US Supreme Court Rules Police Can Forcibly Enter Your House Under Some Circumstances, Further Limiting Your Privacy Rights
On May 16, 2011, in Kentucky v. King, the United States Supreme Court ruled that police can forcibly enter your residence without a warrant in an emergency situation, even if their actions contributed to the situation. This ruling significantly limits your privacy rights.
In this case, police followed a suspected drug dealer into an apartment complex, but they did not know the exact unit number. They passed by an apartment that smelled of marijuana, so they pounded on the door and allegedly “demanded” entry. Claiming that they heard the sound of evidence being destroyed, police immediately broke open the door, found drugs in plain view, and arrested the person living in the apartment. The person was not the originally suspected drug dealer, who was eventually found in another apartment.
The Supreme Court held that, as long as the officers did not violate or threaten to violate your constitutional rights, they can legally enter your home under these circumstances.
How safe are you if police can break down your door without a warrant or your permission? As long as police believe they hear sounds indicating that evidence was being destroyed, they can brutally invade your home. If this happens to you, contact an experienced Southern California criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. A good criminal defense attorney will review the facts and law and see if the police violated your rights in other ways so that some or all of the evidence against you can be thrown out.
Call Wallin & Klarich Today
If you or someone you know has been victimized by extreme or outrageous police behavior, you will need an experienced Southern California drug lawyer to argue that your constitutional rights have been violated. At Wallin & Klarich, we have helped people facing a variety of criminal accusations throughout all aspects of trial, from evidence suppression motions to appeal.
With offices located in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, West Covina and Victorville, there is an experienced Wallin & Klarich criminal defense attorney available to help you no matter where you work or live.
Call us today at (877) 4-NO-JAIL or (877) 466-5245 for a free phone consultation. We will get through this together.