T. A. P. v. State of Alabama

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Rel: 10/01/2010 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 CR-09-0727 T.A.P. v. S t a t e o f Alabama Appeal WELCH, from J e f f e r s o n J u v e n i l e C o u r t (JU-10-50141) Court Judge. T.A.P. was a d j u d i c a t e d d e l i n q u e n t , p u r s u a n t t o a p l e a o f true t o the delinquency Court f o r possession petition, i n the Jefferson Juvenile o f a c o n t r o l l e d substance, specifically CR-09-0727 h e r o i n , a v i o l a t i o n o f § 1 3 A - 1 2 - 2 1 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) , A l a . Code 1975. was He committed t o the Alabama Department of Y o u t h S e r v i c e s . On appeal, T.A.P. a r g u e s t h a t t h e trial court erred in d e n y i n g h i s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s t h e h e r o i n s e i z e d f r o m h i s shoe b e c a u s e , he search says, h i s shoe. information informant the p o l i c e Specifically, 1 supporting who gave veracity, We At the with the search came f r o m an information corroborated, and cause basis and to only unidentified to the whose police, identity, o f k n o w l e d g e were unknown. t h e r e was no probable hearing, O'Brian cause f o r the disagree. suppression Birmingham J a n u a r y 18, have p r o b a b l e T.A.P. a r g u e s t h a t t h e general not Thus, T.A.P. c o n c l u d e s , search. the only whose i n f o r m a t i o n was reliability, d i d not 2010, police 2 department, Brown, an testified officer that he r e s p o n d e d t o a d o m e s t i c - d i s t u r b a n c e T.A.P. r e s e r v e d t h i s i s s u e t r u e to the p e t i t i o n . (R. 31.) 1 f o r appeal before on call pleading The r e c o r d r e f l e c t s t h a t the j u v e n i l e c o u r t conducted a s u p p r e s s i o n h e a r i n g on T.A.P.'s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s b e f o r e T.A.P. p l e a d e d t r u e to the c h a r g e and was adjudicated delinquent. F o l l o w i n g h i s p l e a , but before disposition, T.A.P. f i l e d a m o t i o n t o r e c o n s i d e r a n d / o r s e t a s i d e t h e d e n i a l o f t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s and t h e t r i a l c o u r t c o n d u c t e d another h e a r i n g , a f t e r which i t denied the motion. 2 2 CR-09-0727 involving a woman, boyfriend Ebony had p u l l e d Smith, who had s t a t e d a g u n on h e r i n an a p a r t m e n t threatened t o shoot her. who was armed, T.A.P., were s t i l l responded officers and t h r e e o t h e r males, approached and O f f i c e r the apartment, a n n o u n c e d t h e m s e l v e s as p o l i c e atthe and t o l d him t h a t h e r i n s i d e t h e apartment. to the c a l l , and had When O f f i c e r Brown a r r i v e d s c e n e , S m i t h was o u t s i d e t h e a p a r t m e n t boyfriend, that her including Other o f f i c e r s Brown a n d s e v e r a l knocked officers. also other on t h e d o o r , a n d Because S m i t h had r e p o r t e d t h a t h e r b o y f r i e n d was armed, O f f i c e r Brown s a i d , he approached t h e door with h i s weapon drawn. O f f i c e r Brown, S m i t h ' s b o y f r i e n d a n s w e r e d According to t h e door and t h r e e m a l e s a n d one f e m a l e were a l s o s t a n d i n g i n s i d e t h e a p a r t m e n t . The officers apartment, five ordered a l l f i v e people t o step outside of the which they d i d , and t h e o f f i c e r s then p l a c e d a l l i n h a n d c u f f s and p e r f o r m e d patdown s e a r c h e s o f each t o check f o r weapons. The officers where t h e y f o u n d 3 then four e n t e r e d and s e a r c h e d t h e apartment, assault rifles, four handguns, and a T.A.P. does n o t c h a l l e n g e t h e l e g a l i t y o f t h e p a t d o w n c o n d u c t e d p u r s u a n t t o T e r r y v . O h i o , 392 U.S. 1 ( 1 9 6 8 ) . 