United States v. Stone

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, v. ANTHONY STONE, Defendant.

No. 21-CR-20080

United States District Court, E.D. Michigan, Southern Division

September 17, 2021

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO SUPPRESS (ECF No 11)

Stephanie Dawkins Davis, United States District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant, Anthony Stone, was charged in a one-count indictment with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) in relation to events that occurred on September 8, 2020. (ECF No. 1). He has filed a motion to suppress evidence seized from the warrantless search of his vehicle which occurred during the traffic stop that led to his arrest, along with statements he made after his arrest. (ECF No. 11). On July 15, 2021, the court conducted an evidentiary hearing, by video conference, and allowed the parties to submit supplemental briefing after the hearing. (ECF 18, 19, 20, 21).

Stone first objects to the Michigan State Police troopers having initiated the traffic stop based on his vehicle being uninsured, which was information they obtained after running his license plate number through a law enforcement data base. Stone posits that basing a traffic stop solely on the vehicle's lack of insurance is a constitutional overreach. Additionally, Stone argues that while he gave consent for the troopers to search his vehicle, his consent was limited in that it confined the troopers to entering the trunk/cargo area through the rear hatch, and not through the rear seat, as they proceeded to do.

For the reasons set forth below, the court DENIES defendant's motion to suppress.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

There is little dispute about the facts and sequence of events. On the evening of September 8, 2020, Michigan State Police Troopers Chiros and Ager were on patrol in Flint when they observed a black Lincoln SUV exit the Economy Motel and head west on Corunna Road. (ECF No. 19, PageID.74, at 17-22). Chiros and Ager pulled their car around and ran the license plate through a Michigan Secretary of State database (SOS database). (ECF No. 19, PageID.76-77). The query showed the Lincoln was not insured (EIV=N). (ECF No. 19, PageID.77-78). Trooper Chiros has stopped more than a hundred cars for having no insurance, and in his experience, the insurance information in the SOS database has been accurate more than 90 to 95 percent of the time. (ECF No. 19, PageID.78-79). When the Lincoln SUV pulled into a Walmart parking lot, officers pulled behind it and turned on their emergency lights. (ECF No. 19, PageID.80, at 3-7). Trooper Chiros approached the driver's side of the vehicle, while Trooper Ager approached the passenger side. (Dash Camera Video, Gov. Ex 7b at 0:35).^[1]

After briefly speaking with Stone, Trooper Chiros observed an open Tanqueray vodka bottle in the center console. (ECF No. 19, PageID.83 at 6-10; Photo of vodka bottle, Gov. Ex. 3). Trooper Chiros asked Stone to hand him the bottle. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 0:42). Stone complied and Trooper Chiros initially placed it on the roof of the vehicle. (ECF No. 19, PageID.78-79). It contained a small amount of alcohol in it. (Gov. Ex 7b at 0:48). Trooper Chiros asked Stone, “You guys aren't drinking that today, is that old?” and Stone replied that it was “old.” (Gov. Ex 7b at 0:50).

Trooper Chiros continued to speak with Stone and asked him if the vehicle had insurance. (Gov. Ex 7b at 0:55). Stone replied that it did. (Gov. Ex 7b at 0:58). Chiros then asked Stone to find the proof of insurance. (Gov. Ex 7b at 1:00). Stone was unable to provide insurance information. (ECF No. 19, PageID.86 at 6-8). Stone also provided Chiros a state ID card rather than a driver's license. (Gov. Ex 7b at 1:20). Meanwhile Trooper Ager spoke to the front passenger, who was later identified as Sarah Pinion. (ECF No. 19, PageID.156; ECF No. 19, PageID.97). Pinion initially identified herself as “Amber” and told Trooper Ager that she did not have identification. (ECF No. 19, PageID.96; Gov. Ex. 7b at 1:14). When Trooper Ager asked her last name, she refused to provide it. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 1:30). Pinion also had difficulty lowering the passenger-side window. (Hrg. Tr., ECF No. 19, PageID.156). While Trooper Ager spoke with Pinion, Trooper Chiros told Stone to “hop out of the car.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 1:38). Stone complied, and with Stone's permission, Trooper Chiros patted him down for weapons. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 1:45; Gov. Ex. 7c at 1:45-1:55). Trooper Chiros continued to speak with Stone. (Gov. Ex. 7c at 1:55). Trooper Ager, meanwhile, continued to speak with Pinion who continued to refuse to provide her last name. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 1:30-2:30). Trooper Chiros told Stone, “she (referring to Pinion) looks like she's on something.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 2:50).

