State of Iowa v. Craig E. Harrison

WATERMAN, Justice.

Are police officers permitted to stop a motorist because his license plate frame covers up the county name? Two district court judges in this case issued conflicting rulings on that question, although both denied defendant’s motion to suppress evidence of the crack cocaine found in his possession after the traffic stop at issue. Police officers gave two reasons for stopping defendant’s Jeep — their belief his license plate was in violation of Iowa Code section 321.37(8) (2009) and their suspicion he was drug dealing based on an informant’s tip and his evasive behavior.…