents were relying on an informant's tip that Drinkard's traveling companion would be bringing drugs into the airport. Drinkard was surrounded by DEA agents and there was more than one request for information, he was asked if he had drugs, and if the agents could search his luggage. The court found on these facts that Drinkard was not free to leave. Drinkard, 900 F.2d at 144. These facts do not exist here. In Drinkard, the panel stated that if it were sitting on the case de novo it might have found that the consent was involuntary. Id. However, it relied on the factual determination of the trial court that there was a consensual search and found that there was substantial evidence to support this conclusion. Id.

. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 amended section 841(b)(1)(A) to provide that a person convicted under section 841(a)(1) faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison. The penalty is increased to a mandatory minimum of 20 years to life for one previous drug conviction and for two previous drug convictions the penalty is a mandatory life term without parole. Id. A sentence imposed under this subsection may not be suspended or paroled. Id.

. The Supreme Court in Solem, did mention the possibility that life sentences for repeat drug offenders might be constitutional, however, the question was not before the Court. Solem, 463 U.S. at 299 n. 26, 103 S.Ct. at 3014 n. 26.