In re J.M.
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
619 A.2d 497 (1992)
- Written by Mary Katherine Cunningham, JD
Facts
On October 31, 1989, Washington D.C. police officers boarded a bus heading to Wilmington, North Carolina. Officers used the speaker system and announced that they would interview passengers arriving from New York City because New York City was a source supply of drugs. Officer Zattau approached a minor, J.M. (defendant), and asked J.M. some questions. J.M. told Officer Zattau he had come from New York City, denied he was carrying weapons or drugs, and consented to having Officer Zattau search his bag. Officer Zattau then asked if he could conduct a pat-down, and J.M. consented. When he conducted a pat-down, Officer Zattau discovered a hard object on the right side of J.M.’s body. Officer Zattau raised J.M.’s shirt and discovered a plastic bag containing crack cocaine. J.M. argued that because he did not consent to Officer Zattau frisking him, the evidence of the cocaine should be suppressed. The trial court subsequently denied J.M.’s motion to suppress the evidence of the cocaine, and J.M. appealed to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Farrell, J.)
Concurrence/Dissent (Mack, J.)
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