Monthly Archives: June 2020

M.D.Fla.: Seven weeks of pole camera surveillance of front of house was reasonable

A pole camera observing the front of defendant’s house for seven weeks was reasonable. United States v. Bronner, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113076 (M.D. Fla. May 18, 2020):

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NM: Stop for mere curiosity to run name was unreasonable stop under Strieff

Stopping defendant for mere curiosity to get his name and then run warrants was an unreasonable stop. When a warrant came up, it wasn’t attenuated under Strieff. “Here, Officer Hernandez testified that it was his practice when working the night … Continue reading

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FL1: FDLE’s failure to remove DNA after acquittal in prior case wasn’t a separate 4A violation nor was it subject to the exclusionary rule

FDLE’s failure to remove defendant’s DNA from the state CODIS database after his acquittal in a prior case wasn’t a Fourth Amendment violation nor subject to the exclusionary rule to keep it from being used in this case. The evidence … Continue reading

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D.D.C.: No REP in apt building laundry room when officer saw def in possession; take down when he resisted was reasonable

“In short, and as explained below, the Court finds that Leake’s stance in the corner of the laundry room was suspicious, and that upon approaching him, Officer Pantaleon observed Leake holding a small clear plastic baggie containing a powder-like substance. … Continue reading

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E.D.N.Y.: Feeling apparent weapon during patdown allows officer to go inside clothing

Feeling a weapon during a patdown allows the officer to go beyond the outer clothing to retrieve it. United States v. Hightower, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 112557 (E.D. N.Y. June 26, 2020). Defendant stopped his vehicle in an intersection where … Continue reading

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W.D.Tex.: State officer’s alleged 4A violation doesn’t permit removal of criminal case to federal court

Defendants removed their state criminal cases to federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 1443 based on claimed search and seizure issues. This isn’t a proper ground to remove, and they have a state law remedy. Texas v. Calzada, 2020 U.S. … Continue reading

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CA4: Stopping only car in neighborhood after report of robbery was reasonable

“Approximately twenty minutes after Jacobs fled on foot, the police noticed Gilmore driving away from the neighborhood where the robbery occurred. At the time of the stop, Gilmore’s car was the only car on the road. Once the stop lawfully … Continue reading

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WI: Impoundment of car because def was merely ticketed for not having a valid license was unreasonable

Defendant was stopped for speeding, and he was found without a license. The police didn’t arrest him, just ticketed him. Impounding his car and inventorying it was unreasonable under the circumstances, and this was not a reasonable exercise of the … Continue reading

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CA2: Second Tasing of nonresisting detainee was unreasonable

On this record, the second Tasing of plaintiff could be found unreasonable for lack of resistance, which the jury did. Jones v. Treubig, 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 19883 (2d Cir. June 26, 2020). The search under defendant’s consent for “firearms/evidence” … Continue reading

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CA9: Not precisely following CHP inventory policy doesn’t make it unreasonable

Not precisely following CHP policy in filing out the inventory papers didn’t per se make the inventory search unreasonable. United States v. Magdirila, 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 19477 (9th Cir. June 23, 2020). The community caretaking function of police permitted … Continue reading

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S.D.Ohio: Collective knowledge applies to traffic stops

The collective knowledge doctrine applies to traffic stops. United States v. Murray, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111040 (S.D. Ohio June 24, 2020). “Applying this [deferential] standard of review to the warrant application, the Court has reviewed the application and finds … Continue reading

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MA: No right to counsel at execution of SW

“The defendant has presented no case law supporting his proposition that the target of a search warrant has a right to have counsel present during the execution of a warrant. The officers executed a warrant to search the defendant’s cell … Continue reading

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E.D.Ky.: Objection to USMJ’s findings must specifically challenge 4A rationale

“Defendant’s objections do not address the Magistrate’s analysis or conclusions regarding Grounds 11 and 15. Instead, Defendant vaguely asserts that his counsel should have challenged the ‘validity of [the] evidence[.]’ (DE 406 at 7.) Defendant provides no basis to challenge … Continue reading

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NY1: Seizure for forfeiture fails for lack of notice to owner

The city failed in its burden of proof for seizure for forfeiture that the owner was aware. Matter of Smith v. City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03600, 2020 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 3687 (1st Dept. June 25, … Continue reading

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AZ: Challenging neutral and detached magistrate requires showing “systemic or patent partiality”

“In the appeal, Macias argued against the application of the good-faith exception, claiming that the magistrate’s conduct showed he had abandoned impartiality or was unable to act in a neutral and detached manner. … However, to warrant exclusion of the … Continue reading

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WI: Incapacitated driver provision unconstitutional re implied consent; but GFE applies here

“We conclude that the incapacitated driver provision is unconstitutional because the implied consent that incapacitated drivers are deemed to have given and presumed not to have withdrawn does not satisfy any exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. However, we … Continue reading

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Cal.1: Despite the pandemic, arrestees are entitled to a prompt judicial determination of PC

Despite the pandemic and court closures, arrestees are entitled to a prompt judicial determination of probable cause under Gerstein. Bullock v. Superior Court, 2020 Cal. App. LEXIS 575 (1st Dist. June 24, 2020). During a search of defendant’s house under … Continue reading

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D.Minn.: Collective knowledge doctrine doesn’t require affiant officer to independently corroborate

The affidavit for the search warrant here was adequate to show nexus and probable cause for a search. The reliance on other officers’ information didn’t require this officer to independently corroborate it. United States v. Velazquez, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS … Continue reading

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IL: Arguing only lack of arrest warrant waives lack of PC

Pleading and litigating a motion to suppress in the trial court that the officers lacked an arrest warrant or an exception waived his appellate claim of a lack of probable cause. People v. Montes, 2020 IL App (2d) 180565, 2020 … Continue reading

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AP: Michigan voters to decide on data protections in November election

AP: Michigan voters to decide on data protections in November election (“A state constitutional amendment to designate electronic communication and data as personal property has made it onto the November ballot. If passed, the amendment would put the same protections … Continue reading

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