I am being charged with possession of Marijuana paraphernalia in Miramar, Florida.
I was at the park with two of my friends when 3 police officers parked at the park and approached us and asked us to come off the landing we were standing on. We came down and they said they smelled marijuana and wanted to know where we hid it. We had been smoking marijuana, but had finished before they had even come to the park. They then asked us to empty out our pockets and we did. There was nothing in my pockets which seemed suspicious, other than my lighter, which i use for smoking cigarettes as i am 19 and of legal age. The officers then searched the area and discovered a roach in the sand near where we were hanging out. Without asking for permission to search my vehicle, Officer A told me "give me your keys." I handed them over to him, trying to be as cooperative as possible. I did not think he would search my car, but he then proceeded to search my car and discovered two gram bags of marijuana, two marijuana pipes and a grinder in the car. Officers B and C were asking us about the roach and we denied that it was ours. Officer A returned from my vehicle, and asked me to come with him. He showed me the items and asked who's they were, at which point i denied knowledge of the owner. They continued to question me and my friends about the items, sometimes as a group and sometimes separating us to ask us about them individually. One of my friends claimed the 2 bags of marijuana, while me and my other friend continued to deny ownership of the pipes. I was then separated and asked if the pipes were mine. I denied ownership, and was subsinquently handcuffed. I was told my car would be towed and i would be taken to jail since i continued to lie. I was seated on a bench on the other side of the park while the officers spoke with my friends. Officer B then approached me and told me "I have taken a liking to you. I know these pipes are yours. Your friend told me the weed is his and the girl told me they are not hers. If i arrest you, they are going to tow your car which is gonna cost you money, i am going to take you to jail, and you are going to be charged with 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor', 'possession of marijuana', possession of marijuana paraphernalia', and 'obstruction of justice'. But if you just tell me the truth, you would probably just get a ticket and be on your way." So i admitted that the pipes were mine, and they left me on the bench and continued to speak with my friends. They then allowed my friend who claimed the marijuana to leave, without a citation. They then allowed my other friend to leave as well, without a citation. Officer B and C came over, and told me to stand. They then uncuffed me and ask me to sign a NTA. It stated i was being charged with possession of marijuana paraphernalia. I'm wondering if the evidence could be supressed since I did not give them permission to search my car and there was no evidence linking the roach to my group of friends or even me other than the proximity to us.
I was at the park with two of my friends when 3 police officers parked at the park and approached us and asked us to come off the landing we were standing on. We came down and they said they smelled marijuana and wanted to know where we hid it. We had been smoking marijuana, but had finished before they had even come to the park. They then asked us to empty out our pockets and we did. There was nothing in my pockets which seemed suspicious, other than my lighter, which i use for smoking cigarettes as i am 19 and of legal age. The officers then searched the area and discovered a roach in the sand near where we were hanging out. Without asking for permission to search my vehicle, Officer A told me "give me your keys." I handed them over to him, trying to be as cooperative as possible. I did not think he would search my car, but he then proceeded to search my car and discovered two gram bags of marijuana, two marijuana pipes and a grinder in the car. Officers B and C were asking us about the roach and we denied that it was ours. Officer A returned from my vehicle, and asked me to come with him. He showed me the items and asked who's they were, at which point i denied knowledge of the owner. They continued to question me and my friends about the items, sometimes as a group and sometimes separating us to ask us about them individually. One of my friends claimed the 2 bags of marijuana, while me and my other friend continued to deny ownership of the pipes. I was then separated and asked if the pipes were mine. I denied ownership, and was subsinquently handcuffed. I was told my car would be towed and i would be taken to jail since i continued to lie. I was seated on a bench on the other side of the park while the officers spoke with my friends. Officer B then approached me and told me "I have taken a liking to you. I know these pipes are yours. Your friend told me the weed is his and the girl told me they are not hers. If i arrest you, they are going to tow your car which is gonna cost you money, i am going to take you to jail, and you are going to be charged with 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor', 'possession of marijuana', possession of marijuana paraphernalia', and 'obstruction of justice'. But if you just tell me the truth, you would probably just get a ticket and be on your way." So i admitted that the pipes were mine, and they left me on the bench and continued to speak with my friends. They then allowed my friend who claimed the marijuana to leave, without a citation. They then allowed my other friend to leave as well, without a citation. Officer B and C came over, and told me to stand. They then uncuffed me and ask me to sign a NTA. It stated i was being charged with possession of marijuana paraphernalia. I'm wondering if the evidence could be supressed since I did not give them permission to search my car and there was no evidence linking the roach to my group of friends or even me other than the proximity to us.
, nor did i ever say he could go in my car. And these cops were in a bad mood, and i luckily only came off it with the NTA, cause they were going to take me in. I know had i told him i denied a search on my car, they would have gotten angry and taken me in for some charge they made up. Oh well, do you think there is any chance that it could be considered an illegal seizure?
