John L. Walker v. State Florida

John L. Walker appeals an order of the trial court denying his motion to suppress evidence. Walker pled nolo contendere to possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, reserving his right to appeal the court's order. We find the trial court erred in denying the motion to suppress because the initial stop and the subsequent search violated the Stop and Frisk Law, section 901.151, Florida Statutes (1985). In the early evening of October 17, 1986, two St. Petersburg police detectives were working in south St. Petersburg near several cottages where numerous drug arrests had previously been made. The officers were walking between the cottages trying to catch someone in the process of dealing drugs. Although one of the officers referred to it as a high crime area, they were not responding to any reports of recent criminal activity.