State v. Gayden

133 So. 3d 173, 2013 La.App. 4 Cir. 0105, 2014 WL 535770, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 156
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 22, 2014
DocketNo. 2013-KA-0105
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 133 So. 3d 173 (State v. Gayden) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Gayden, 133 So. 3d 173, 2013 La.App. 4 Cir. 0105, 2014 WL 535770, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 156 (La. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

EDWIN A. LOMBARD, Judge.

_jjThe defendant, Jarrin R. Gayden, files this appeal pursuant to State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976), arguing that his conviction for possession of marijuana, second offense, in violation of La.Rev.Stat. 40:966(D)(2), is invalid. After review of the record in light of the applicable law and arguments of the parties, we vacate the defendant’s conviction and sentence.

Relevant Facts and Procedural History

On June 13, 2012, Officer Jeremy Wilcox of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) was on patrol in the 8800 block of Fig Street in New Orleans when he saw a vehicle stopped in the street with its lights on in the opposite lane, facing the patrol car. Stopping his patrol car and using a spot light for illumination, Officer Wilcox observed the defendant in the driver’s seat “moving around, fidgeting around, like, the center console area.” Jumping out of the patrol car, Officer Wilcox and his partner ordered the three occupants of the stopped vehicle to show their hands. In response to the order, the two passengers immediately complied but the driver (the defendant) put up only his left hand. Officer Wilcox and his partner reached into the vehicle and handcuffed the passengers through the window before ordering them out of the vehicle. As the | ^handcuffed passengers exited the vehicle, Officer Wilcox observed the defendant “shoving something through like the leg of his shorts” although he could not see what the object was. The two passengers were secured and, as Officer Wilcox and his partner approached the vehicle, the defendant put up both of his hands. The officers opened the driver’s side door and ordered him out of the car and, as the defendant stood up, a “little cigar pack” fell out of his shorts. After handcuffing the defendant, Officer Wilcox picked up the cigar box, opened it, and discovered “vegetable-like matter.” The defendant was arrested for possession of marijuana.

On June 28, 2012, the defendant was charged by bill of information with possession of marijuana, second offense, a violation of La.Rev.Stat., 40:966(D)(2). He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and his appointed counsel filed generic motions for discovery, to suppress, and for a preliminary hearing. The motion hearing was held on August 17, 2012, with Officer Wilcox as the only witness. He specifically testified:

As soon as [the defendant] stood up out of the vehicle, a little cigar pack fell out of his shorts.... We got him cuffed up. Picked it up. Opened it, looked into it. It, you know, was a vegetable-like mater. Looked like marijuana.... We placed him under arrest for possession of marijuana.... It tested positive. [176]*176And we ended up arresting him for second possession of marijuana.

On cross-examination, Officer Wilcox stated that the vehicle was stopped in the right lane of the street with lights on and he assumed the engine was running “because his keys were still in it” and the defendant had claimed that his delay in complying with the order to put both hands up was because he had been “trying to turn the car off’ with his right hand. Officer Wilcox explicitly conceded that he there was no way to see what was in the cigar box lying on the ground “without picking it up and looking into it.” In response to the trial judge’s question, Officer laWilcox stated that “through the computer system we found out that it was not his first offense for marijuana.” The State then submitted into evidence what it characterized as “a certified packet indicating a prior conviction” for possession of marijuana out of Texas. Defense counsel pointed out, however, that the Texas offense was a “deferred adjudication” which was subsequently dismissed and, consequently, it could not be used to enhance the offense at issue. After listening to arguments on this issue, the trial court denied the motion to suppress, found probable cause, and set a trial date.

That same day, however, the defendant withdrew his not guilty plea and entered a Crosby plea, reserving his right to appeal the trial court’s denial of his motions to suppress statement and evidence. After waiver of all rights and delays, the defendant was sentenced to three years at hard labor, suspended, with credit for time served and placed on three years active probation, with the special condition that he successfully complete the drug court program, pay a $500.00 fine to the Judicial Expense Fund and $201.50 in court costs.

This appeal follows.

Assignment of Error 1

The defendant’s appellate counsel concedes that the officers had reasonable suspicion to stop and frisk him, but argues that the search of the closed cigar pack was not justified because its contents were not immediately apparent and, therefore, it was error for the trial court to deny the defendant’s motion to suppress. In response, the State concedes that the contents of the cigar pack were not readily apparent but asserts that Officer Wilcox was justified in opening the pack and inspecting its contents because he reasonably suspected it contained a weapon or other contraband.

| ¿Applicable Law

It is well-settled that the State has the burden to establish the legality of evidence seized without a warrant and that the trial court’s determinations regarding a motion to suppress evidence are entitled to great weigh. La.Code Crim. Proc. art. 703(D); State v. Hunt, 09-1589, p. 7 (La.12/1/09), 25 So.3d 746, 752. Both the United States and Louisiana Constitutions protect against unreasonable searches and seizures, although “a police office may briefly detain an individual for investigative purposes if the officer has a reasonable and articulable suspicion that the individual has committed or is about to commit a crime.” State v. Boyer, 2007-0476, p. 17 (La.10/16/2007), 967 So.2d 458, 469 (citations omitted). Search and seizures conducted outside the judicial process, without prior approval by judge or magistrate, are per se unreasonable subject only to a few specifically established and well delineated exceptions. Minnesota v. Dickerson, 508 U.S. 366, 372, 113 S.Ct. 2130, 124 L.Ed.2d 334 (1993). One exception, as recognized in Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968) allows a police officer who “observes unusual conduct which leads him reasonably to conclude in light [177]*177of his experience that criminal activity may be afoot” to briefly stop the suspicious person and make “reasonable inquiries” aimed at confirming or dispelling his suspicions. Minnesota v. Dickerson, supra, (citing Terry, 392 U.S. at 30, 88 S.Ct. 1868). In addition, under Terry “when an officer is justified in believing that the individual whose suspicious behavior he is investigating at close range is armed and presently dangerous to the officer or to others, the officer may conduct a patdown search to determine whether the person is in fact carrying a weapon.” Minnesota v. Dickerson, supra (citation and internal punctuation omitted).

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Bluebook (online)
133 So. 3d 173, 2013 La.App. 4 Cir. 0105, 2014 WL 535770, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 156, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gayden-lactapp-2014.