Ellis 62 N. Y. 2d 393 (1984): Case Study

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The Case: People v Ellis 62 N.Y.2d 393 (1984)

The Facts:
On May 20, 1981 officers observed the defendant’s vehicle driving toward them in the dark without headlights. Officer pulled the vehicle over and ran the license plate which determined that the vehicle was a rental. Upon request of the rental agreement and the defendant’s driver’s license, the defendant stated he did not have them. Upon further inquiry, it was discovered the defendant’s driver’s license had been suspended. The officer then decided to take the defendant into custody to take to the station to have him identified and issue a summons. The officer then patted down the defendant revealing several bullets and small baggies containing marijuana. The passengers were ordered out …show more content…

The search following the arrest was also lawful
Reasoning:
1. The officers having observed the traffic violation of driving without headlights, had properly stopped the defendant an asked for his drivers license and the rental agreement to the car(People v Belton, 55 N.Y.2d 49; People v Middleton, 43 N.Y.2d 702)
2. Because the defendant was unable to produce identification on the spot, the officers were allowed to arrest him for the purpose of bringing him to the police station.
3. Because the officers were allowed to frisk the defendant as part of his arrest and prior to bringing him to the station, they lawfully found the bullets and marijuana on his person People v Copeland, 39 N.Y.2d 986. Because the presence of bullets are immediately associated with the possible presence of a deadly weapon (People v McLaughlin, 48 AD2d 722), it was agreed that the search for a weapon associated with the bullets would follow. It was also cited from People V. Belton 55 N.Y.2d 49, 54-55 that,” a valid arrest for a crime authorizes a warrantless search of a vehicle and of its closed containers visible in the passenger compartment when the circumstances give reason to believe that the vehicle or its visible contents may be related to the crime for which the arrest is being made” like the reason to believe a weapon may be

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