3 3 CR-09-0727 large amount of cash i n s i d e a lady's purse. O f f i c e r Brown t h e n b r o u g h t t h e f e m a l e who h a d b e e n i n s i d e t h e a p a r t m e n t when he a r r i v e d b a c k i n s i d e t h e a p a r t m e n t a n d q u e s t i o n e d h e r . The f e m a l e t o l d O f f i c e r Brown t h a t t h e l a r g e amount o f c a s h i n t h e p u r s e was n o t h e r s b u t t h a t " t h e y , " m e a n i n g t h e m a l e s who were i n s i d e t h e apartment, had p u t t h e cash i n h e r p u r s e . When a s k e d b y O f f i c e r Brown i f t h e r e (R. 10.) were any d r u g s i n the a p a r t m e n t , t h e f e m a l e s a i d no, b u t she t o l d O f f i c e r Brown t h a t "one o f t h e guys had drugs i n their shoe." (R. 10.) The f e m a l e d i d n o t s t a t e w h i c h o f t h e f o u r m a l e s who h a d b e e n i n t h e a p a r t m e n t h a d t h e d r u g s , n o r d i d she i d e n t i f y t h e t y p e o f drugs. males O f f i c e r Brown t h e n went b a c k o u t s i d e , o r d e r e d t h e f o u r t o remove t h e i r shoes, what a p p e a r e d t o be h e r o i n Officer Brown searched the shoes, and found i n T.A.P.'s s h o e . testified that T.A.P. was not Smith's b o y f r i e n d a n d was n o t t h e r e n t e r o f t h e a p a r t m e n t a n d t h a t no weapons were found on h i s p e r s o n O f f i c e r Brown f u r t h e r t e s t i f i e d the apartment was rented Smith's b o y f r i e n d was rented by told another 4 patted that, at f i r s t , by S m i t h ' s b o y f r i e n d , Brown s t a t e d , actually when he was him t h a t friend and he down. believed but, O f f i c e r the that apartment Smith's CR-09-0727 boyfriend was just staying there. Officer Brown also t e s t i f i e d t h a t he d i d n o t know t h e name o f t h e f e m a l e who was inside the apartment who had given him the information r e g a r d i n g t h e d r u g s i n one o f t h e m a l e s ' s h o e s a n d t h a t he, i n fact, knew criminal nothing record, about whether truth to police officers, h e r , such as w h e t h e r she had a she h a d a h i s t o r y o f t e l l i n g t h e o r w h e t h e r she was a d r u g d e a l e r . " I n r e v i e w i n g a t r i a l c o u r t ' s r u l i n g on a m o t i o n t o suppress, t h i s Court reviews the t r i a l court's findings of fact under an abuse-of-discretion standard o f review. 'When e v i d e n c e i s p r e s e n t e d o r e tenus t o the t r i a l court, the court's f i n d i n g s o f f a c t b a s e d on t h a t e v i d e n c e a r e p r e s u m e d t o be c o r r e c t , ' Ex p a r t e P e r k i n s , 646 So. 2d 46, 47 ( A l a . 1 9 9 4 ) ; '[w]e i n d u l g e a p r e s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t p r o p e r l y r u l e d on t h e w e i g h t a n d p r o b a t i v e f o r c e o f t h e e v i d e n c e , ' B r a d l e y v . S t a t e , 494 So. 2d 750, 761 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 8 5 ) , a f f ' d , 494 So. 2d 772 ( A l a . 1 9 8 6 ) ; a n d we make ' " a l l t h e r e a s o n a b l e i n f e r e n c e s and c r e d i b i l i t y c h o i c e s s u p p o r t i v e o f t h e d e c i s i o n of the t r i a l court."' Kennedy v. S t a t e , 640 So. 2d 22, 26 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 9 3 ) , q u o t i n g B r a d l e y , 494 So.2d a t 761. ' [ A ] n y c o n f l i c t s i n t h e testimony or c r e d i b i l i t y of witnesses during a suppression h e a r i n g i s a matter f o r r e s o l u t i o n by the trial court Absent a gross abuse o f d i s c r e t i o n , a t r i a l c o u r t ' s r e s o l u t i o n o f [such] conflict[s] should n o t be r e v e r s e d on appeal.' S h e e l y v. S t a t e , 629 So. 2d 23, 29 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1993) (citations omitted). However, ' " [ w ] h e r e t h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e t r i a l c o u r t was u n d i s p u t e d t h e ore tenus r u l e i s i n a p p l i c a b l e , and t h e [ a p p e l l a t e ] C o u r t w i l l s i t i n j u d g m e n t on t h e e v i d e n c e de novo, i n d u l g i n g no p r e s u m p t i o n i n f a v o r o f t h e t r i a l court's a p p l i c a t i o n of the law t o those facts."' 