Wyoming v. Houghton case brief summary
526 U.S. 295 (1999)
CASE FACTS
A car in which appellee individual was riding was stopped by a police officer employed by appellant state. The officer noticed a syringe in the driver's shirt pocket. The driver admitted the syringe was used to take drugs. The officer then began a search of the passenger compartment of the car for contraband. He found a purse, which appellee claimed was hers. Inside, the officer found two containers; both contained illegal methamphetamine. Subsequently, appellant charged appellee with felony possession of methamphetamine. The trial court denied appellee's motion to suppress all evidence obtained from the purse as the fruit of a violation of U.S. Constitutional amends. IV and XIV. The trial court held that the officer had probable cause to search the car for contraband and any containers therein that could hold contraband. A jury convicted appellee as charged.
DISCUSSION
The Court reversed the order that reversed appellee's conviction because the police officers had probable cause to search the car appellee was riding in, and, therefore, were entitled to inspect appellee's belongings found in the car that were capable of concealing the object of the search.
Recommended Supplements for Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure: Examples & Explanations, Sixth Edition
Emanuel Law Outline: Criminal Procedure
526 U.S. 295 (1999)
CASE SYNOPSIS
Appellant sought review of an order of
the Wyoming Supreme Court that reversed appellee's conviction for
felony possession of methamphetamine in a liquid amount greater than
three-tenths of a gram.CASE FACTS
A car in which appellee individual was riding was stopped by a police officer employed by appellant state. The officer noticed a syringe in the driver's shirt pocket. The driver admitted the syringe was used to take drugs. The officer then began a search of the passenger compartment of the car for contraband. He found a purse, which appellee claimed was hers. Inside, the officer found two containers; both contained illegal methamphetamine. Subsequently, appellant charged appellee with felony possession of methamphetamine. The trial court denied appellee's motion to suppress all evidence obtained from the purse as the fruit of a violation of U.S. Constitutional amends. IV and XIV. The trial court held that the officer had probable cause to search the car for contraband and any containers therein that could hold contraband. A jury convicted appellee as charged.
DISCUSSION
- Appellee sought review, and the state supreme court reversed.
- Appellant sought further review.
- The United States Supreme Court reversed, holding that the officer was entitled to inspect appellee's belongings found in the car that were capable of concealing the object of the search because he had probable cause to search the car.
The Court reversed the order that reversed appellee's conviction because the police officers had probable cause to search the car appellee was riding in, and, therefore, were entitled to inspect appellee's belongings found in the car that were capable of concealing the object of the search.
Recommended Supplements for Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure: Examples & Explanations, Sixth Edition
Emanuel Law Outline: Criminal Procedure
No comments:
Post a Comment