MD: Dog sniff outside apt door didn’t violate curtilage or a reasonable expectation of privacy

A dog sniff outside an apartment door from a common hallway otherwise closed to those not living there did not violate curtilage or an expectation of privacy. Lindsey v. State, 2015 Md. App. LEXIS 171 (Dec. 16, 2015):
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CA9: California MMJ card doesn’t immunize all marijuana SWs

Mere possession of a California MMJ card doesn’t render all search warrants for marijuana unreasonable as a matter of law. § 1983 case dismissed. Rocha v. County of Tulare, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 21999 (9th Cir. Dec. 17, 2015):
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TechCrunch: The FAA’s Drone Registration Site Is Now Up And Running

TechCrunch: The FAA’s Drone Registration Site Is Now Up And Running by Frederic Lardinois:

As promised, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched its drone registry [yesterday].

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ABAJ: Federal judge says lawyer and client must pay $19K for filing baseless civil rights suit for false arrest

ABAJ: Federal judge says lawyer and client must pay $19K for filing baseless civil rights suit by Martha Neil. In a false arrest case, “The plaintiff’s lawyer should have known that the purported facts on which a civil rights suit against the New York City police department was predicated weren’t true, a Manhattan federal judge says.”

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M.D.Fla.: Rodriguez violated where def told he was “good to go” but officer then said turn pockets inside out

The officer told defendant that he was “good to go” but sought consent to go through his pockets and then told him to turn the pockets inside out. That was a Rodriguez violation, and the motion to suppress is granted. United States v. Vasquez, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169411 (M.D.Fla. Dec. 17, 2015).

The CI was in the criminal milieu and had just been arrested when he gave the tip on defendant. It was detailed enough and corroborated by security video of drugs going into defendant’s car. United States v. Almaatani, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 22169 (6th Cir. Dec. 17, 2015).*

The officer saw a large flower necklace hanging on the rear view mirror and called in the LPN. Dispatch responded that there were warrants on the owner. The stop was with reasonable suspicion. United States v. Brown, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169393 (D.Nev. Sept. 9, 2015).*

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KY: Simmons error requires objection to preserve claim; no plain error because Fifth Amendment not self-executing

A Simmons error of use of defendant’s suppression hearing testimony showing standing and control over the place searched was not subject to plain error analysis. An objection is required. Commonwealth v. Taylor, 2015 Ky. LEXIS 2012 (Dec. 17, 2015):
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Star-Ledger: “Extreme” racial disparity in local N.J. arrests, ACLU report finds

The Star-Ledger: “Extreme” racial disparity in local N.J. arrests, ACLU report finds by S.P. Sullivan:

The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is calling on the state attorney general to investigate racial disparities in low-level offense arrests at local police departments across the Garden State.

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Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF to Court: Lifetime GPS Tracking Violates the Fourth Amendment

Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF to Court: Lifetime GPS Tracking Violates the Fourth Amendment by Jamie Williams:

[L]ast week EFF filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeal for the Seventh Circuit urging the court to strike down a Wisconsin statute that required certain individuals—including individuals who already fully served their criminal sentences—to wear GPS ankle bracelets every day for the rest of their lives.

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The Nation: Opinion: The Biggest Threat to American Public Safety Is the American Police State

The Nation: Opinion: The Biggest Threat to American Public Safety Is the American Police State by Matthew Harwood:

While it’s too soon to tell whether there has been an uptick in violent crime in the post-Ferguson period, no evidence connects any possible increase to the phenomenon of police violence being exposed to the nation.

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KY: DUI roadblock failed state’s well established standards

Kentucky DUI roadblock failed the standards adopted a decade ago, and the stop had to be suppressed. Some standards were complied with, but not enough to make the court comfortable with this one. Commonwealth v. Cox, 2015 Ky. LEXIS 2010 (Dec. 17, 2015):
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D.Mass.: SW for computers includes cell phones; also, CDT computer search protocol rejected

A search warrant for computers also permitted seizure and search of smartphones without specifying them because they are computers. Defendants’ argument for the CDT search protocol is rejected as it was by the Ninth Circuit. United States v. Mulcahey, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168829 (D.Mass. Dec. 17, 2015):
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CA4: Def did not comply with police commands and wasn’t seized until after he dropped his gun

Defendant was about to be seized when the police car pulled up behind his parked car with emergency lights and officers approached. He got out of his car with gun in hand, at first ignoring police commands, and then he dropped it. Only then did he comply, thus finally submitting to the police authority. The dropping the gun was not the product of the stop. [If he got out of a car with a gun in hand, he’s lucky he’s a defendant and not a corpse.] United States v. Stover, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 22071 (4th Cir. Dec. 18, 2015):
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AL: Anonymous tip of obvious and easily obtained details was not PC

“[T]he anonymous tip upon which Detective Harrison relied merely provided a range of details relating to easily obtained facts and conditions existing at the time the tip was made. ‘[T]he anonymous tip did not contain facts which are ordinarily not easily predicted but which would have demonstrated a familiarity with [James]’s affairs that the general public would not have had, [and Detective Harrison did] not corroborate[] the tip by independent investigation sufficient to furnish reasonable suspicion that [James] was engaged in criminal activity.’ Barnette, 624 So. 2d at 509. Because Detective Harrison detained James based on nothing more than an uncorroborated anonymous tip with little indicia of reliability, James’s right under the Fourth Amendment to be free of unreasonable seizures was violated. Further, the discovery of the drug evidence was a direct result of James’s unconstitutional detention; therefore, the circuit court erred by denying James’s motion to suppress.” James v. State, 2015 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 110 (Dec. 18, 2015).

