Cleave Andrew Caraway v. State of Texas--Appeal from 29th District Court of Palo Pinto County

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State: Texas

Court: Texas Northern District Court

Docket No: 11-06-00115-CR

Case Date: 04/03/2008

Plaintiff: Cleave Andrew Caraway

Defendant: State of Texas--Appeal from 29th District Court of Palo Pinto County

Preview:Cleave Andrew Caraway v. State of Texas--Appeal
from 29th District Court of Palo Pinto County
Opinion filed April 3, 2008
Opinion filed April 3, 2008
In The
Eleventh Court of Appeals
No. 11-06-00115-CR
CLEAVE ANDREW CARAWAY, Appellant
V.
STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 29th District Court
Palo Pinto County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 12,989
O P I N I O N
Cleave Andrew Caraway appeals his conviction for the first degree felony offense of possession of cocaine in an
amount of four hundred grams or more. See Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. ' 481.115(f) (Vernon 2003). After the
trial court denied appellant=s motion to suppress evidence, appellant pleaded guilty to the offense. Pursuant to a plea
bargain agreement, the trial court sentenced appellant to twenty-five years confinement and a fine of $5,000. In two
appellate issues, appellant argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress (1) because the search of
his vehicle resulted from an illegal detention and (2) because his consent to search the vehicle resulted from a violation
of his Fourth Amendment rights. We affirm.
Background
On August 31, 2005, at about 11:00 a.m., Department of Public Safety Trooper Jason Shea made a traffic stop of
appellant because he believed that appellant=s vehicle had illegal tint on its windows. Appellant does not challenge the
legality of the reason for the stop. Trooper Shea was the only witness at the suppression hearing. The stop was
videotaped by a camera in Trooper Shea=s vehicle, and appellant introduced into evidence a copy of the video (in
DVD format). The DVD contained audio and video of the stop.[1]
After stopping appellant, Trooper Shea walked to the passenger=s side of appellant=s vehicle as appellant remained
seated in the driver=s seat. The video showed that Trooper Shea first talked with appellant at 11:05:33. Trooper Shea
told appellant that he wanted to check the window tint because it looked Aa little bit dark.@ Trooper Shea also asked
appellant for his driver=s license and proof of insurance. Appellant responded by saying that he was going to a
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wedding. Trooper Shea asked appellant some background questions about the trip. Appellant told Trooper Shea that he
had come from Lubbock and that the wedding was in Dallas. Trooper Shea asked appellant what type of work he did,
and appellant responded that he was a barber. Appellant gave Trooper Shea his driver=s license. Trooper Shea said
that appellant acted very nervous, had shaky hands, talked very rapidly, and failed to make eye contact with him.
Trooper Shea tested the window on the passenger=s side of appellant=s vehicle with a window tint meter. The test
showed that the window had tint darker than the legal limit. Trooper Shea then informed appellant that he was going to
write appellant a warning for the window tint, as opposed to a citation.
Trooper Shea requested appellant to accompany him to his police vehicle so that he could write the warning. The video
showed that Trooper Shea and appellant got into Trooper Shea=s vehicle at 11:07:35. Once Trooper Shea and
appellant were inside the vehicle, they could not be seen on the video. However, their voices could be heard on the
audio portion. Trooper Shea testified that appellant continued to act nervously. At 11:08:30, Trooper Shea initiated an
outstanding warrants check and a criminal history check on appellant by calling appellant=s driver=s license number
into DPS communications over his radio. While Trooper Shea waited to receive the warrant and criminal history
information, Trooper Shea and appellant talked about appellant=s occupation as a barber. At 11:09:45, Trooper Shea
asked appellant whether he had ever been arrested. At about the same time, Trooper Shea began receiving information
about appellant=s criminal history over the radio. Appellant told Trooper Shea that he had been arrested on conspiracy
and drug charges in 1992 and that he had served four years in prison for the charges.
