ÿWPC 9Q4&áAl9I™“)¡¹ KíF¨nõŒÕQ@lµò–ùX´·7¤öV³õw±Á@Ó9¾+ܭÔ{5ú‹)Ý´< tíÅdªï¢1Q–˜€ú-DàngÈ®YsÆ„U®–_a‡Ös«„ñÐÚ0 rS5I„íæp³¹ˆÃOŒÁk²m:·ÑgIŽ” ò½ô¨¡ òR’:þ2l'MWÜ”ˆéZó‘ l1†ˆ–¦YiÙ׆1ÄÙ=Ù7­{3¿›‹3e@'É…ñë€2¯Â ƒf¢1/ëv þSç,ù&ÉÝJÀ¯iÍ“7õe”Z!¡F"Wˆ°N›µj,zÓ¦¡`.]˜ª!¤t½é©UY8çh‚Ë%ØŽø¢/‘p.ÍTJVY¾<ÙÁp{Wñüí;º¦©B3ëÝkôišôÄRïúïƒ8×^ú9E¢GúÝÐâ“N¦aKuú§ ðæ$i—æ:iÉêTPôDÞ×®FSÀº´ ¶³TM?›…`Û^béÈ/Ón^š†¦"+S®’&ìãf°ÄQSFVUÅæ³ˆ¡FºØŽC3ÇÜihã9ÛgNhñimXÚ8þ´W©¬Þ=;^ËýæsEÆHÐÁêúG€¤‚ úb#Á\ % UN# 0ˆq UNù ^ G wS zW ÒÑ 4£ · Æ mÈ Æß Æ¥ Æk Æ11N÷÷÷Eùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùbûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûûû 0ë Bîî 0¤  D3¯ D-â 0K ASZÆ­ 0¤s 0D A«[˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL 6ÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0»(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman Regular(`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regularr­*-s  ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptüPH,¢Ø+003|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5- ù-(|G2à$¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€I}»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€ôüåò»»Ô d(|3‚$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€I}»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV'ÿÿdxd)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3‚$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€I}»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€I}»»ddÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÔ€¼I}»»»ÔÑ8€ÁXXdì»»d8Ñà@ttìàÔ‡î[œî»¼I}ÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@kk$ìàAT€NASHVILLEÔ#†¼I}»îî[œ #ԈРÖ& ÐÓ  Óà @ àà @` àAssigned€on€Briefs€January€15,€2002Ð üL ÐÔ‡XÁX»¼I}ÔÌò òÔ#†¼I}»XXÁ!#ÔSTATE€OF€TENNESSEEòòóó€v.€HERMAN€LEO€MATTHEWSòòóóÔ‡XÁX»¼I}Ôó óÐ úJ ÐÌà@@½½ìàò òDirect€Appeal€from€the€Criminal€Court€for€Robertson€CountyÐ ú J Ðà@@øøìàNo.€99„0401€€€€€€Robert€W.€Ô_ÔWedeymeyerÔ_Ô,€JudgeÐ æ 6 ÐÌÌà@@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<©` AßÐ ªú  ÐÌà@@TTìàNo.€M2001„00754„CCA„R3„CD€„€Ô_ÔFiledÔ_Ô€September€10,€2002Ð ¥õ  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<|` AßÐ }Í  Ðó óÌÓ  ÓÔ‡XÁXXXÁÔOn€March€9,€2001,€the€appellant€pled€guilty€to€driving€on€a€revoked€driverððs€license.€€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€CodeÐ xÈ  ÐAnn.€ðð€55„50„504.€€He€was€sentenced€to€20€days€confinement€in€the€Robertson€County€jail€followedÐ d´ Ðby€6€months€probation.€€As€part€of€the€plea€arrangement,€the€appellant€reserved€a€certified€questionÐ P  Ðfor€appeal€pursuant€to€Tenn.€R.€Ô_ÔCrimÔ_Ô.€P.€37(b)(2)(Ô_ÔiÔ_Ô).€€That€certified€question€concerns€the€legalityÐ <Œ Ðof€the€stop€of€the€appellant€due€to€the€inability€of€the€arresting€police€officer€after€sundown€to€seeÐ (x Ðthe€rear€license€plate€on€the€appellantððs€vehicle.