criminal procedure essay

“One may well inquire: How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying other folks? The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to counsel obeying only laws. You have not only a legal but , a moral responsibility to comply with just laws and regulations. Conversely, speculate if this trade a meaningful responsibility to disobey unjust laws.  ” Matn Luther Full, Jr.

Imagine a perfect culture, where the human population had a standard set of rules and used them.

For the reason that perfect society, everyone knew the rules to a specific scientific research hence, that they knew how you can obey stated rules. However in our period, we do not have a perfect contemporary society. Our civilization has misplaced the knowledge with their rights until either; a. ) laws and regulations were damaged by a person or n. ) the individual is studying or analyzing criminal rules. Either way, the society unconsciously forfeits their very own rights in a few situations. However, there are law enforcement officials officers with sworn to uphold these rights to obtain their location.

Some do not know themselves, when they have crossed the line of obligation or broken a right. It truly is up to us to break down and recognize the quality and righteousness of the “Officer Smith & The Precious metal Pontiac circumstance we are offered.

Reasonable mistrust is “a standard used in criminal method, more peaceful than possible cause, that could justify less-intrusive searches. An acceptable suspicion is out there when a reasonable person underneath the circumstances, would, based upon specific and articulable facts, realise that a crime have been committed (Reasonable Suspicion, Cornell Law School Library [2013]).  Expert Smith stopped a rare metal, older model Pontiac because she discovered tape on what your woman suspected being broken. One particular might question why Expert Smith drawn the Pontiac over. For most states, the driver is held accountable for faulty equipment with their vehicle. Except if the tape is reddish, reflective and transparent, a great officer offers every directly to pull the driving force over and concern a solution. In my own experience, it can be highly likely for a officer to pull someone over in the event that there was a great obstruction of the head or perhaps taillight. We myself have been pulled over intended for something comparable in which We received a warning or ticket. Onto her way towards the driver’s window, Officer Smith remembers the description of a vehicle that was recently involved in a roadside getting rid of of one other police officer.

That description complement the Pontiac she acquired just pulled over. Officer Johnson proceeds to ask the driver to get out of the automobile so the lady may perform a quick dab down to get weapons. Based on the Fourth Variation, a justifiable search begins with affordable suspicion. In this case, Officer Jones asks the driver to put up with a “stop and frisk. This means, the officer acquired the right to look for a quick terry down from the driver’s exterior clothing in search of a weapon(s). In my perception, the driver’s rights weren’t violated and valid depending on the officer’s request for an end and skip. Nothing unlawful has happened between the two. “If, during the pat straight down for weapons, the officer feels a weapon for the individual, the officer in that case has potential cause to conduct a complete search.  (Roberson, Wallace & Stuckey, 2007; l. 83)

Inside our example, a weapon was not felt or found on the rider. Furthermore, Expert Smith has conducted what’s known as a “Terry Stop. What is the difference among a Terry Stop as well as the Stop and Frisk you ask? There isn’t any significant difference. Prior to “Terry Vs . Ohio (1968), an end and ramp protected against illegitimate search and seizure. Where as after, it is turned out to be known as; constitutional according to circumstances where a reasonably suspect officer provides a valid concern for communities or his/her safety. Following the Terry Quit, Officer Jones directed the driver to have a chair in the car and requests their new driver license and registration. I would personally think that treatment is pretty standard in identifying who the driver is and maybe writing out a ticket pertaining to the taillight tape. The driver had other plans and speeds away from Officer Cruz without providing requested information. It is to my personal knowledge that Officer Smith recieve more than affordable suspicion today. She has possible cause to think that the drivers was in fact, the killer from the episode she’d heard of.

With probable cause, Official Smith profits to chase the Pontiac. The pursuit ends if the driver in the Pontiac visits a mobile phone pole. You may stop to ask me; “What is the difference between probable trigger and affordable suspicion?  From my personal understanding of both, probable cause is argument for a bring about or pertaining to an arrest. Reasonable mistrust is not really but , it can be grounds to increase investigate or perhaps for a police officer to detain a person or vehicle for further investigation (Florida Express University Law Review, Summer time (2006), Volume. 33, Issue 4, 1239-1248). I’m forced to go along with officer Cruz in this instance. The driving force demonstrated reckless behavior, presenting exigent situations for Official Smith to give chase to the vehicle. According to The Cornell Legislation Library, an exigent situation is “a circumstance that will need an immediate response.