5 CR-09-0727 S t a t e v. H i l l , 690 So. 2d 1201, 1203 ( A l a . 1996), q u o t i n g S t i l e s v. Brown, 380 So. 2d 792, 794 ( A l a . 1 9 8 0 ) . '"'[W]hen t h e t r i a l c o u r t i m p r o p e r l y a p p l i e s t h e l a w t o t h e f a c t s , no p r e s u m p t i o n o f c o r r e c t n e s s e x i s t s as t o t h e c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t . ' " ' Ex parte J a c k s o n , 886 So. 2d 155, 159 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) , q u o t i n g H i l l , 690 So. 2d a t 1203, q u o t i n g i n t u r n Ex p a r t e Agee, 669 So. 2d 102, 104 ( A l a . 1995). A trial c o u r t ' s u l t i m a t e l e g a l c o n c l u s i o n on a m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s b a s e d on a g i v e n s e t o f f a c t s i s a q u e s t i o n o f l a w t h a t i s r e v i e w e d de novo on a p p e a l . See S t a t e v. S m i t h , 785 So. 2d 1169 (Ala. Crim. App. 2 00 0)." S t a t e v. 2005). Hargett, In suppression the t r i a l 935 this So. case, h e a r i n g was 2d 1200, the 1203-04 evidence undisputed; (Ala. Crim. presented App. at review t h e r e f o r e , our the of c o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f T.A.P.'s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s i s de novo. We b e g i n by n o t i n g t h a t , i n t h e i r a p p e l l a t e b r i e f s , p a r t i e s t r e a t t h e u n i d e n t i f i e d f e m a l e who a p a r t m e n t and who the found i n s i d e the gave t h e i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e d r u g s t o O f f i c e r Brown as an i n f o r m a n t analyze was both issue of or a t i p s t e r , probable cause to and both p a r t i e s search under that a s s u m p t i o n , a r g u i n g a b o u t h e r r e l i a b i l i t y , v e r a c i t y , and b a s i s of knowledge. See, (1983). However, t h e than was she to an e.g., Illinois f e m a l e was informant or 6 v. Gates, more a k i n a to tipster. 462 a U.S. 213 eyewitness She did not CR-09-0727 approach or telephone the p o l i c e t o provide nor d i d s h e , as T.A.P. r e c o g n i z e s normally detailed information provide, although i n his brief, that informants simply (R. provide and the tipsters she d i d i d e n t i f y t h e s p e c i f i c l o c a t i o n -- a shoe -- where t h e d r u g s c o u l d be f o u n d . counsel the information, admitted at the suppression R a t h e r , as d e f e n s e hearing, the female " t h e p e r s o n i n t h e a p a r t m e n t where a c r i m e was occurred." 24.) " C o u r t s have c o n s i s t e n t l y h e l d t h a t t h e p r o o f - o f - v e r a c i t y rules a p p l i e d i n informant other sources citizen' of c a s e s do n o t a p p l y w i t h r e s p e c t t o information, such o r ' c i t i z e n - i n f o r m e r ' comes as when forward an 'ordinary and r e p o r t s to t h e p o l i c e t h a t he has s e e n e v i d e n c e o f a c r i m e l o c a t e d a t a certain place or that someone c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y t o him." (Ala. C r i m . App. 1997), has a d m i t t e d participation in N e a l v. S t a t e , 731 So. 2d 609, 615 aff'd, 731 So. 2d 621 " [ W ] h e r e , as h e r e , an o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n i n f o r m s ( A l a . 