On Point blog, page 52 of 60

Frisk – Generally – Type of Crime; Admitted Possession of Weapons; Reaching into Pockets

State v. Aaron E. Applewhite, 2008 WI App 138, PFR filed 9/19/08
For Applewhite: Pamela Moorshead

Issue/Holding: Reasonable suspicion supported the frisk, given: the type of crime being investigated (residential burglary); the suspect’s admitted possession of, but initial reluctance to produce, two knives; and, his repeated reaching into his pants pockets, ¶¶3-11.

 

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Frisk – Generally

State v. Nathaniel L. Sumner, 2008 WI 94, reversing unpublished opinion
For Sumner: Craig Albee, Carol S. Josten

Issue/Holding:

¶23      Our protective search or “frisk” jurisprudence has consistently emphasized that the totality of all circumstances present and known to the officer must be taken into account to assess the legality of the procedure. Naturally, some factors will be of greater import than others in the reasonable suspicion calculus in a particular case.

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Frisk of Automobile – Minor Traffic Violation — Reasonable Suspicion, Multiple Factors: Furtive Movements, High-Crime Area, et. al

State v. Clemente Lamont Alexander, 2008 WI App 9
For Alexander: Michael C. Demo

Issue: Whether the police had reasonable suspicion to search the glove compartment of a car, stopped for a minor traffic violation (right turn on red without stopping), based on multiple factors: delay in pulling over, furtive movements, high-crime area, and post-stop observation of items on the driver seat normally found in the glove compartment.

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Reasonable Suspicion – “Terry” Stop – Basis – Anonymous but In-Person Report of Drug Dealing and Loitering

State v. Tamara C. Limon, 2008 WI App 77, PFR filed 5/7/08
For Limon: Wm. Tyroler, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate; Lisa A. Packard, Law Student

Issue/Holding1:

¶17      The investigative stop stemmed from an anonymous citizen’s tip of drug use and loitering on the porch of the residence. … Where an anonymous tipster is involved, police are required to conduct an independent investigation to corroborate the information provided.

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Routine Traffic Stop — Routine Traffic Stop – Duration – Extension by 78 Seconds to Perform Dog Sniff

State v. Ramon Lopez Arias, 2008 WI 84, on Certification
For Arias: Lora B. Cerone, SPD, Madison

Issue: whether extending a routine traffic stop by 78 seconds so that a dog could perform (without reasonable suspicion) a “drug sniff” amounted to an unlawful seizure.

Holding:

¶34      … . There remains no hard-and-fast time limit for when a detention has become too long and therefore becomes unreasonable. 

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Reasonable Suspicion – Basis – Traffic Stop – Deviations within Lane – No Bright-Line Rule, Stop Permissible under Totality of Particular Circumstances

State v. Robert E. Post, 2007 WI 60, reversing unpublished decision
For Post: T. Christopher Kelly

Issue/Holding1: Weaving within lane of travel doesn’t support bright-line rule justifying stop for suspicion of drunk driving:

¶14      The State contends that Sergeant Sherman had reasonable suspicion to stop Post. It advocates the view that repeated weaving of a motor vehicle within a single lane (absent an obvious innocent explanation) provides the reasonable suspicion to make an investigatory stop.

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Reasonable Suspicion – Basis – Traffic Stop – Deviations within Lane, et al – Stop Permissible, Totality of Particular Circumstances

State v. Robert E. Post, 2007 WI 60, reversing unpublished decision
For Post: T. Christopher Kelly

Issue/Holding: 

¶28 As in Waldner, the police officer in the present case did not observe any actions that constituted traffic violations or which, considered in isolation, provided reasonable suspicion that criminal activity was afoot. However, when considered in conjunction with all of the facts and circumstances of the case,

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Frisk of Automobile – Generally

State v. Gary A. Johnson, 2007 WI 32, affirming 2006 WI App 15
For Johnson: Eileen A. Hirsch, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶23      In Pennsylvania v. Mimms, 434 U.S. 106 (1977), and Michigan v. Long, 463 U.S. 1032 (1983), the United States Supreme Court applied the principles of Terry to the validity of protective searches executed during a roadside stop.

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Frisk – Behavior During Pat-Down as Part of Reasonable Suspicion Calculus

State v. Gary A. Johnson, 2007 WI 32, affirming 2006 WI App 15
For Johnson: Eileen A. Hirsch, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶47      We reject the State’s assertion that Johnson’s collapse to the ground during the frisk because of leg pain (whether feigned or actual) is in any way relevant to the reasonableness of the protective search. As we have explained,

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Reasonable Suspicion – Basis – Unusual Nervousness and Behavior, as Ground to Extend Routine Traffic Stop

State v. Philip R. Bons, 2007 WI App 124, PFR filed 4/24/07
For Bons: Vladimir M. Gorokhovsky

Issue: Whether a concededly proper traffic stop (for speeding) was extended without sufficient cause when the officer, after issuing the ticket and returning the license, asked to search the car.

Holding:

¶15  We conclude that Ramstack could have formed a reasonable suspicion that Bons was engaged in illegal activity,

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