Police and the fire department responded to a 911 call involving the unexplained death of a 25 year old woman. Once inside, they called the coroner, and then walked through to check for possible causes, finding in plain view cash, a list of drug debts, and other things suggesting drug trafficking. The entry and walk through was legal before a search warrant was sought. United States v. Rodriguez-Flores, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136410 (E.D. Ky. September 24, 2014):<\/p>\n
Under the exigent circumstances exception, officers responding to medical emergencies may secure a scene for both safety and evidentiary concerns. See, e.g., Brigham City, Utah v. Stuart, 547 U.S. 398, 403 (2006) (collecting cases); Stricker v. Township of Cambridge, 710 F.3d 350, 361-62 (6th Cir. 2013) (upholding a protective sweep as “objectively reasonable” by officers responding to a 911 call when they “turned the house upside down” as they searched for clues as to what the victim might have ingested to cause his overdose).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Police and the fire department responded to a 911 call involving the unexplained death of a 25 year old woman. Once inside, they called the coroner, and then walked through to check for possible causes, finding in plain view cash, … Continue reading