A CI working for the DEA and state officers made a deal with defendant to deliver 15kg of cocaine at a truck stop in Birmingham. Officers watched and videorecorded the transfer and followed the vehicle with the cocaine until they decided to make the arrest. They had probable cause to stop and search it under the automobile exception. [The only remarkable thing about this is that the trial judge actually found no probable cause.] State v. Breeding, 2015 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 108 (Dec. 18, 2015).*

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TN: “The statutorily created implied consent satisfies the consent exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement.”

“The statutorily created implied consent satisfies the consent exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement.” “Recently, this Court has held that ‘consent occurs at the point that a driver undertakes the privilege of operating a motor vehicle in the State of Tennessee, not at the point the implied consent form is read.’” “‘Additionally, this Court has recently held that a defendant’s consent is not “rendered involuntary by the threat of a mandatory blood draw.’” State v. Smith, 2015 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 1007 (Dec. 15, 2015) (dissent).*

The affidavit for the search warrant showed probable cause. United States v. McKinney, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168800 (N.D.Ohio Dec. 17, 2015).*

Fact questions abound in whether the stop of plaintiff was justified thereby precluding summary judgment. Thompson v. City of New York, 2015 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 4567, 2015 NY Slip Op 25419 (Bronx Co. Dec. 15, 2015).*

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OH9: For appellate court to consider trial testimony on motion to suppress, motion to reopen or reconsider required

To get the appellate court to consider trial testimony to supplement the motion to suppress, it’s necessary to renew the motion in the trial court after that point. Otherwise, the appeal proceeds on what was developed at the suppression hearing. State v. Jackson, 2015-Ohio-5246, 2015 Ohio App. LEXIS 5066 (9th Dist. Dec. 16, 2015). [See § 60.54, and note that some courts will consider the trial testimony simply to affirm a motion to suppress to show why it’s harmless error.]

A traffic stop for window tinting doesn’t become stale during the stop just because the officer didn’t act on the violation immediately. Instead, the officer smelled marijuana, too, and that occupied his attention. State v. Cole, 2015-Ohio-5295, 2015 Ohio App. LEXIS 5130 (2d Dist. Dec. 18, 2015).

Defendant was subjected to a Terry stop but he was not “in custody” for Miranda purposes. A passerby reported to park rangers that an apparent minor was performing oral sex on defendant at a campsite, and when he made a strange answer to a question, reasonable suspicion began to develop. United States v. Partin, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 21818 (11th Cir. Dec. 16, 2015).* [He was asked about her and oral sex, and he said “I can’t get her to do that.”]

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D.Minn.: Nexus to crime showed on one phone but not another; second phone suppressed

Information that a cell phone was being used in drug trafficking was nexus to one phone for a search warrant. As to the other phone, probable cause is actually lacking, and the tracking of that phone is suppressed. United States v. Moore, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167606 (D. Minn. Dec. 15, 2015).

Because the officers’ testimony at the suppression hearing was suspect, the court finds no reasonable suspicion for the stop and frisk of defendant leading to his gun charge. The government failed to carry its burden of proof on applicability of any exceptions to the warrant requirement. United States v. Williams, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168926 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 17, 2015).*

Defendant’s spontaneous response to “do you have any weapons on your person” of “not on my person but in my truck” was reasonable suspicion to look for it. United States v. Randolph, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167376 (W.D.Mo. Dec. 15, 2015), R&R 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150718 (W.D. Mo. Nov. 6, 2015),*

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E.D.N.Y.: Warrantless “peek” into iPhone5 produced 921 pages of information; suppressed because exclusionary rule should apply

The government’s border warrantless “peek” into defendant’s iPhone5 produced 921 pages of incriminating information. The “peek” was unreasonable and led to a search warrant that produced a lot more. Inevitable discovery is also not applied because the risk of data destruction from actually hacking into the phone has already been dealt with by the court in a different case heard about the same time as this one. The motion to suppress is granted because there is reason to deter these officers. United States v. Djibo, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168440 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 16, 2015) [See NYLJ, Records Resulting From Agent’s ‘Peek’ at Phone Suppressed by Andrew Keshner]:
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WaPo: Here’s how to register your drone with the government

WaPo: Here’s how to register your drone with the government by Matt McFarland:

The Federal Aviation Administration offered reporters a preview of its website for drone registration Friday afternoon, detailing what appears to be a straightforward process that should take a few minutes.

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LA4: Protective sweep before def arrested in pajamas reentered to get dressed was reasonable

Defendant was arrested in his pajamas, and it was appropriate for the police to conduct a protective sweep for others before he was permitted to get dressed to leave. A shotgun was validly found propped against the wall in the bedroom. State v. Diaz, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 2578 (La.App. 4 Cir. Dec. 16, 2015).

The obtaining of bank records by a Special Inquiry Judge (SIJ) under Washington law did not violate the state prohibition against privacy in bank records because the SIJ is a neutral and detached magistrate. State v. Reeder, 2015 Wash. LEXIS 1449 (Dec. 17, 2015).*

Defendant was in an accident on a freeway off ramp, and the Utah State Police were called. The officer had the vehicles move more off the road for safety purposes, and this was not a seizure and was entirely reasonable. After it was determined that defendant’s car was not insured, it was subject to impound under state law. The inventory under that impound was reasonable. United States v. Ruby-Burrow, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168393 (D.Utah Dec. 15, 2015).

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WA: No requirement of a consent search def be there to see it to be able to withdraw consent

There is no authority that a consent search is invalid if the target isn’t there to watch it or communicate with the searching officer. That is not a prerequisite to consent, even when the target his the authority to withdraw consent. State v. Schmeling, 2015 Wash. App. LEXIS 3015 (Dec. 15, 2015).

The record supports the district court’s conclusion defendant consented to the search after the stop was reasonably extended. United States v. Villegas, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 21559 (10th Cir. Dec. 14, 2015).*

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