Trooper Shea testified that he asked appellant whether he could look in the car for anything illegal and that appellant
said he could. The video established that, at 11:10:05, Trooper Shea asked appellant the following questions: AYou
don=t have anything illegal in the car right now? Do you mind if I look and make sure? Is that okay?@ The audio
portion of the video did not demonstrate whether appellant gave a Ayes@ or Ano@ response to Trooper Shea=s
request for consent to search. Because Trooper Shea and appellant could not be seen in the video at the time of the
request for consent to search, the video did not establish whether appellant nodded his head indicating that Trooper
Shea could search the vehicle. However, the audio portion of the video established that, at 11:10:10, appellant stated
the following: AIt=s my mom=s truck. I don=t have nothing.@ At 11:10:15, Trooper Shea exited his vehicle and
walked to appellant=s vehicle to search it. Appellant also exited Trooper Shea=s vehicle and walked up beside Trooper
Shea. The video showed that appellant actually conducted the search of the vehicle. Appellant showed Trooper Shea a
number of items that he had in the vehicle. Trooper Shea testified that normally people do not walk up to the vehicle
with him while he is conducting a search.
The video showed that, at 11:11:20, Trooper Shea and appellant got back into Trooper Shea=s vehicle. Trooper Shea
proceeded to write appellant a warning. At 11:11:55, Trooper Shea told appellant that it was a warning with no fine.
Trooper Shea received more information about appellant=s criminal history over the radio, and appellant told Trooper
Shea that he had gone back to prison in 1999 for a Aviolation.@ The video showed that, at 11:12:30, Trooper Shea
exited the vehicle. Appellant remained inside Trooper Shea=s vehicle. Trooper Shea then searched the rest of
appellant=s vehicle. Trooper Shea testified that he found a United Supermarket bag, which he believed contained a
substantial amount of cocaine, in the back trunk area of appellant=s vehicle. Trooper Shea placed appellant under
arrest.
Trooper Shea sent the substance to the Abilene DPS crime lab for analysis. The report from the lab indicated that the
substance contained approximately 1800 grams of cocaine.
During cross-examination, Trooper Shea testified that appellant was not free to leave when he asked appellant for
consent to search the vehicle. He also testified that he would have called for a canine unit if appellant had refused
consent to search.
After the conclusion of the evidence and arguments of counsel, the trial court denied appellant=s motion to suppress.
The trial court stated the following findings on the record: Athat the evidence contain[ed] an articulated reasonable
suspicion, which developed during the course of a valid initial detention, and that the consent given during the course
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of the detention was voluntary.@ The parties did not request written findings of fact and conclusions of law, and the
trial court did not enter written findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Standard of Review
A trial court=s denial of a motion to suppress is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. Balentine v. State, 71 S.W.3d
763, 768 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). In reviewing a trial court=s ruling on a motion to suppress, an appellate court must
view the evidence in the light most favorable to the trial court=s ruling. State v. Kelly, 204 S.W.3d 808, 818 (Tex.
Crim. App. 2006). We must give great deference to the trial court=s findings of historical facts as long as the record
supports the findings. Torres v. State, 182 S.W.3d 899, 902 (Tex Crim. App. 2005); Guzman v. State, 955 S.W.2d 85,
89 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). We also give deference to the trial court=s rulings on mixed questions of law and fact
when those rulings turn on an evaluation of credibility and demeanor. Guzman, 955 S.W.2d at 89. Where such rulings
do not turn on an evaluation of credibility and demeanor, we review the trial court=s actions de novo. Id.; Davila v.
State, 4 S.W.3d 844, 847-48 (Tex. App.CEastland 1999, no pet.). We are obligated to uphold the trial court=s ruling if
that ruling was supported by the record and was correct under any theory of law applicable to the case, even if the trial
court gave the wrong reason for its ruling. Armendariz v. State, 123 S.W.3d 401, 404 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003); State v.
Ross, 32 S.W.3d 853, 856 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000).
The Detention Was Reasonable
In his first issue, appellant contends that the purpose of the stop was completed before Trooper Shea asked for consent
to search the vehicle. Therefore, appellant contends that he was being illegally detained at the time Trooper Shea
requested his consent to search. Trooper Shea stopped appellant for a suspected window-tint violation. A traffic stop is
a detention and must be reasonable under the United States and Texas Constitutions. See Davis v. State, 947 S.W.2d
240, 245 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). To be reasonable, a traffic stop must be temporary and last no longer than is
necessary to effectuate the purpose of the stop. Florida v. Royer, 460 U.S. 491, 500 (1983); Davis, 947 S.W.2d at 245.