€€The€trial€judge€concluded€that€the€stop€of€theÐ d Ðappellant€was€reasonable€and€denied€the€appellantððs€motion€to€suppress€all€evidence€flowing€fromÐ P Ðthe€stop.€€Because€we€agree€that€under€the€facts€of€this€case€the€stop€of€appellantððs€vehicle€wasÐ ì< Ðreasonable€under€the€Fourth€Amendment€to€the€United€States€Constitution,€and€Art.€I,€Sec.€7€of€theÐ Ø( ÐConstitution€of€Tennessee,€we€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.Ð Ä ÐÔ#†XÁXXXÁø#ÔÔ#†¼I}»XXÁœ#ÔÔ‡XÁX»¼I}ÔÌÓìÓÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Criminal€Court€is€Affirmed.ó óÐ ˆØ ÐÌòòÓ  ÓÔ#†¼I}»àXÁA #ÔÔ‡XÁX.¼I}ÔJerry€L.€Smith,€J.óó,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòDavid€H.€Wellesóó€and€òòThomas€T.Ð `° ÐÔ_ÔWoodallÔ_Ô,€JJ.óó,€joined.Ð L œ ÐÌAmy€M.€Ô_ÔKroegerÔ_Ô,€Springfield,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellant,€Herman€Leo€Matthews.Ð $"t! ÐÌPaul€G.€Summers,€Attorney€General€&€Reporter;€Patricia€C.€Ô_ÔKussmannÔ_Ô,€Assistant€Attorney€General;Ð ü#L# ÐJohn€Ô_ÔCarneyÔ_Ô,€District€Attorney€General;€and€Joel€Perry,€Assistant€District€Attorney€General,€for€theÐ è$8 $ Ðappellee,€State€of€Tennessee.Ð Ô%$!% ÐÓã ÓÌà@@OO&ìàò òOPINIONó óÔ#†¼I}»XXÁ #ÔÔ‡XÁX»¼I}ÔÐ ¬'ü"' ÐÌòòóóÔ#†¼I}»XXÁ5#ÔÔ‡XÁX»¼I}ÔÓ  ÓÔ‡XÁXXXÁÔà  àAt€approximately€7:07€p.m.€on€September€18,€1999,€White€House€Police€Officer€TracyÐ „)Ô$) ÐÔ_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€was€turning€north€onto€Interstate€65€when€the€appellant,€Herman€Matthews,€drove€past€himÐ p*À%* Ðin€a€1981€Buick€Regal.€€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€noticed€that€there€was€no€light€on€the€carððs€license€plate€andÐ \+¬&+ Ðâ âhe€was€unable€to€see€if€in€fact€the€car€had€a€license€plate.€€He€followed€the€car,€saw€that€there€wasÐ H,˜',ý Ða€license€plate,€and€called€in€the€license€plate€number€immediately€before€stopping€the€car.€€TheÐ ° Ðdispatcher€informed€him€that€the€license€plate€was€registered€to€a€Mazda€323.Ð œì Ðâ âÌà  àWhen€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€asked€Matthews€for€a€driverððs€license,€Matthews€handed€him€aÐ tÄ ÐKentucky€identification€card.€€Because€he€smelled€alcohol,€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€asked€Matthews€if€he€hadÐ `° Ðbeen€drinking€and€why€his€license€was€suspended.€€Matthews€responded€that€he€had€consumed€twoÐ L œ Ðbeers€and€that€his€license€was€suspended€as€the€result€of€a€previous€Ô_ÔDUIÔ_Ô€conviction.€€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_ÔÐ 8 ˆ Ðreceived€confirmation€that€Matthewððs€driverððs€license€was€revoked€and€arrested€him.€€He€found€anÐ $ t Ðopen€can€of€beer€that€was€cold€and€half€full€on€the€floorboard.Ð  ` ÐÌà  àThe€Robertson€County€Grand€Jury€indicted€Matthews€for€driving€on€a€revoked€license€andÐ è 8  Ðviolation€of€the€open€container€law.€€Mathews€moved€to€suppress€the€evidence€against€him,Ð Ô$  Ðcontending€that€the€stop€was€illegal€because€the€police€lacked€reasonable€suspicion€to€stop€him.