It takes place when law enforcement officers believe they may have probable trigger and there is almost no time to obtain a warrant. (Exigent Circumstance), Cornell Regulation School Collection [2013]) Being the run after ended with a severe crash, Officer Cruz did reply immediately for the situation. Furthermore, our scenario goes on to describe that Expert Smith feared that the car might capture on fire from the leaking gas tank. She draws out the driver from the motor vehicle and goes back to acquire her tote for identity. It is in that case that Officer Smith views that the baseball glove box provides popped open up and in it had been a firearm with papers on top of that. We are asked to think about if the firearm was in plain watch and if it was legally attained? Since I actually am just a Criminal Rights student, I would personally have to say endorsement to equally. I say that in full self-confidence because it is legal for an officer to enter a vehicle with the scene of an accident to help without an released search justify. Without searching through the vehicles contents, the officer sees a system or drugs. Even with the use of a flashlight, it truly is still regarded legal.

Just because something is concealed behind night, doesn’t suggest it would not be seen during daylight, correct? The additional permissible situation regarding the ordinary view cortège is, in case the officer techniques him or herself around to take a peek. The object in plain view (without a comprehensive search) could be seized and is admissible proof in the courtroom. The fact the fact that gun was seen throughout the documentation evidently shows that it was in simple view and didn’t have to be searched for. Official Smith procedes find the driver’s handbag. In an attempt to track down the driver’s identification, she finds a baggie of Marijuana inside the driver’s purse. Although I really do not believe this will maintain as facts in this case, it may present the driving force with another set of charges against her. Perhaps the rider may get incurred with own an unlawful substance?

However , I really think that Officer Jones did not have right to seek out anything besides the individuals license, though she found the Marijuana in the handbag. In my research it would be regarded as “Fruit in the Poisonous Tree. Although Officer Smith was legally allowed to enter the vehicle without a search warrant and assist in figuring out the driver, I think that the retrieval of the marijuana will not be allowable in courtroom for the reason why I’ve stated above. The scenario likewise goes on to claim that it was after found this vehicle has not been the vehicle involved in the death in the officer. Additionally, it states that it was determined the fact that taillight has not been in fact cracked.

One might question or perhaps argue at this moment, whether the complete scenario is definitely justifiable or necessary? By my point of view it was totally correct. The officer a new valid reason to the car more than. She acquired reasonable suspicion for a Terry Stop. Her reasonable hunch then took on probable trigger when the driver fled the sight with no presenting the officer using what she’d requested. The officer then acted within a dependable manner to assist the driver out of the crashed motor vehicle. After all, law enforcement officials is there to “protect and serve the community. The firearm was in plain sight of the expert while the lady tried to track down the driver’s identification. Nothing at all except the search and seizure of the contents in the purse violated the legal rights of the drivers; nor incriminated the police official.

It is within my belief that Officer Jones could’ve called for backup or perhaps help when she found the landscape of the accident. She could’ve taken the purse out of the vehicle as well as seized the gun. Yet , she had time to have a warrant to find the bag. In occasions like we have just gone through, it can be interesting to find out just how knowledgeable each gamer is with their particular rights and responsibilities. We see these circumstances often inside the news and some do not even make it to trial because whether right was violated or possibly a piece of evidence was obtained with some mistake made in obtaining it. “Don’t interfere with nearly anything in the Constitution. That must be taken care of, for it is definitely the only protect of our liberties. - Chief executive Abraham Lincoln subsequently

References

Exigent Circumstance [Def. 1], In Legal Information Commence, Cornell Univeristy Law Institution Libarary. Retrieved February 13, 2013, by

http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/exigent_circumstances

Plain Look at Doctrine [Def. 1], In Legal Information Start, Cornell School Law University Library. Gathered February 12-15, 2013, via http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/plain_view_doctrine

Reasonable Suspicion [Def. 1]. In Legal Information Institute, Cornell School Law School Library. Recovered February 13, 2013, by http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/reasonable_suspicion

Stuckey, G., Roberson, C., & Wallace, L., (2006). Types of procedures in the Justice System (8th Edition). Upper Saddle Riv, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Fl State University Law Assessment, Summer (2006), Vol. 33, Issue some, 1239-1248, Recovered February 16, 2013, from http://www.heinonline.org.lib.kaplan.edu/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/flsulr33&div=61

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