Reasonableness is measured in objective terms by examining the totality of the circumstances. Ohio v. Robinette, 519
U.S. 33, 39 (1996); Spight v. State, 76 S.W.3d 761, 765 (Tex. App.CHouston [1st Dist.] 2002, no pet.).
During a traffic stop, an officer may ask questions about the driver=s destination and the purpose of the trip. Willis v.
State, 192 S.W.3d 585, 590-91 (Tex. App.CTyler 2006, pet. ref=d); Veal v. State, 28 S.W.3d 832, 835 (Tex.
App.CBeaumont 2000, pet. ref=d). An officer may also check for outstanding warrants and demand identification, a
valid driver=s license, and proof of insurance from the driver. Kothe v. State, 152 S.W.3d 54, 63 (Tex. Crim. App.
2004); Davis, 947 S.W.2d at 245 n.6; Spight, 76 S.W.3d at 766. While an officer is awaiting a computer warrant check,
questioning about matters unrelated to the initial traffic stop does not violate the Fourth Amendment because such
questioning does not extend the duration of an initial valid stop. Willis, 192 S.W.3d at 591. In some circumstances,
however, extensive questioning about unrelated matters may exceed the scope of the initial stop. Id.
When the reason for the stop has been satisfied, the stop may not be used as a Afishing expedition for unrelated
criminal activity.@ Davis, 947 S.W.2d at 243 (quoting Robinette, 519 U.S. at 41 (Ginsburg, J., concurring)). Once an
officer concludes the investigation of the conduct that initiated the stop, continued detention of a person is permitted
only if there is reasonable suspicion to believe another offense has been or is being committed. Davis, 947 S.W.2d at
245.
The evidence at appellant=s suppression hearing established that Trooper Shea made a valid stop of appellant for a
suspected window-tint violation. The video showed appellant pulling his vehicle off the road and stopping at 11:05:06.
Trooper Shea approached appellant=s vehicle and first talked with appellant at 11:05:33. Having made a valid traffic
stop of appellant, it was reasonable for Trooper Shea to ask appellant questions about his destination and the purpose
of the trip. Willis, 192 S.W.3d at 590-91; Veal, 28 S.W.3d at 835. It was also reasonable for Trooper Shea to check the
validity of appellant=s driver=s license and to check for outstanding warrants. Davis, 947 S.W.2d at 245; Spight, 76
S.W.3d at 766. The evidence showed that Trooper Shea initiated the warrants check and criminal history check at
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11:08:30 by calling DPS communications. At 11:09:45, Trooper Shea began receiving information about appellant=s
criminal history over his police radio. The warrant check and criminal history check did not unreasonably prolong the
purpose of the stop. As such, we find that it was reasonable for Trooper Shea to request the computerized check of
appellant=s criminal history. Less than a minute after receiving the information about appellant=s criminal history, at
11:10:05, Trooper Shea requested appellant=s consent to search the vehicle. At that time, Trooper Shea had not written
the warning for the window-tint violation.
Trooper Shea asked for appellant=s consent to search the vehicle less than five minutes after first making contact with
appellant. There was no evidence that Trooper Shea failed to diligently pursue his investigation or that he delayed in
writing the warning in an effort to prolong the stop. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Trooper Shea=s
detention of appellant was reasonable. Therefore, Trooper Shea requested appellant=s consent to search the vehicle
during a valid detention of appellant.
Appellant relies on three federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals cases in arguing that Trooper Shea completed the
reason for the stop before requesting consent to search and that, therefore, the detention of appellant became illegal
before Trooper Shea asked for consent to search: United States v. Brigham, 343 F.3d 490 (5th Cir. 2003), vacated and
reh=g en banc granted by 350 F.3d 1297 (5th Cir. 2003); United States v. Santiago, 310 F.3d 336 (5th Cir. 2002);
andUnited States v. Dortch, 199 F.3d 193 (5th Cir. 1999). In Brigham, the Fifth Circuit granted a rehearing en banc
and vacated the panel opinion cited by appellant in this cause. See 350 F.3d 1297. The en banc court held that the
defendant driver had not been illegally detained. United States v. Brigham, 382 F.3d 500, 512 (5th Cir. 2004).