Ð À  ÐÌà  àAt€the€suppression€hearing€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€described€the€events€leading€to€the€stop.€€WhenÐ ˜è  Ðhe€first€saw€the€appellantððs€vehicle€it€was€dark€outside.€€On€cross€examination,€he€confirmed€that€heÐ „Ô  Ðoriginally€stopped€the€vehicle€because€there€was€no€light€over€the€license€plate€and€as€a€result€he€wasÐ pÀ Ðunable€to€see€whether€the€car€even€had€a€license€plate.€€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€agreed€that€the€light€over€the€licenseÐ \¬ Ðplate€came€on€when€the€headlights€were€turned€on.€€The€parties€stipulated€to€this€fact.Ð H˜ ÐÌà  àWhen€asked€whether€Tennessee€law€required€drivers€to€turn€on€headlights€at€a€particularÐ  p Ðtime,€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€said€that€he€believed€the€law€required€headlights€to€be€on€a€half€hour€afterÐ  \ Ðsunset,€but€that€he€would€have€to€look€at€the€statute€to€be€certain.€€He€acknowledged€that€sunset€couldÐ øH Ðhave€been€at€6:49€p.m.€that€evening,€but€reiterated€that€it€had€been€ð ðpitch€black€outsideðð€when€he€firstÐ ä4 Ðsaw€Matthews.€€On€redirect€examination,€he€reaffirmed€that€he€was€unable€to€see€the€license€plateÐ Ð  Ðwhen€he€first€observed€the€car,€saying,€ð ð[Ô_ÔI]tÔ_Ô€was€just€black€where€the€license€plate€was€supposed€toÐ ¼  Ðbe.ðð€€Ð ¨ø Ðà  àWilliam€Miles,€a€dispatcher€for€the€White€House€Police€Department,€testified€that€OfficerÐ ”ä ÐÔ_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€had€contacted€him€at€7:06€p.m.€on€September€18,€1999.€€€Miles€estimated€that€it€took€30€toÐ €Ð Ð45€seconds€that€evening€for€him€to€get€the€information€about€the€license€plate€and€confirmed€that€theÐ l¼ Ðstop€was€made€at€7:07€p.m.Ð X ¨ ÐÌà  àAt€the€conclusion€of€the€hearing,€the€trial€court€concluded€that€the€stop€had€been€reasonableÐ 0"€  Ðand€denied€the€motion€to€suppress.€€On€March€9,€2001,€the€appellant€pled€guilty€to€driving€on€aÐ #l! Ðrevoked€license,€reserving€the€certified€question€of€whether€the€denial€of€the€motion€to€suppress€wasÐ $X" Ðproper.Ð ô$D # Ðà  àÌà@z z ìàòòSTANDARD€OF€REVIEW€ON€MOTIONS€TO€SUPPRESSóóˆÐ Ì&"% ÐÌà  àOn€appeal€the€trial€courtððs€decision€with€respect€to€a€motion€to€suppress€must€be€affirmed€byÐ ¤(ô#' Ðthis€Court€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€against€that€decision.€€òòState€v.€Ô_ÔOdomÔ_Ôóó,€928€S.W.2d€18,Ð )à$( Ð23€(Tenn.€1996).€€Questions€concerning€the€credibility€and€the€weight€of€the€evidence,€as€well€as€theÐ |*Ì%) Ðresolution€of€conflicts€in€the€evidence€are€matters€entrusted€to€the€discretion€of€the€trial€judge.€€òòStateÐ h+¸&* Ðv.€Sandersóó,€842€S.W.2d€257,€259€(Tenn.€Ô_ÔCrimÔ_Ô.€App.€1992).€€On€appeal,€the€appellant€has€the€ð ðburdenÐ ° Ðof€showing€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€decision€of€the€trial€judge.