NoemiDelgado

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UnitedStatesv.AndrewSokolow(1989)

AndrewSokolowwasstoppedbytheDEA(DrugEnforcementAgency)attheHonolulu
InternationalAirportinJuly,1989.Thestopwasprecededbyaseriesofsuspiciousactivities.Andrew
SokolowboughttworoundtripticketstoMiamiunderthenamesAndrewKrayandJanetNorian.
Hepurchasedtheticketsfor$2,100withawadoftwentydollarbills.Hegavetheticketagenthishome
phonenumber.TheticketagentnoticedtheSokolowseemedverynervousandcalledtheHonolulu
PoliceDepartmentassoonasSokolowandhiscompanionleft.Thepoliceofficercalledthephone
numberSokolowhadgivenandfoundoutitbelongedtoaKarlHerman.OfficerMcCarthyalso
foundnolistingofanAndrewKrayinHawaii.Sokolowandhiscompanion,Norian,werestoppedon
thesidewalkoutsideoftheHonoluluairportaftertheirreturn.Thelegalquestionthathasbeenbrought
totheSupremeCourtbythiscaseis,DidtheDEAagentshavereasonablesuspicion,asneededunder
Terryv.Ohio,thatrespondentwasengagedinwrongdoingwhentheyencounteredhimonthe
sidewalk?
AndrewSokolowhadareasonableexpectationofprivacyandwasstoppedbyanactorofthe
stateso,accordingtoCAv.Cirialo,the4thAmendmentdoesapplytothiscase.Therulingthatcanbe
usedtojustifytheDEAsstoppingofAndrewSokolowisTerryv.Ohio.TheTerryv.Ohioruling
statesthatallanofficerneedstostopanddetainapersonis,reasonablytoconcludeinlightofhis
experiencethatcriminalactivitymaybeafoot.Itisalsostatedthatthepoliceofficermustbeableto
pointtospecificandarticulablefactswhich,takentogether,withrationalinferencesfromthosefacts,
reasonablywarrantthatintrusion.
TherewasplentyofsuspiciousactivityforauthoritiestoreasonablyconcludethatSokolow
wasinvolvedincrime,(1)hepaid$2,100fortwoairplaneticketsfromarollof$20bills(2)he
traveledunderanamethatdidnotmatchthenameunderwhichhistelephonenumberwaslisted(3)his
originaldestinationwasMiami,asourcecityforillicitdrugs(4)hestayedinMiamiforonly48hours,
eventhougharoundtripflightfromHonolulutoMiamitakes20hours(5)heappearednervousduring
histripand(6)hecheckednoneofhisluggage.Iflookedatindividuallysomeoftheevidencemaynot
havebeenreasonableenoughsuspiciontostopSokolow,buttheevidencemustbelookedatasa
whole.ItismadeclearinTerryv.Ohiothatthefactsmustbetakentogethertomakeareasonable
inferenceofillicitactivity.Iftherehadbeenonlyoneortwofactsthatpointedtowardsuspicionthe
outcomemaybedifferent.But,whenthesixpiecesofevidencearelookedatasawhole,theauthorities
wouldnotbedoingtheirjobiftheydidnotactontheobvioussuspicionthatSokolowwascarrying
illegalsubstances.
TheDEAhadmorethanenoughevidencetobereasonablysuspicious,whichisalltheyneeded
todetainSokolowaccordingtoTerryv.Ohio.Theywerecompletelywithintheirboundsanddidnot
violateSokolowsrights.