Commonwealth v. Brodhead

39 Pa. D. & C.5th 305
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County
DecidedJuly 11, 2014
DocketNo. 0636-2014
StatusPublished

This text of 39 Pa. D. & C.5th 305 (Commonwealth v. Brodhead) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Brodhead, 39 Pa. D. & C.5th 305 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

BOCCABELLA, J,

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On November 10th, 2013, at approximately 2:46 a.m., Officer Kevin Dale Mickle of the Hamburg Borough Police Department in Berks County, was on patrol traveling south bound on Route 61.

2. In Officer Mickle’s report, he said he observed a black SUV cross over the center dotted yellow lines twice (there was no opposing traffic), and crossed over the white berm line once. Officer Mickle initiated a traffic stop.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. “Where a defendant files a motion to suppress, the burdens of production and persuasion are on the [307]*307Commonwealth to prove the challenged evidence was not obtained in violation of the defendant’s rights.” Commonwealth v. West, 834 A.2d 625 at 629 (Pa. Super. 2003), citing Commonwealth v. Wilmington, 729 A.2d 1160 (Pa. Super. 1999); See also Pa.R.Crim.P. 581(H).

2. Section 6308(b) of the Motor Vehicle Code provides:

Whenever a police officer is engaged in a systematic program of checking vehicles or drivers or has reasonable suspicion that a violation of this title is occurring or has occurred, he may stop a vehicle upon request or signal, for the purpose of checking the vehicle’s registration, proof of financial responsibility, vehicle identification number or engine number or the driver’s license, or to secure such other information as the officer may reasonably believe to be necessary to enforce the provisions of this title.

75 Pa. C.S.A. § 6308(b).

3. “Thus, when an officer has reasonable suspicion a violation of the Vehicle Code is occurring or has occurred, he may interrupt the privileged operation of a vehicle on the public highways and stop the vehicle for the investigative purposes stated therein.” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 112 (Pa. 2008) citing 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 6308(b).

4. “To establish grounds for ‘reasonable suspicion’ ... the officer must articulate specific observations which, in conjunction with reasonable inferences derived from these observations, led him reasonably to conclude, in light of his experience, that criminal activity was afoot and the person he stopped was involved in that activity.” Commonwealth v. Little, 903 A.2d 1269, 1272 (Pa. Super. 2006) citing Commonwealth v. Bennet, 827 A.2d 469, 477 [308]*308(Pa. Super. 2003) (citing Commonwealth v. Cook, 558 Pa. 50, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (1999)).

5. “In order to determine whether the police had a reasonable suspicion, the totality of the circumstances-the whole picture-must be considered.” In the Interest of D.M., 781 A.2d 1161, 1163 (Pa. 2001) citing United States v. Cortez, 449 U.S. 411, 417 (1981).

6. In making this determination, we must give “due weight... to the specific reasonable inferences [the police officer] is entitled to draw from the facts in light of his experience.” Commonwealth v. Cook, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (Pa.1999) quoting Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 27 (1968).

7. Also, the totality of the circumstances test does not limit our inquiry to an examination of only those facts that clearly indicate criminal conduct. Rather, “[ejven a combination of innocent facts, when taken together, may warrant further investigation by the police officer.” Commonwealth v. Cook, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (Pa.1999) quoting Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 22 (1968).

8. “Reasonable suspicion sufficient to stop a motorist must be viewed from the standpoint of an objectively reasonable police officer.” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 120 (Pa. 2008) citing Ornelas v. United States, 517 U.S. 690, 696 (1996).

9. “While it is argued the lesser standard [reasonable suspicion] will allow a vehicle stop to be made based on pretextual motives, the United States Supreme Court made clear that case law ‘foreclose^] any argument that the constitutional reasonableness of traffic stops depends on the actual motivations of the individual officers involved.’” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 120 [309]*309(Pa. 2008) citing Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 813 (1996); see also Commonwealth v. Foglia, 979 A.2d 357, 361-62 (Pa. Super. 2009) (stating that observations made after the officer intends to stop the defendant can be used to support their actions).

10. “In other words, if police can articulate a reasonable suspicion of a Vehicle Code violation, a constitutional inquiry into the officer’s motive for stopping the vehicle is unnecessary.” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 120 (Pa. 2008).

11. “Probable cause to arrest exists when the facts and circumstances within the police officer’s knowledge and of which the officer has reasonably trustworthy information are sufficient in themselves to warrant a person of reasonable caution in the belief that an offense has been committed by the person to be arrested.” Commonwealth v. Williams, 941 A.2d 14, 27 (Pa. Super. 2008) quoting Commonwealth v. Dommel, 885 A.2d 998, 1002 (Pa. Super. 2005), appeal denied, 920 A.2d 831 (Pa. 2007) (quoting In re C.C.J., 799 A.2d 116, 121 (Pa. Super. 2002))

12. “Probable cause exists if there are facts available at the time of apprehension which would justify a reasonable man in the belief that a crime has been or is about to be committed and the person arrested probably is the perpetrator.” Commonwealth v. Gambit, 418 A.2d 554, 557 (Pa. Super. 1980).

13. “[Pjrobable cause does not require certainty, but rather exists when criminality is one reasonable inference, not necessarily even the most likely inference.”

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Related

Terry v. Ohio
392 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1968)
United States v. Cortez
449 U.S. 411 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Ornelas v. United States
517 U.S. 690 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Whren v. United States
517 U.S. 806 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Commonwealth v. Hernandez
935 A.2d 1275 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2007)
Commonwealth v. Little
903 A.2d 1269 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
Commonwealth v. Dommel
885 A.2d 998 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2005)
Commonwealth v. Foglia
979 A.2d 357 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2009)
Commonwealth v. Chase
960 A.2d 108 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2008)
Commonwealth v. Bennett
827 A.2d 469 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Commonwealth v. Cook
735 A.2d 673 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Luv
735 A.2d 87 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Wilmington
729 A.2d 1160 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Williams
941 A.2d 14 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2008)
Commonwealth v. Cook
865 A.2d 869 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2004)
Commonwealth v. Gambit
418 A.2d 554 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Commonwealth v. West
834 A.2d 625 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Commonwealth v. Battaglia
802 A.2d 652 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
In the Interest of D.M.
781 A.2d 1161 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2001)
In the Interest of C.C.J.
799 A.2d 116 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)

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Bluebook (online)
39 Pa. D. & C.5th 305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-brodhead-pactcomplberks-2014.