Commonwealth v. Douglas

The defendants, each charged with unlawful possession of one or more controlled substances and two charged also with playing poker for money, were successful in persuading a judge in the six-person jury session in Northampton to allow their motions to suppress evidence seized in an August 18, 1984, police raid on premises in Belchertown. The Commonwealth appealed, and we transferred the appeal to this court. At issue is whether the evidence could lawfully have been seized without a warrant and, if not, whether the seizures were lawful when made pursuant to a warrant that stated the premises…