County
Court: CRIMINAL
LAW – Search and Seizure – Police did not have reason to involuntarily detain
individual where police received anonymous tip that car was being “stripped”
by two men at particular location, and when police arrived at location they
found two men merely changing a tire. Ruling affirmed. State
v. Brown, 03-69 APANO (
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
OF
THE STATE OF
STATE OF
Appellant,
v. Appeal No. CRC 03-00069 APANO
UCN522003AP000069XXXXCR
ALGERNARD BROWN
Appellee.
__________________________/
Opinion filed __________________.
Appeal from a decision of the
County Judge Amy Williams
Joseph Werner, Esq.
Assistant State Attorney
Richard McKyton, Esq.
Attorney for appellee
THIS MATTER is before the Court on the State’s appeal of a decision by the Pinellas County Court to grant the defendant’s motion to suppress. After reviewing the briefs and record, this Court affirms the decision of the lower court.
At the suppression hearing, one of the investigating officers testified that the police had received an anonymous tip that two black men were at a particular location and were “possibly stripping” a silver car. The officer knew that the area was a high crime area. When the officers arrived at the location, they saw a silver car jacked up with its tire off. There was damage to the front end of the car. The officers also saw two black males at the scene. The officers began to investigate, and the men told them that the car was a rental and had been involved in an accident. The officers ran the tag and were in the process of calling the rental company to confirm the story when the defendant, one of the black males, began to leave. One of the officers detained him. A non-violent altercation ensued, the defendant was arrested, and marijuana was seized from his clothing. The defendant sought to suppress any evidence of the marijuana, and the trial court granted the motion, finding that the officers had no legal cause to detain the defendant because they had insufficient reason to believe there was criminal activity. The State is appealing that decision.
The
trial court’s ruling consists of a mixed question of law and fact. The ultimate
ruling is subject to de novo review, but any findings of fact will be sustained
if supported by competent substantial evidence. Connor v. State, 803 So.2d 598 (
The
recent case of Dickey v. State, 865 So.2d 614 (
In the case at bar, the police observed activity that did not quite
rise to the level necessary to justify a temporary detention. The activity
viewed was merely two men changing a tire on a car. Given the anonymous phone
tip, this may have appeared suspicious. But in the absence of other facts
to suggest criminal activity [which is required even with anonymous phone
tips; see Salino v. State, 763 So.2d 1249 (
Although the State cites several cases in its brief for the proposition that flight coupled with innocent activity permits a temporary detention; that is not the situation here. It cannot be said that the defendant immediately took flight when the officers approached. In fact, the men came up to the officers and engaged them in conversation. The officers were certainly permitted to conduct an investigation pursuant to a consensual encounter with the men. However, the officers lacked sufficient reason to detain either of the individuals. Since the discovery of the marijuana occurred after the defendant was improperly detained, the trial court was correct to grant the defendant’s motion to suppress the evidence of the marijuana.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the decision of the lower court is affirmed.
DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at
_______________________
James R. Case
Circuit Judge
_________________________
Nancy Moate Ley
Circuit Judge
_________________________
John A. Schaefer
Circuit Judge
cc: State Attorney
Richard McKyton, Esq.
Judge Williams