|
The
nine justices unanimously threw out a lower court ruling that
had approved of a search by Pennsylvania police of a Ford Fusion
driven by Terrence Byrd, whose girlfriend had rented the car.
State troopers told Byrd they could search the car because he
was not listed as an authorized driver, and they found heroin
and a bulletproof vest in the trunk.
Writing for the court, Justice Anthony Kennedy said the "mere
fact that a driver in lawful possession or control of a rental
car is not listed on the rental agreement will not defeat his or
her otherwise reasonable expectation of privacy."
At issue was whether police violated the U.S. Constitution's
Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches
and seizures.
The justices sent the case back to the lower courts to determine
whether police had the proper justification to search the car
without a warrant because they believed there was evidence of a
crime. Byrd pleaded guilty in 2014 to unlawful possession of
both items on condition that he could challenge the search.
Byrd's girlfriend rented the car in Wayne, New Jersey in
September 2014, handing the keys to Byrd, who was stopped on his
way to Pittsburgh.
A federal trial judge denied Byrd's bid to suppress the evidence
because the search violated his constitutional rights. The
Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that
ruling last year, prompting Byrd's appeal to the Supreme Court.
(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Additional reporting by Lawrence
Hurley)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
