Alexander v. State, 91-2017

Decision Date11 August 1992
Docket NumberNo. 91-2017,91-2017
Citation603 So.2d 658
PartiesAndrew ALEXANDER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee. 603 So.2d 658, 17 Fla. L. Week. D1885
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, and Louis Campbell, Asst. Public Defender, for appellant.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., and Jacqueline M. Valdespino, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and FERGUSON and GERSTEN, JJ.

GERSTEN, Judge.

Appellant, Andrew Alexander, appeals his conviction for trafficking in cocaine. We affirm.

Appellant was found in possession of cocaine after a traffic stop. Appellant sought to suppress the cocaine, contending that the traffic stop was pretextual and, therefore, the subsequent search was invalid. The trial court denied appellant's motion to suppress, finding that the initial traffic stop was valid and the subsequent search of appellant's vehicle was proper.

Appellant plead nolo contendere to trafficking in cocaine. Appellant raises a single broad issue in this appeal:

The defendant was denied a fair hearing on his motion to suppress, where the arresting officer's testimony was materially different from the account he had given before the hearing and where the trial court allowed the State to use a taped statement to rehabilitate the officer without establishing the necessary predicate that the statement was relevant for that purpose.

We hold that the hearing was not fundamentally flawed and affirm on that point. However, because the officer's testimony and rehabilitation at issue deal with the appellant's underlying contention that the traffic stop was not based on reasonable suspicion, we address the propriety of the trial court's denial of the motion to suppress.

The State asserts that the record evidence supports a stop based on reasonable suspicion. Additionally, the State maintains that the officer's prior consistent statement was properly admitted to rebut defense issues of improper motive and fabrication.

A trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress requires an appellate court to review the evidence and the inferences to be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the prevailing party. Codie v. State, 406 So.2d 117 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981).

Further, the trial court's factual findings can only be reversed if they are "clearly shown to be without basis in the evidence or predicated upon an incorrect application of the law." State v. Smith, 529 So.2d 1226 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)...

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5 cases
  • State v. Scott
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 31, 1994
    ...are 'clearly shown to be without basis in the evidence or predicated upon an incorrect application of the law.' " Alexander v. State, 603 So.2d 658, 659 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992) (citing State v. Smith, 529 So.2d 1226 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)). Here, the trial court made the following findings of fact c......
  • Daniels v. State, s. 91-2458
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • March 15, 1994
    ...cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 612, 121 L.Ed.2d 546 (1992); Van Gallon v. State, 50 So.2d 882 (Fla.1951); Alexander v. State, 603 So.2d 658 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992). In the instant case, the defendants suggested that Reed was lying to get beneficial treatment from the state. Therefore, th......
  • Flores v. State
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • April 13, 2011
    ...may be deported based on his plea cured any prejudice that might have flowed from counsel's [57 So.3d 221] alleged misadvice. Bermudez, 603 So.2d at 658. When Flores entered his plea, he assumed the risk that he “may” be deported. In addition, Flores failed to establish that his plea in thi......
  • Flores v. State Of Fla.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • July 14, 2010
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