State v. Rodrigues

Opinion of the Court by

LEONARD, J.

Plaintiff-Appellant the State of Hawai'i (State) appeals the Findings of Facts, Conclusions of Law and Order Granting Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence (Suppression Order), filed on March 17, 2009 in the Circuit Court of the Fifth Circuit (Circuit Court). 1

On appeal, the State claims that the Circuit Court erred by suppressing evidence recovered from Defendant-Appellee Marco Paulo Rodrigues (Rodrigues) during a war-rantless search of his pockets after Rodri-gues had been placed under arrest for outstanding bench warrants. The State argues, primarily,…