1999). the p o l i c e that he has s e e n e v i d e n c e o f a c r i m e o r t h a t someone has admitted i n v o l v e m e n t i n a c r i m e t o h i m , he i s p r e s u m e d t o be reliable, and a an officer i s not r e q u i r e d warrant] to supply the magistrate 7 [when requesting with information search explaining CR-09-0727 why he believes the citizen-informant R u t l e d g e v. S t a t e , 745 As this (Ala. Court 2d 912, recognized C r i m . App. matter' So. i n G r a y v. 1987), i s that 918 "[t]he ' " i f the to be reliable." ( A l a . C r i m . App. State, 507 So. 1999) 2d 1026 'most s o u n d p o s i t i o n on citizen or v i c t i m informant the is an e y e w i t n e s s t h i s w i l l be enough t o s u p p o r t p r o b a b l e c a u s e e v e n without s p e c i f i c c o r r o b o r a t i o n of r e l i a b i l i t y . " ' " a t 1028 (quoting 592 214 951, 957 (1974))). (Ala. allegation informant Lafave] See Crim. App. previously informant's So. commonly story used i s that shown in the s t a t e m e n t o f f a c t s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t he was an eye personal evidence."); and United ( 7 t h C i r . 1972) distinguished the victim c r e d i b i l i t y or r e l i a b i l i t y information knowledge of may be the location S t a t e s v. U n g e r , 469 ("Various f e d e r a l and government of a that the the with information 2d of informant's eyewitness, most 371 to unidentified n.4 ("The State, led However, t h e witness 1979) furnished convictions. informant's Seizure a l s o Y i e l d i n g v. f o r c r e d i t i n g the has S e a r c h and 2d a t p. N.W.2d 437 [W. So. ( q u o t i n g i n t u r n A l l i s o n v. S t a t e , 62 W i s . 2 d 14, [(1978)] 1 507 crime 8 informant or a F.2d of the 1283, 1287 state courts have ... citizen from who the provides CR-09-0727 i n f o r m a t i o n of a crime.... The r a t i o n a l e o f t h e s e h o l d i n g s i s t h a t t h e c o n c o m i t a n t d a n g e r o f s e l f - i n t e r e s t does n o t i n u r e t o a v i c t i m or w i t n e s s government to a crime as easily as i t would to a informant."). " ' P r o b a b l e c a u s e e x i s t s where a l l t h e f a c t s and c i r c u m s t a n c e s w i t h i n the o f f i c e r ' s knowledge are s u f f i c i e n t to warrant a person of reasonable c a u t i o n t o c o n c l u d e t h a t an o f f e n s e has b e e n o r i s b e i n g c o m m i t t e d and t h a t c o n t r a b a n d w o u l d be f o u n d i n t h e p l a c e t o be s e a r c h e d . ' S h e r i d a n v. S t a t e , 591 So. 2d 129, 130 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 9 1 ) . 'The r e q u i s i t e p r o b a b l e cause i s p r e s e n t " i f a r e a s o n a b l y p r u d e n t p e r s o n , b a s e d on t h e f a c t s and c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h t h e o f f i c e r knows, w o u l d be j u s t i f i e d i n c o n c l u d i n g t h a t the items sought are connected w i t h c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y and t h a t t h e y w i l l be f o u n d i n t h e p l a c e t o be s e a r c h e d . I l l i n o i s v. G a t e s , 462 U.S. 213 [103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L . E d . 2 d 527] ... ( 1 9 8 3 ) . " ' Day v. S t a t e , 539 So. 2d 410, 413-14 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 8 8 ) . '"The t e s t f o r p r o b a b l e c a u s e i s 'whether t h e f a c t s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e o f f i c e r a t t h e moment o f the s e i z u r e o r s e a r c h , w o u l d w a r r a n t a man o f r e a s o n a b l e caution to believe that the a c t i o n taken was appropriate.'"' I v e y v. S t a t e , 698 So. 2d 179, 185-86 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 9 5 ) , a f f ' d , 698 So. 2d 187 (Ala. 1997) ( q u o t i n g R i l e y