State v. Rison

An apartment tenant has authority to consent to a search of his apartment. State v. Mathe, 102 Wn.2d 537, 540-41, 688 P.2d 859 (1984). He has no authority, however, to consent to a search of another’s property. See, e.g., State v. Holmes, 108 Wn. App. 511, 518-19, 31 P.3d *958716 (2001). Here, the tenant consented to a police search of his apartment. While doing so, the police also searched a guest’s eyeglass case. The guest, Aaron Rison, did not authorize that search. We therefore reverse the trial judge’s order denying Mr. Rison’s motion to suppress the drugs found in the glasses case, and…