ðð€€òòState€v.€Westóó,Ð œì Ð767€S.W.2d€387,€393€(Tenn.€1989).Ð ˆØ ÐÌà@œœìàòòTHE€TRIAL€COURTððS€RULINGóóˆÐ `° ÐÌà  àIn€the€instant€case€the€trial€judge€made€the€following€findings:Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌà8  àà8` Ð Ð àWhat€we€have€in€this€situation€is€an€officer€who€seems€credible€to€theÐ  ` ÐCourt€who€says€that€he€couldnððt€tell€if€the€vehicle€even€had€a€licenseÐ ü L  Ðplate€or€not€because€it€was€too€dark€for€him€to€see.€.€.€[Ô_ÔT]hereÔ_Ô€is€aÐ è 8  Ðpossibility€that€the€little€bulb€around€the€license€plate€was€just€out€andÐ Ô$  Ðthe€other€lights€were€on€.€.€.€.€[Ô_ÔB]utÔ_Ô€assuming€that€no€lights€were€onÐ À  Ðand€assuming€that€if€he€had€turned€his€headlights€on,€his€tail€lightsÐ ¬ü  Ðwould€have€come€on€and€the€little€light€around€the€plate€would€haveÐ ˜è  Ðall€come€on.€€And€even€though€you€have€this€statute€that€says€youÐ „Ô  Ðdonððt€have€to€turn€your€lights€on€until€thirty€minutes€after€sundown,Ð pÀ Ðand€even€crediting€that€sundown€was€at€6:49€and€thirty€minutes€hadÐ \¬ Ðnot€passed,€just€applying€a€kind€of€reasonable€standard€to€this,€if€theÐ H˜ ÐOfficer€is€credible€ð!ð€there€is€no€contradiction€to€the€fact€that€heÐ 4„ Ðcouldnððt€even€tell€if€there€was€a€plate€there,€much€less€what€it€said.€Ð  p ÐSo,€it€seems€to€me€like€that€being€the€case,€it€was€dark€enough€thatÐ  \ ÐMr.€Mathews€should€have€had€ð!ð€whatever€lights€he€had,€should€haveÐ øH Ðbeen€on,€so€I€think€it€was€a€ð!ð€I€think€this€stop€was€reasonable.€.€.€.Ðä4` x` x ÐÌà@&ìàòòANALYSISóóˆÐ ¼  ÐÌà  àIn€òòTerry€v.€Ohioóó,€392€U.S.€1,€21,€88€S.€Ct.€1868,€1880,€20€L.€Ed.€2d€889€(1968),€the€SupremeÐ ”ä ÐCourt€determined€that€the€law€enforcement€practice€of€a€brief€investigatory€stop€is€constitutionallyÐ €Ð Ðpermissible€if€the€officer€has€a€reasonable€suspicion,€supported€by€specific€and€Ô_ÔarticulableÔ_Ô€facts,€thatÐ l¼ Ða€criminal€offense€has€been€or€is€about€to€be€committed.€€In€order€to€determine€whether€specific€andÐ X ¨ ÐÔ_ÔarticulableÔ_Ô€facts€constitute€reasonable€suspicion,€this€Court€must€consider€the€ð ðtotality€of€theÐ D!” Ðcircumstances.ðð€€òòState€v.€Watkinsóó,€827€S.W.2d€293,€294€(Tenn.€1992).€€Among€the€relevant€elementsÐ 0"€  Ðto€be€considered€are€the€ð ðobjective€observations,€information€obtained€from€other€police€officers€orÐ #l! Ðagencies,€information€from€citizens,€and€the€pattern€of€operation€of€certain€offenders.ðð€€òòIdóó.Ð $X" ÐÌà  àIn€the€instant€case,€the€appellant€argues€that€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€had€no€legitimate€reason€to€stopÐ à%0!$ Ðhis€vehicle€because€he€was€under€no€duty€to€turn€his€headlights€on€until€30€minutes€after€6:49€p.m.Ð Ì&"% Ðand€the€stop€occurred€at€7:07€p.m.€It€is€true€that€as€a€general€rule€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€SectionÐ ¸'#& Ð55„9„406(a)€does€not€require€headlights€to€be€on€until€30€minutes€following€sunset.