Trooper Chiros then asked Stone, “There is nothing illegal in the car, nothing like that.” Stone replied “No.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:00-3:05). Trooper Chiros asked Stone, “Is it okay if we search the car.” Stone said, “yeah.” Trooper Chiros confirmed, “Yeah?” and Stone again replied “Yeah.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:05-3:08). Trooper Chiros directed Stone to stand in front of the patrol vehicle. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:09). Trooper Chiros told Trooper Ager to have Pinion get out of the vehicle. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:12). As soon as Pinion stepped out of the car, Trooper Chiros directed her to the front of his patrol vehicle where he was able to look at her face and eyes. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:30). Trooper Chiros observed that Pinion's speech was slurred and she was extremely restless. (ECF No. 19, PageID.90). Trooper Chiros told her, “So obviously, you've taken some sort of opiate or heroin.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:34-3:36). After a short conversation, Pinion admitted that she had taken drugs- “I did a little bit of ice.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 3:44-3:51). Trooper Chiros spoke with Pinion and asked her if she had anything in the car. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 4:53). She denied having anything and Trooper Chiros turned to Trooper Ager, in the presence of both Pinion and Stone and said, “he said we can search the car, so go ahead.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 4:55-5:01). At that point, Trooper Ager began searching the car as Stone looked on. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 5:03).

Trooper Chiros continued to speak with Stone and Pinion as Trooper Ager searched the car. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 5:01-5:58). During the conversation, Pinion told Trooper Chiros her name was “Amber Daugherty.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 5:55-5:59). Trooper Chiros searched the name in his vehicle computer, and did not find any information. (Hrg. Tr., ECF No. 19, PageID.96). As Trooper Ager searched the car, Trooper Chiros also told Stone that the computer showed that the vehicle was uninsured, which was why Stone was pulled over. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 6:47-6:50). While Trooper Chiros tried to determine Pinion's identity, Stone smoked a cigarette and watched as Trooper Ager searched the car. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 6:40-10:10). At one point, Stone told Trooper Ager that he could access the trunk of the vehicle from the tailgate. (ECF No. 19, PageID.167). According to Trooper Ager, Stone did not tell him that he was required to search it from the rear hatch. Id.

Trooper Ager eventually found a backpack in the trunk and asked Stone, “is that your bag?” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 10:07). Stone replied, “No.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 10:10). Trooper Ager felt the backpack and felt what seemed to be a magazine inserted into a handgun. (ECF No. 19, PageID.157). Trooper Ager unzipped the backpack and found a black handgun with a black extended magazine inserted into it. Id. Stone then moved away from the front of the patrol vehicle and Trooper Chiros said, “Mr. Stone stay right here for me.” (Gov. Ex. 7b at 10:33). Stone then ran away from the scene. Trooper Chiros yelled, “Hey!” and Trooper Ager ran after him. (Gov. Ex. 7b at 10:37; ECF No. 19, PageID.157). Trooper Ager eventually caught up with Stone as Stone was going over a fence. (ECF No. 19, PageID.158). They struggled and Trooper Ager deployed his taser. (ECF No. 19, PageID.158-60). Eventually Trooper Ager placed Stone under arrest. (ECF No. 19, PageID.160). Meanwhile, Trooper Chiros searched the rest of Stone's vehicle and the backpack. (ECF No. 19, PageID.99). In the backpack, Trooper Chiros seized a 9mm caliber handgun which was loaded with an extended magazine. (ECF No. 19, PageID.100-01).

After he was arrested, Stone said he felt like he was out of breath and police took him to Hurley Hospital in Flint. (ECF No. 19, PageID.145). While Stone was at the hospital, officers read him his Miranda rights, which he waived. (ECF No. 19, PageID.116, 145). As Trooper Chiros read Stone his rights, Stone appeared lucid, not distracted or loopy, and able to carry-on a conversation with ease. (ECF No. 19, PageID.145). The troopers then surreptitiously recorded an interview with Stone. During the interview, Stone made several statements about how he obtained the firearm. (ECF No. 14, PageID.47). By this motion, Stone seeks to suppress those statements also. (ECF No. 11, PageID.39).

III. ANALYSIS

As the Court of Appeals recently explained, the Fourth Amendment permits law enforcement officers to undertake “brief investigatory stops of persons or vehicles that fall short of traditional arrest.” United States v Scheckles, 996 F.3d 330, 343 (6th Cir. 2021) (quoting United States v. Arvizu, 534 U.S. 266, 273 (2002)). Officers may engage in these “Terry stops” if they have a “reasonable suspicion” of criminal activity. Id. (citing United States v. Sokolow, 490 U.S. 1, 7 (1989) (citing Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 30 (1968)). This reasonable-suspicion test turns on the same totality of the circumstances that governs the probable cause inquiry. Id. (citing United States v. Cortez, 449 U.S. 411, 417-18 (1981). However, reasonable suspicion requires less than the “probability or...