Commonwealth v. Lopez

At issue is whether exigent circumstances excused police officers’ failure to obtain an arrest or search warrant prior to entering the defendant’s apartment to arrest him.

The entry immediately followed a controlled buy of cocaine. Undercover officer Alejandro made the purchase, having been led to the defendant’s apartment and introduced to him by an informant called “Juney.” After the buy, Alejandro on leaving gave a prearranged signal to the several of*749fleers posted outside that the buy had been accomplished, and those officers converged on the apartment, entered, and arrested the defendant…