Link to the Original Article:
http://www.theindianalawyer.com/warrantless-search-based-on-smell-does-not-violated-4th-amendment/PARAMS/article/34734
Who? Ashley Bell, Metropolitan Police Officer Lorrie Phillips, the Council of Appease in Indiana
What? Ashley Bell was arrested for Class A misdemeanor possession of marijuana after being patted down by Lorrie Phillips, who smelled the raw marijuana on her when she was pulled over for an illegally displayed temporary license plate. Bell argues that the pat down breaks her 4th Amendment rights because Phillips didn't have a warrant with him. However, the Council of Appease decided that the odor of marijuana was enough to provide probable cause for a warrantless search.
When? July 28, 2014
Where? The State of Indiana
Why Does It Matter? This matters because by passing the ability for police to search a person just based on smell, many more people may get charged for drug and alcohol possession in the future. It greatly affects our generation today because many teenagers are at the age where they would experiment with drugs and alcohol. If a warrantless search based on smell doesn't violate the 4th Amendment, the amount of teens arrested will most likely drastically increase. The future is looking towards a world with stricter laws and easier ways to get others in trouble.
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