Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Rivera
Massachusetts Appeals Court
Decided September 21, 1992No. 91 -P-1299PublishedCited by 36 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtKass, J.
Very aptly, the defendant has identified the question to be decided as whether a State trooper’s claimed concern for his safety was objectively reasonable in light of the whole picture at the time he frisk-searched the defendant. See United States v. Cortez, 449 U.S. 411, 417 (1981); Commonwealth v. Fraser, 410 Mass. 541, 545 (1991). That pat frisk led to the discovery of some 804 packets of heroin (46.3 grams) and a buck knife. The defendant Rivera appeals from a denial of his motion to suppress the evidence seized in the warrantless search. After trial, a jury returned a verdict of guilty…
2Cases cited12 opinions
- Terry v. OhioSupreme Court of the United States · 1968
- Wong Sun v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1963
- United States v. CortezSupreme Court of the United States · 1981
- Commonwealth v. SilvaMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1974
- Commonwealth v. Colon-CruzMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1990
7 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by36 opinions
- Commonwealth v. GonsalvesMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1999
- Commonwealth v. StampleyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2002
- Commonwealth v. SweezeyMassachusetts Appeals Court · 2000
- Commonwealth v. BartlettMassachusetts Appeals Court · 1996
- Commonwealth v. CiaramitaroMassachusetts Appeals Court · 2001
31 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.