€€However,€theÐ ¤(ô#' Ðstatute€also€provides€that€headlights€must€be€on:€ð ð.€.€.€at€all€other€times€when€there€is€not€sufficientÐ )à$( Ðlight€to€render€clearly€discernible€any€person€on€the€road€at€a€distance€of€two€hundred€feet€(200')Ð |*Ì%) Ðahead€of€such€vehicle.ðð€€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€testified,€and€the€trial€judge€accredited€his€testimony,€thatÐ h+¸&* Ðit€was€dark€outside€when€he€stopped€the€appellant.€€It€thus€appears€that€the€appellant€should€have€hadÐ ° Ðon€his€headlights€and€in€turn€his€license€plate€light.€€Moreover,€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€SectionÐ œì Ð55„4„110(b)€required€that€a€vehicleððs€license€plate€be€clearly€visible:Ð ˆØ ÐÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÌà8  àà8` Ð Ð àEvery€registration€plate€shall€at€all€times€be€securely€fastened€in€aÐ `° Ðhorizontal€position€to€the€vehicle€for€which€it€is€issued€so€to€preventÐ L œ Ðthe€plate€from€swinging€and€at€a€height€of€not€less€that€twelve€inchesÐ 8 ˆ Ð(12")€from€the€ground,€measuring€from€the€bottom€of€such€plate,€inÐ $ t Ða€place€and€position€to€be€clearly€visible€and€shall€be€maintained€freeÐ  ` Ðfrom€foreign€materials€and€in€a€condition€to€be€clearly€legible.Ðü L ` x` x ÐÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÌà  àThe€most€basic€duty€of€a€court€interpreting€statutes€is€to€ascertain€and€give€effect€to€the€intentÐ Ô$  Ðand€purpose€of€the€legislature.€€òòState€v.€Wallsóó,€62€S.W.3d€119€(Tenn.€2001);€òòState€v.€Jacksonóó,€60Ð À  ÐS.W.3d€738€(Tenn.€2001).€€Even€if€€the€legislature€intended€as€a€general€rule€not€to€require€theÐ ¬ü  Ðdisplay€of€headlights€until€a€half€hour€following€sunset,€it€also€intended€that€vehicle€license€platesÐ ˜è  Ðbe€clearly€visible€at€all€times.€€By€failing€to€keep€his€license€plates€visible€during€the€half€hourÐ „Ô  Ðfollowing€sunset€the€appellant€gave€Officer€Ô_ÔPlaconeÔ_Ô€more€than€sufficient€reason€to€effectuate€a€stopÐ pÀ Ðof€the€appellantððs€vehicle.€€As€stipulated€by€the€parties,€in€an€American€automobile€the€license€plateÐ \¬ Ðlight€is€activated€by€turning€on€the€headlights.€€This€unfortunate€design€feature€in€the€appellantððsÐ H˜ Ðvehicle€does€not€excuse€his€failure€to€keep€his€license€plate€illuminated€so€as€to€keep€it€clearlyÐ 4„ Ðvisible.Ð  p ÐÌà@ll%ìàòòCONCLUSIONóóˆÐ øH ÐÌà  àIn€light€of€the€foregoing€we€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€stop€of€the€appellantððs€vehicle€wasÐ Ð  Ðreasonable€and€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€denying€the€motion€to€suppress€is€affirmed.Ô#†XÁXXXÁ¾#ÔÔ#†¼I}»XXÁ“#ÔÔ€XÁX»¼I}ÔÐ ¼  ÐÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à___________________________________€Ð l¼ Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àJERRY€L.€SMITH,€JUDGE