United States v. Patrick Lowry Coffey and Richard Joseph Sparks

The Supreme Court of the United States on June 30, 1975 vacated the judgment of this court in the case of Coffey v. United States, 509 F.2d 574 (5th Cir. 1975) 1 for further consideration in light of United States v. Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U.S. 873, 95 S.Ct. 2574, 45 L.Ed.2d 607 (1975).

We have carefully considered the decision in that case and have concluded that it does not require reversal of our judgment. In Brignoni-Ponce the Court held that a roving patrol stop must be supported by a reasonable suspicion that the detained vehicle contains aliens illegally in the country. The stop in that…