The Totality of Circumstances Provided the Police Officer with Reasonable Suspicion of Criminal Activity and Thereby Justified Pursuit of the Defendant

The Second Department determined defendant’s motion to suppress a gun thrown away during a foot pursuit by a police officer was properly denied.  Unusual activity in and around a car (a “Malibu”) in a high crime area gave the police an objective, credible reason to approach the car. Under the totality of the circumstances, when defendant began walking away, the police officer (Detective Tait), having a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, properly pursued the defendant:

“Police pursuit of an individual significantly impede[s] the person’s freedom of movement and thus must be justified by reasonable suspicion that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed” … . “Flight, combined with other specific circumstances indicating that the suspect may be engaged in criminal activity, could provide the predicate necessary to justify pursuit” … . Here, Detective Talt had reasonable suspicion of criminal activity based on the defendant’s flight, combined with the unusual activity of the occupants of the Malibu, Detective Talt’s knowledge that that specific location was a high-crime area, and his knowledge that contraband could be hidden under a car hood. Accordingly, the court properly declined to suppress the gun. People v Jennings, 2015 NY Slip Op 05497, 2nd Dept 6-24-15