In Brigham, a DPS Trooper stopped the defendant for following too closely behind another vehicle. In the eight
minutes following the stop, the trooper questioned the driver and the other occupants of the vehicle. The trooper then
initiated computer checks on the vehicle and on three identification cards that he had received from occupants of the
vehicle. About thirteen minutes later, the trooper requested and obtained the defendant=s consent to search the vehicle.
Brigham, 382 F.3d at 504-05. A majority of a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit held that the trooper had
unconstitutionally extended the traffic stop by questioning the defendant before initiating the computer checks on the
vehicle and the identification cards. The panel majority also held that the defendant=s consent to search was
involuntary because it had been tainted by the illegal detention. Brigham, 343 F.3d at 505-06.
In the en banc opinion in Brigham, the Fifth Circuit analyzed its earlier decisions in Santiago and Dortch. Brigham,
382 F.3d at 510. The Fifth Circuit stated that Santiago and Dortch involved the following sequence of events: (1) patrol
officers made initially valid traffic stops; (2) the officers obtained negative results on computerized checks; and (3) the
officers continued to detain the drivers without reasonable suspicion until receiving consent to search the vehicles. Id.
The Brigham court explained its holdings in Santiago and Dortch as follows:
The cases are about timing and sequence: after computer checks came up Aclean,@ there remained no reasonable
suspicion of wrongdoing by the vehicle occupants. Continued questioning thereafter unconstitutionally prolonged the
detentions.
Id.
In Brigham, the en banc court concluded that the trooper had not illegally detained the driver by questioning him
before initiating the computer checks. The court noted that questions about Athe purpose and itinerary of a driver=s
trip during the traffic stop@ are Awithin the scope of investigation attendant to the traffic stop.@ Id. at 508. The court
also explained that officers may undertake such questioning before initiating a computer check. Id. at 511 (A[N]either
our prior cases nor any other caselaw of which we are aware institutes a per se rule requiring an officer immediately to
obtain the driver=s license and registration information and initiate the relevant background checks before asking
questions.@). The Brigham court held that the trooper=s investigative methods had been reasonable and that, therefore,
the detention of the defendant had not violated the Fourth Amendment. The court also held that, in the absence of an
illegal detention, the driver=s consent to search the vehicle had not been unconstitutionally tainted. Id. at 511-12.
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Brigham supports the conclusion that Trooper Shea=s actions were reasonable. Trooper Shea did not delay in running
the computer checks on appellant. He initiated the checks about three minutes after he first talked to appellant. He
began receiving information about appellant=s criminal history over the radio about a minute and fifteen seconds later.
In the next minute, Trooper Shea asked appellant a few questions about his 1992 arrest and then asked appellant for
consent to search. This case is distinguishable from Dortch and Santiago because Trooper Shea did not engage in
prolonged questioning of appellant after receiving Aclean@ computer checks.
Trooper Shea did not illegally detain appellant. We overrule appellant=s first issue.
Appellant=s Consent to Search Was Voluntary
In his second issue, appellant contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress because his consent
to search resulted from an illegal detention. However, we have ruled above that Trooper Shea did not illegally detain
appellant.
Consent to search operates as an exception to the Fourth Amendment=s warrant requirement. See Schneckloth v.
Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 219 (1973); State v. Ibarra, 953 S.W.2d 242, 243 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997); Myers v. State,
203 S.W.3d 873, 886 (Tex. App.CEastland 2006, pet. ref=d). The consent must be voluntarily given to be considered
effective, and voluntariness is a question of fact to be determined from the totality of the circumstances. Carmouche v.
State, 10 S.W.3d 323, 331 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000); Myers, 203 S.W.3d at 886. To be valid, consent must Anot be
coerced, by explicit or implicit means, by implied threat or covert force.@ Carmouche, 10 S.W.3d at 331 (quoting
Schneckloth, 412 U.S. at 228). The United States Constitution requires the State to prove voluntariness of consent by a
preponderance of the evidence. Carmouche, 10 S.W.3d at 331. The Texas Constitution requires the State to show by
clear and convincing evidence that the consent was freely given. Id.; Myers, 203 S.W.3d at 886. If the record supports
a finding by clear and convincing evidence that the consent to search was freely and voluntarily given, we will not
disturb that finding. Carmouche, 10 S.W.3d at 331.
