Possession of Marijuana
Feb 26, 2014OUTCOME: Case was dropped
Officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle traveling down the street with what the officer deemed "young occupants." The Officer followed the vehicle for a distance and pulled in next to the vehicle ... at a convenience store. The officer approached the group of young people and asked for identification as the young people were not wearing seat belts. While speaking with the group the officer detected an odor of marijuana and observed a jar of marijuana on the rear passenger seat. The officer asked the client if the client had "anything illegal" in the vehicle. The client said "no" and asked that the officer hand over the client's backpack which was sitting on the rear seat. The officer requested consent to search the backpack prior to handing it back to the client. The client said "no". A second officer proceeded to rummage thru the client's backpack under the guise of conducting an "inventory search". The second officer discovered a quantity of marijuana. Prior to trial the client hired Attorney Justin Shepherd. Attorney Shepherd filed a motion to suppress the illegally obtained evidence as the officer had no basis to rummage around the client's backpack without a warrant. The case was DROPPED on the morning of trial. February 26, 2014
