State v. Gallegos

2003 NMCA 079, 70 P.3d 1277, 133 N.M. 838, 2003 WL 21361861
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 6, 2003
Docket22,888
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 2003 NMCA 079 (State v. Gallegos) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Gallegos, 2003 NMCA 079, 70 P.3d 1277, 133 N.M. 838, 2003 WL 21361861 (N.M. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinions

OPINION

CASTILLO, Judge.

{1} Defendant appeals the denial of her motion to suppress evidence obtained pursuant to the warrantless search of her automobile by border patrol agents. She contends that the State failed to prove the existence of exigent circumstances that would justify a warrantless search. We agree that the State failed to prove exigent circumstances and reverse the denial of Defendant’s motion to suppress.

BACKGROUND

{2} On January 16, 2001, Agent Daniel Padilla was the primary agent working at the United States Border Patrol checkpoint near Orogrande, New Mexico. This is a fixed checkpoint on Highway 54 about thirty miles south of Alamogordo, New Mexico used to stop and inspect vehicles for illegal aliens or contraband. Defendant, driving a white four-door sedan, entered the checkpoint about 8 p.m. As she entered the checkpoint, the vehicle continued to slowly roll through and did not come to a complete stop. Agent Padilla put up his hand to stop her. When asked about citizenship, Defendant responded that everyone in the vehicle was a United States citizen and began driving away. Agent Padilla testified that he stopped her again and began asking questions about her travel plans. She stated that she was headed to Liberal, Kansas. When asked about ownership of the vehicle, Defendant stated that all of her documentation had been stolen in El Paso, Texas.

{3} Agent Padilla testified that during his questioning, Defendant was acting nervous. She was unable to sit still and was unable to make eye contact with him. He testified that she was looking in all directions, and when he asked her questions, she failed to look at him when responding. He stated that Defendant’s nervousness made him suspect that there was contraband in the vehicle.

{4} After asking about her registration, Agent Padilla asked if he could look in the trunk of the vehicle. Defendant agreed and got out of the vehicle to open the trunk. Agent Padilla testified that Defendant’s hands were shaking so much that she had to steady her right hand with her left in order to open the trunk. When the trunk was opened, Agent Padilla observed some small grocery bags containing food and other bags containing clothing. Defendant volunteered that she had picked up her friend in El Paso and was driving her to Liberal, Kansas.

{5} At this point, Agent Padilla asked for permission to inspect the vehicle with a canine. Defendant gave permission and the vehicle was moved to the secondary area. While Agent Scroggs, who is the canine’s handler, inspected the vehicle with the canine, Agent Padilla waited with the occupants of the vehicle in the secondary waiting area. Agent Scroggs informed Agent Padilla that the canine alerted to the rear bumper of the vehicle. At that point, Agent Padilla inspected the rear bumper area and noticed that there was foam insulation that was not factory installed applied to the undercarriage on the inside of the bumper area. He poked his finger in the insulation and removed a small portion of the foam. Underneath, he saw what appeared to be a bundle of marijuana.

{6} Agent Padilla then took Defendant inside the checkpoint building, arrested her, and advised her of her rights. Agent Scroggs went out and started chiseling the foam off the rear of the bumper in order to pull the bundles out. Agent Scroggs also located bundles under the rear seat and behind the rear seat backrest. In total, forty-eight bundles were found and the contents of the bundles tested positive for marijuana.

{7} Defendant was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. She moved to suppress the marijuana arguing that it was obtained pursuant to a warrantless search. The motion to suppress was denied. In denying the motion to suppress, the trial court found that Defendant’s conduct gave rise to reasonable suspicion entitling Agent Padilla to make further inquiries. It further found that once Defendant was unable to produce license and registration documentation, Agent Padilla could further detain her. The trial court found that Defendant’s consent to search the trunk and consent to conduct a canine sniff were freely and voluntarily given. Finally, the trial court found that the canine’s alert created probable cause and that exigent circumstances existed to justify a warrantless search.

{8} After Defendant’s motion to suppress was denied, she pleaded no contest to the charges, reserving the right to appeal the suppression issue. This appeal followed sentencing.

DISCUSSION

Standard of Review

{9} In reviewing a trial court’s denial of a motion to suppress, this Court examines the record to determine whether the law was correctly applied to the facts as found by the trial court. State v. Attaway, 117 N.M. 141, 144-46, 870 P.2d 103, 106-08 (1994). “[W]e view the district court’s factual determinations in the light most favorable to the State, together with all reasonable inferences therefrom.” State v. Snyder, 1998-NMCA-166, ¶ 6, 126 N.M. 168, 967 P.2d 843. Whether those facts establish exigent circumstances is a question of law that this Court reviews de novo. State v. Gomez, 1997-NMSC-006, ¶ 40, 122 N.M. 777, 932 P.2d 1.

Particularized Showing of Exigent Circumstances

{10} We recognize that under federal law, border patrol agents do not need to obtain a warrant to search a lawfully stopped vehicle if there is probable cause to believe that the vehicle contained evidence of a crime. See California v. Acevedo, 500 U.S. 565, 569, 575-76, 111 S.Ct. 1982, 114 L.Ed.2d 619 (1991). However, under the New Mexico Constitution, a warrantless search of an automobile requires both probable cause and exigent circumstances. N.M. Const, art. II, § 10; Gomez, 1997-NMSC-006, ¶ 39, 122 N.M. 777, 932 P.2d 1. Evidence obtained pursuant to a warrantless search of an automobile that does not meet the requirement of Gomez, can and will be excluded from use in state proceedings. See State v. Cardenas-Alvarez, 2001-NMSC-017, ¶ 20, 130 N.M. 386, 25 P.3d 225 (holding that “our state constitution applies to evidence seized by federal agents when the State seeks to admit that evidence in state court”).

{11} An “exigent circumstance” is described as “ ‘an emergency situation requiring swift action to prevent imminent danger to life or serious damage to property, or to forestall the imminent escape of a suspect or destruction of evidence.’ ” Gomez, 1997-NMSC-006, ¶ 39, 122 N.M. 777, 932 P.2d 1 (quoting State v. Copeland, 105 N.M. 27, 31, 727 P.2d 1342, 1346 (Ct.App.1986)). The exigency of circumstances depends on practical considerations. State v. Chavez, 98 N.M. 61, 63, 644 P.2d 1050, 1052 (Ct.App.1982). “There is no ready litmus test for determining whether such circumstances exist, and in each ease the claim of an extraordinary situation must be measured by the facts known to the officers.” Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). The inquiry is an objective one into whether a reasonable, well-trained officer would have good reason to believe that swift action was necessary under the particular circumstances surrounding the search.

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Related

State v. Martinez
2010 NMCA 051 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2010)
State v. Rowell
2008 NMSC 041 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 2008)
State v. Ponce
2004 NMCA 137 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2004)
State v. Gallegos
2003 NMCA 079 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2003)

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Bluebook (online)
2003 NMCA 079, 70 P.3d 1277, 133 N.M. 838, 2003 WL 21361861, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gallegos-nmctapp-2003.