United States v. Hartwell

OPINION OF THE COURT

ALITO, Circuit Judge.

Christian Hartwell set off a metal detector at a security checkpoint in an airport. Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) agents then used a magnetic wand to pinpoint any metal on his person. They detected something in Hartwell’s pocket and asked to see it. Ultimately, they discovered that the object was crack cocaine and placed Hartwell under arrest. Hart-well argues that the drugs should have been suppressed because the search offended the Fourth Amendment. 1 We hold that it did not.

I

Hartwell arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport…