P. v. Hernandez
On December 11, 2007, Officer Jesse Reyes and his partner, Officer Scott Coffey, were in full uniform, patrolling a high crime, high narcotics area of Los Angeles in their unmarked patrol car. Officer Reyes observed appellant standing on the sidewalk in front of a Doughnut King. Appellant made eye contact with the officers vehicle and then with the officers, bent down, placed something on the sidewalk and walked away to a parked car where another person was standing. Appellant appeared startled and nervous. At the location where appellant had bent down, Officer Reyes found a bic lighter and an off-white substance which he believed, and which was later determined, to be a usable amount of cocaine base sufficient for a single use. The officers detained appellant. Appellant denied that he ever possessed any cocaine or placed anything on the sidewalk and claimed that he was at the location because he had run out of gas.
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