Colorado v. Vaughn

A police officer observed a traffic violation. Upon stopping the car, the officer discovered that the driver, defendant Christopher Vaughn, was driving under a suspended license. The officer decided to arrest defendant, ordered him out of the car, and began an inventory search of the vehicle prior to having the vehicle impounded. The officer found one big bag filled with smaller individual bags of crack cocaine in the glove compartment. Defendant appealed his ultimate conviction on drug trafficking charges, arguing the drug evidence should have been suppressed because the traffic stop was not enough probable cause to have defendant arrested. The Supreme Court held that the drug evidence was properly seized as the result of a valid inventory search, reversing the trial court's suppression order. View "Colorado v. Vaughn" on Justia Law