Trooper Shea testified that appellant said he could search the vehicle. The video established that Trooper Shea did not
threaten or coerce appellant in any way. Trooper Shea simply asked appellant whether appellant minded if he took a
look in appellant=s vehicle to make sure that there was nothing illegal in it. Although the video did not establish that
appellant affirmatively responded to Trooper Shea=s request for consent to search, appellant=s conduct showed that he
voluntarily consented to the search. Appellant accompanied Trooper Shea to appellant=s vehicle, and appellant guided
and conducted the initial search of the vehicle. Appellant gave no indication of any objection to the search. Looking to
the totality of the circumstances, we hold that the record supports a finding by clear and convincing evidence that
appellant=s consent to search was freely and voluntarily given.
Even assuming that Trooper Shea requested appellant=s consent after the reason for the stop had been completed, the
trial court did not err in denying appellant=s motion to suppress. After the purpose of a traffic stop has been
accomplished, a police officer may ask for consent to search a vehicle; however, if consent is refused, the officer may
not detain the occupants or vehicle further unless reasonable suspicion of some criminal activity exists. Magana v.
State, 177 S.W.3d 670, 673 (Tex. App.CHouston [1st Dist.] 2005, no pet.); Spight, 76 S.W.3d at 767-68; Leach v.
State, 35 S.W.3d 232, 235-36 (Tex. App.CAustin 2000, no pet.); Simpson v. State, 29 S.W.3d 324, 328 (Tex.
App.CHouston [14th Dist.] 2000, pet. ref=d); see Robinette, 519 U.S. at 39-40. Thus, an officer may ask for consent to
search a vehicle even though the officer does not have reasonable suspicion that some criminal activity exists. Leach,
35 S.W.3d at 236. An officer requesting consent to search may not convey, by words or deed, that compliance is
required. Saldivar v. State, 209 S.W.3d 275, 282-83 (Tex. App.CFort Worth 2006, no pet.); Leach, 35 S.W.3d at 235-
36.
Trooper Shea did nothing to convey that compliance with his request for consent to search was required. Although
Trooper Shea testified that appellant was not free to leave and that he would have called a canine unit if appellant had
refused consent, Trooper Shea did not convey these facts to appellant. Trooper Shea merely asked appellant whether
appellant minded if he took a look in the vehicle. Therefore, even if the reason for the traffic stop had been completed,
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the trial court would not have erred in concluding that appellant freely and voluntarily consented to the search.
Appellant asserts that, even if he consented to the search, Athe scope of the search was restricted to the areas and
articles that were searched by [a]ppellant during the first search, as these were the only areas of the vehicle that
[a]ppellant impliedly wished for [Trooper] Shea to see.@ The standard for measuring the scope of a suspect=s consent
under the Fourth Amendment is that of Aobjective@ reasonableness B what the typical reasonable person would have
understood by the exchange between the officer and the suspect. Simpson, 29 S.W.3d at 330; see Florida v. Jimeno,
500 U.S. 248, 250-51 (1991). Trooper Shea asked appellant whether he could look in the vehicle for anything illegal.
Trooper Shea found the cocaine in what he called the back trunk area of appellant=s vehicle. The video established
that appellant had shown Trooper Shea articles in that area when appellant conducted the first search of the vehicle. A
reasonable person would have understood appellant=s consent to search to include that area of the vehicle. Trooper
Shea=s search of the vehicle did not exceed the scope of appellant=s consent. We overrule appellant=s second issue.
This Court=s Ruling
We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
TERRY McCALL
JUSTICE
April 3, 2008
Publish. See Tex. R. App. P. 47.2(b).
Panel consists of: Wright, C.J.,
McCall, J., and Strange, J.
[1]The video showed that Trooper Shea stopped appellant at about 23:05. However, the evidence established that the
stop occurred around 11:05 a.m. instead of 11:05 p.m.
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