Police Encounters with Suspects and Evidence Essay

Analysis and application: police encounters with suspects and evidence| CJ227-08 Criminal procedure| Unit 2: analysis and application: police encounters with suspects and evidence| 1. DidofficerSmithhavereasonablesuspiciontomaketheinitialstopofthisvehicle? OfficerSmithhadreasonablesuspicionwhichisbasedonthetotalityofthecircumstancesasunderstoodbythoseversedinthefieldoflawenforcement;itiscommonlydescribedassomethingmorethanahunchbutlessthanprobablecause. (quiz law)Theanswerisyes,OfficerSmithdidhavereasonablesuspiciontomaketheinitialstopofthevehicle. Because thetaillightappearedtobebrokenwhichisatrafficlawviolation. AlsoofficerSmithrememberedavehiclethatmatchedthegeneraldescriptionofthecarthathestopped. Thiscarfitthedescriptionofthevehiclethatwassuspectedinarecentroadsidekillingofanotherpoliceofficer. 2. Was the â€Å"pat-down† of the driver legal? Anofficermayorderamotoristoutofacartoensuretheofficer’ssafety. (quiz law)Thepoliceofficermayconductapat-downsearchtoensuretherearenoweapons. quiz law)Theâ€Å"pat-down†isaquicksearchofaperson’sbeinginordertodetermineifanyweaponsarepresent. Officer Smith’spat-downwaslegalbecauseitwasnecessarytoensurehissafety. Insteadofprovidingherlicenseandregistration,thedriverspeedsawaywhichresultedinahighspeedchase. Thisisacircumstancethatwouldcauseareasonablepersontobelievethatentry(orotherrelevantpromptaction)wasnecessarytopreventphysicalharmtotheofficersorotherpersons. (Thelectriclawlibrary,1995-2011)Thissituationdoesfallunderexigentcircumstancebecausethereisimminentdanger,destruction,andthesuspectistryingtoescape. (quiz law) 4. Was the gun in â€Å"plain view† and legally obtained? Plain-viewdoctrinetherulepermittingapoliceofficer’swarrantlessseizureanduseasevidenceofanitemobservedinplainviewfromalawfulpositionorduringalegalsearchwhentheitemisevidenceofacrime. Todetermineiftheplainviewdoctrineapplies,policemustconsideranumberofvalidationsoneisduetoexigentcircumstances,whichOfficerSmith’sfindingthegunfallsunder. (quiz law)PlainviewdidapplytoOfficerSmithfindingthegunintheopenglovecompartmentandislawful. Thegunwasdiscoveredinadvertently,OfficerSmithhadlawfulaccesstotheplacefromwhichtheguncouldbeplainlyseen. Inadvertentdiscoveryalaw-enforcementofficer’sunexpectedfindingofincriminatingevidenceinplainview. 5. Will the marijuana baggie be admissible evidence? Whenapersonisunabletogiveconsentduetounconsciousness, theofficercansearchthepurseorwalletofthesuspecttogettheirI. D. ,it’scalledimpliedconsent. ThewomangaveOfficer SmithprobablecausetoconductafullsearchwhenshefledfromOfficerSmithwhenhepulledheroverforthetaillight. OfficerSmithwillbeabletousethemarijuanabaggieasevidence. Whilelookingfortheunconsciouswoman’sI. D. ,OfficerSmithfoundabaggieofmarijuanainherpurse. SincethewomanfledandwreckedthecarOfficerSmithhasprobablecauseandthemarijuanabaggiecanusedasevidence.