State v. Sanchez

OPINION

HATHAWAY, Chief Judge.

The sole issue raised in this appeal is whether the “knock and announce” requirements of A.R.S. Sec. 13-3916(B) are violated when police officers, in executing a search warrant, cut a locked gate in a fenced residential front yard without announcing their identity and purpose.

Police officers received information from a citizen informant, who wished to remain anonymous, that a large quantity of marijuana was in a house in Tucson. The officers located the house from the informant’s description and began surveillance. The house was surrounded by a chain link fence…