Shepherd v. State

OPINION

WOMACK, JOHNSON, KEASLER, HERVEY, HOLCOMB, and COCHRAN, JJ., joined.

Police responded to a call from appellant’s neighbors, who were concerned because appellant’s front door had been left open. When police entered appellant’s house, they saw contraband in plain view. The question is whether the seizure of this contraband was constitutionally permissible under the emergency doctrine. The answer is “yes.” We will therefore affirm the judgment of the court of appeals.

Viewed in the light most favorable to the trial court’s ruling, the pertinent facts are as follows: Araceli Silva had lived…