section iii: warrantless and consent searches
this section discusses when a warrantless search may be legally justified because the person in control of the property is said to have agreed to it.
18. if i agree to a search, is the search legal even if a police officer doesn't have a warrant or probable cause to search?
yes. if a defendant freely and voluntarily agrees to a search, the search is valid and whatever the officers find is admissible in evidence.
for example, assume that officer mayer knocks on the door of caryn-sue's house. officer mayer suspects that caryn-sue is part of a group of suspects who are making pirated videotapes, but the officer lacks probable cause to search her house or arrest her. when caryn-sue answers the door, the following conversation takes place:
officer: good afternoon. i'm officer mayer. is your name caryn-sue?
caryn-sue: yes, it is. what can i do for you, officer?
officer: i'm investigating the production of pirated videotapes, and i'd like to talk to you.
caryn-sue: well, i'm not sure i can help you. i'm not under arrest or anything, am i?
officer: no, but you may have information that can help the investigation. do you mind if i come in and look around?
caryn-sue: i'm in the middle of a couple of things. could you come back later?
officer: if that's necessary. but it won't take long.
caryn-sue: we might as well get it over with if you can hurry. look around all you want, there's nothing here of interest to you.
officer mayer enters caryn-sue's house, and in a corner of her living room closet notices hundreds of blank videotapes. the officer arrests caryn-sue for producing pirated videotapes, and seizes the blank videotapes.
under these circumstances, a judge would undoubtedly rule that the officer legally seized the blank videotapes. though the officer had neither a warrant nor probable cause to search caryn-sue's house, officer mayer's search was valid because caryn-sue agreed to let the officer search her house. the fact that the officer was politely insistent on entering the house does not overcome the fact that caryn-sue consented to the entry before it was made.
19. does a police officer have to warn me that i have a right to refuse to consent to a search?
no. no equivalent to miranda warnings (see chapter 1, section ii) exists in the search and seizure area. police officers do not have to warn people that they have a right to refuse consent to a search. (ohio v. robinette, u.s. sup. ct. 1996.)
case example: jaime costello is sitting on a park bench. officer abbot approaches costello and asks to look through his backpack. costello replies, "sure, go ahead, i guess i can't stop you." the officer finds illegal drugs in costello's backpack, and arrests him.
question: are the drugs admissible in evidence?
answer: yes. the search was valid, since costello gave his consent. officer abbot had no duty to clear up costello's misconception that he had no choice but to consent.
翻译句子:
1、this section discusses when a warrantless search may be legally justified because the person in control of the property is said to have agreed to it.
2、if a defendant freely and voluntarily agrees to a search
答案:
1、本节探讨在控制物业人员同意搜查的前提下,没有搜查证而进行的搜查在法律上是合法的。
2、如果被告在自由自愿的的情况下同意搜查。