TN: Blue lights behind an already stopped car not a seizure

Use of blue lights when a police car stops behind an already parked car as a part of the community caretaking function is not a stop. It is for safety. State v. Vandergriff, 2012 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 452 (June 28, 2012).

Defendant’s cotton mouth and slurred speech and seeing a corner of a clear plastic sandwich bag was not reasonable suspicion of drugs. DUI? Likely, but that was not the focus of this investigation, and the continuation of this stop was unreasonable. State v. Jones, 47 Kan. App. 2d 866, 280 P.3d 824 (2012).

Defendant’s almost nonsensical answers to basic questions were enough to make reasonable suspicion. (Something like “where’s your luggage?” “In the back seat?” “There’s no luggage in the back seat.” “I’m wearing it all.”) State v. Dow, 375 S.W.3d 845 (Mo. App. 2012).*