Supreme Court Rules Warrantless Car Searches Are OK

Good news ... fewer things holding are police back from doing their jobs getting thugs off the streets!


[link to www.thenewspaper.com]

Louisiana Supreme Court Allows Vehicle Searches on a Hunch
Talking on a cell phone, and entering and exiting another car is sufficient justification for a warrantless search in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday gave a green light to police officers looking to search automobiles without a warrant.

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Louisiana law allows for rulings on individual motions to be appealed without waiting for the end of the trial, and the state succeeded in convincing the high court to overturn the motion to suppress the evidence from the vehicle search.

New Orleans Police Detective Roccoforte had seen Strate in parking lot of a fast food store using her cell phone and "looking about anxiously." Strate drove a short distance to pull up to Kirton's parked vehicle, remained in it for less than a minute, then returned to her car and drove away. Roccoforte followed and approached Strate after she had parked her car.

He noted "furtive movement" of Strate's right hand and decided to perform a warrantless search of her car. The supreme court found this acceptable.

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