E.D.N.C.: Rifle case, a “single purpose container” that revealed its contents, could be searched without warrant

Defendant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in zipped and closed duffle bags stored by permission at a friend’s house. This was reasonable under our societal understandings. See United States v. Waller, 426 F.3d 828 (6th Cir. 2005). The closed and locked nature of the containers showed his expectation of privacy, and that was enough for him to prove it, even without testifying. A search of the rifle case was valid without a warrant because it was a “single purpose container” that revealed its contents. United States v. Gardner, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20527 (E.D. N.C. January 30, 2013):

“[A]lthough the plain view doctrine may support the warrantless seizure of a container believed to contain contraband, any subsequent search of its concealed contents must either be accompanied by a search warrant or justified by one of the exceptions to the warrant requirement. United States v. Williams, 41 F.3d 192, 197 (4th Cir. 1994). One such exception is the so-called single-purpose container exception. This doctrine instructs that search of a container seized pursuant to the plain view doctrine is permissible when “the contents of the seized container are a foregone conclusion.” Davis, 690 F.3d at 235. The Supreme Court has specifically held that a gun case is such a container. See Arkansas v. Sanders, 442 U.S. 753, 765 n.13 (1979) (specifically noting that the contents of a gun case “can be inferred from [it’s] outward appearance” obviating the need for a warrant to search it), overruled on other grounds, California v. Acevedo, 500 U.S. 565 (1991).

In this case, the rifle case was found in plain view. As it was a gun case, it falls within the single-purpose container exception. Since the contents of the case were a foregone conclusion, no warrant was needed to search this case found in plain view. Accordingly, the court denies the motion to suppress as to the rifle case.