v. S t a t e , 583 So. 2d 1353, 1355 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 9 1 ) ) . " J o h n s o n v. S t a t e , 719 So. 2d 272, 273 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1998). " ' " P r o b a b l e cause i s concerned w i t h ' p r o b a b i l i t i e s , ' t h a t not technical; considerations p r u d e n t men, they of are everyday the life factual on which not l e g a l t e c h n i c i a n s a c t . ' " ' " 9 and 'are practical reasonable H a r r i s v. and State, CR-09-0727 948 So. State, turn 2d 583, 607 So. Carter 1982) 587 175 v. 368 ( A l a . C r i m . App. State, 435 So. i n turn Officer Brown b o y f r i e n d was other on people, the the 137, v. 1992) 139 door, safety. four and A assault cash. and States, United App. U.S. 338 p r o b a b l e cause t o search other report armed and officers officers and responded were i n f o r m e d by i n s i d e an four subsequent rifles, search So. 783 2d grounds, 74, 783 S t a t e s v. Brown, 913 "Alabama case relevant and law p a t t i n g them down a that drug who large 'weapons and revealed amount violence are Warren v. 1998), r e v ' d on 86 (quoting 570, a transactions.'" of ( A l a . C r i m . App. 2d to knocked female and (Ala. 572 recognizes material several apartment 80-81 F.2d one the with So. that of " I t has b e e n r e c o g n i z e d State, Smith handguns, four associated the apartment, m a l e s and T.A.P. to apartment w i t h approached the removed t h e frequently other in (Ala. Crim. were i n s i d e , p l a c i n g them i n h a n d c u f f s and for (quoting (1949)))). domestic-disturbance her 2d Brinegar H e r e , O f f i c e r Brown had After 2006) ( q u o t i n g C h e v e r e v. 2d 361, (quoting 160, ( A l a . C r i m . App. that charge 10 2000) (8th C i r . 1990)). large of sums of United Indeed, cash possession are of a CR-09-0727 controlled (Ala. of s u b s t a n c e , " R o w e l l v. C r i m . App. cash are occurs.'" App. (Ala. 'routinely found 1990)). narcotics, stated that female was one 592 2d 830, neither the an 2d 642, State, 572 So. drug 645 832 2d 1308, Brown q u e s t i o n e d t h e males had drugs anonymous t i p s t e r dealing ( A l a . Crim. R e c o g n i z i n g the p o s s i b l e Officer of So. informant, but, g i v e n her presence was, So. i n p l a c e s where ( q u o t i n g Toney v. C r i m . App. illegal 666 1 9 9 5 ) , and t h a t " [ f ] i r e a r m s and l a r g e amounts M e n e f e e v. S t a t e , 1991) State, 1315 link to female, who i n h i s shoe. nor a The confidential i n s i d e the apartment, she as d e f e n s e c o u n s e l a d m i t t e d , an e y e w i t n e s s t o a c r i m e specifically, t o the p o s s e s s i o n of most to likely, the domestic illegal disturbance narcotics, that and, initially brought the o f f i c e r s t o the apartment i n the f i r s t p l a c e . totality -¬ The o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s known t o O f f i c e r Brown a t t h e t i m e o f t h e s e a r c h -- t h e weapons f o u n d i n t h e a p a r t m e n t , the l a r g e amount o f c a s h f o u n d i n t h e a p a r t m e n t , and an e y e w i t n e s s who was drugs i n t h e a p a r t m e n t who s t a t e d t h a t one o f t h e m a l e s i n h i s shoe -- were s u f f i c i e n t reasonable committed caution and that to conclude to warrant a person that c o n t r a b a n d w o u l d be 11 an o f f e n s e was had of being f o u n d i n t h e shoe o f CR-09-0727 one the o f t h e m a l e s who h a d b e e n i n t h e a p a r t m e n t . juvenile court properly denied T.A.P.'s Therefore, motion to suppress. Based on the foregoing, t h e judgment of the juvenile court i s affirmed. AFFIRMED. W i s e , P . J . , a n d Windom, K e l l u m , 12 and Main, J J . , c o n c u r .

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