Williams v. Commonwealth

Opinion of the Court by

Chief Justice MINTON.

Under Terry v. Ohio,1 a police officer may briefly detain a person for investigative purposes if the officer has a reasonable suspicion, supported by articulable *67facts, that the person has engaged or is about to engage in criminal activity. And if the officer believes the detained person is armed and dangerous, the officer may also frisk for weapons.

When police detained Kenneth Williams, he was among a group of nine people, some of whom the police observed openly engaging in illegal drug activity and some of whom the police found in possession of…