State v. McGill

¶1. This is a challenge to a protective frisk for weapons that produced not a weapon but cocaine. The defendant, Jose C. McGill, has two complaints. First, he says there was insufficient justification for the frisk because this was merely a routine traffic stop devoid of any circumstances suggesting that he was armed and presently dangerous. And, second, he says that even if the weapons frisk was justified, the officer exceeded its scope by seizing and opening the package of cocaine that he had in his pocket. We disagree and hold that both the frisk and the subsequent seizure and inspection…