People v. Jones CA3

FACTS

Since the only issue is the legality of defendant’s detention, we take the facts from the suppression hearing. At 2:00 a.m. on May 11, 2012, Redding Police Officers Dean Adams and Jon Sheldon responded to a complaint of trespassers in a room at a Vagabond Inn. While working on the graveyard shift, Officer Adams regularly responded to this Vagabond Inn.

1 He also knew there were many problems concerning the motels in this area, including vehicle thefts, vehicle burglaries, and broken car windows. Officer Sheldon testified this part of Redding was considered a high crime area, with officers called in for incidents such as trespassing, squatters in motel rooms, vehicle thefts, drug sales, and robberies. While they were returning to the patrol car after finishing the investigation, a person drove by in a pickup truck and said there was an adult Black male at the rear of the motel who was acting suspiciously and hiding. Officer Sheldon pointed out defendant to Officer Adams, and the two approached. Defendant was sitting or standing by the motel stairs with a bicycle leaning against a nearby wall. The stairwell is on the southwest corner of the motel and leads to the upper level…