NCJ Number
97558
Date Published
1983
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This police training video cassette, accompanied by an audio cassette, reenacts the incident that led to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Illinois vs. Lafayette and highlights the principles of that decision, which holds that police searches of the personal effects of a person under lawful arrest as part of the routine administrative procedure are consistent with the fourth amendment.
Abstract
A police officer responding to a call about a disturbance arrived at the movie theater and found the suspect involved in an altercation with the theater manager. The officer arrested the suspect for disturbing the peace, handcuffed him, and took him to the police station. Upon arrival at the station, the suspect was taken to a booking room where the handcuffs were removed; he was ordered to empty his pockets and place their contents on the counter. After doing so, the suspect took a package of cigarettes from his shoulder bag and placed the bag on the counter. The officer removed the contents of the bag and found 10 amphetamine pills inside a cigarette case package. The lower courts held that the stationhouse search of the shoulder bag did not constitute a valid search incident to lawful arrest; the State court concurred. The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Illinois Appellate Court and upheld the conviction. A booklet accompanying the cassettes summarizes the facts in the case and discusses the Supreme Court's decision.