United States v. Arnold

898 F. Supp. 818, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14553, 1995 WL 579976
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedSeptember 26, 1995
DocketNo. 95-10046
StatusPublished

This text of 898 F. Supp. 818 (United States v. Arnold) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Arnold, 898 F. Supp. 818, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14553, 1995 WL 579976 (D. Kan. 1995).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

THEIS, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on the defendant’s motion to suppress, Doe. 24-25. The court held a hearing on September 12, 1995. For the reasons set forth herein, the motion shall be denied. Trial is scheduled for September 26, 1995.

The defendant is charged in a six count indictment with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, possession of crack cocaine, possession of marijuana, and' making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm from a licensed dealer. The offense behavior is alleged to have occurred on several different dates. The motion to suppress is aimed at the charges contained in Counts 4 and 5, charging the defendant with possession of crack cocaine and possession of marijuana. These charges arose from a traffic stop which took place on November 7, 1993.

The government presented the testimony of Wichita Police Department Officers Chris Doyle and Keith Rosenberg. Officer Doyle was on duty the morning of November 7, 1993. Doyle had been driving north on Webb Road and turned onto westbound Kellogg. Doyle observed a white Oldsmobile Cutlass traveling south on Webb Road which also turned onto westbound Kellogg. After turning, the Oldsmobile pulled behind Doyle’s vehicle too closely and began tailgating. Doyle changed lanes to allow the Oldsmobile to pass. When the Oldsmobile passed Doyle, Doyle could see that the right tail light of the vehicle was out. Doyle pulled the vehicle over in the parking lot of the K-Mart in the 8600 block of East Kellogg at 5:08 a.m. Doyle testified that he has made numerous stops for tail light violations during his career as a Wichita Police Officer.

Doyle contacted the driver of the Oldsmobile (the defendant James Arnold) and asked for his license and proof of insurance. The defendant handed over his license but stated that he had no proof of insurance. Doyle ran the name James Arnold through the computer and learned that the defendant had two outstanding bench warrants for traffic violations from the City of Wichita. Doyle waited for Rosenberg to arrive as backup and then arrested the defendant on those outstanding warrants.

[820]*820After arresting the defendant, Doyle asked if there was someone they could call to pick up the defendant’s car so that it would not have to be impounded. The defendant stated that they should call his girlfriend, who was in room 227 of the Scotsman Inn at 465 South Webb Road. The defendant gave Doyle the key to the room to give to the girlfriend. Doyle in turn gave Rosenberg the room key and sent Rosenberg over to the Scotsman Inn to pick up the defendant’s girlfriend.

Rosenberg returned with the girlfriend, who identified herself with the same first name but a different last name than that given by the defendant. The girlfriend stated that she was 18 years old and that she had a drivers license which was suspended. The officers thought the girlfriend looked young and were suspicious about the different names given by her and the defendant. When questioned further, she admitted her real name and stated that she was only 15 years old and did not have a drivers license.

The officers testified that they could not release the defendant’s car to a minor. Fur-, ther, since the girl was under age and in a motel room with the defendant, the officers became concerned about whether any illegal sexual activity had occurred. The officers also wanted to know if there was anyone else who could pick up the defendant’s car.

The defendant stated that a person named Matt might also be present in the motel room. The officers contacted their lieutenant, who instructed Rosenberg to take the girl back to the motel room and to attempt to make contact with Matt. The lieutenant advised the officers to inquire of Matt if the defendant had had sexual relations with the girl. Rosenberg was also instructed to contact the girl’s mother and have the mother meet them at the motel.

Rosenberg then took the girl back to the motel. The girl told Rosenberg that Matt was not in the motel room, but that she had been staying at the motel room and had clothes in the room that she wanted to get. When Rosenberg arrived at the motel room, he found the door closed but not locked. Rosenberg entered the room alone, leaving the girl outside with another officer. Rosenberg testified that he was concerned about his own safety and the safety of the girl. Rosenberg noted that the girl had lied about her name and age and might have been lying about whether someone was in the motel room. Rosenberg wanted to determine if someone was present in the motel room before allowing the girl in to retrieve her belongings.

Rosenberg testified that he opened the door and stepped into the room. In looking around the room, Rosenberg saw a dresser to his right. On top of the dresser in plain view were a baggie containing a yellowish substance which appeared to be crack cocaine and a baggie containing suspected marijuana. Rosenberg also saw woman’s clothing inside the room.

After discovering the drugs and checking the room to make sure no one else was present, Rosenberg did allow the girl and her mother to come into the room to retrieve the girl’s belongings. The mother questioned her daughter about what had occurred at the motel. Rosenberg then allowed the girl to leave with her mother.

Meanwhile, Doyle had contacted a wrecker to tow the defendant’s car. While waiting for the tow truck, Doyle received a call from Rosenberg. Rosenberg told Doyle to check the car again, because narcotics had been found in the motel room. Doyle searched the car, but found no contraband. Doyle searched the defendant and found $320 cash on his person.

After being advised of his rights, the defendant made a statement to the officers that he had been “wopped out” (i.e., dismissed without prejudice) on similar charges before and that he would be “wopped out” again.

The issues presented by the motion to suppress are whether the initial traffic stop was pretextual and whether the subsequent entry into the motel room was lawful.

The Tenth Circuit has held, “A pretextual stop occurs when an officer uses some legal justification to stop a person or vehicle in order to investigate unrelated criminal matters for which the officer lacks reasonable suspicion.” United States v. Fernandez, 18 F.3d 874, 876 (10th Cir.1994); see also [821]*821United States v. Dirden, 38 F.3d 1131, 1139 (10th Cir.1994). An officer conducting a routine traffic stop may detain a motorist long enough to obtain a driver’s license and vehicle registration, run a computer check, and issue a citation. Continued detention is justified only if specific and articulable facts and rational inferences drawn from those facts give rise to a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. Fernandez, 18 F.3d at 878.

When the police lack the reasonable suspicion necessary to support a stop, but use a minor violation to support a stop in order to search for evidence of an unrelated serious crime, the stop is pretextual. United States v. Rivera, 867 F.2d 1261, 1263 (10th Cir.1989). In United States v.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
898 F. Supp. 818, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14553, 1995 WL 579976, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-arnold-ksd-1995.