State v. Tapia

MAES, Justice.

{1} In this case we address an issue of first impression: whether evidence of non-violent crimes committed in the presence of a police officer after an unconstitutional traffic stop must be suppressed under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Fourth Amendment) and Article II, Section 10 of the New Mexico Constitution ( Article II, Section 10 ). Defendant Edward Tapia, Sr. entered a conditional plea of guilty to one count of forgery, for signing his brother's name to a traffic citation charging failure to wear a seat belt in a motor vehicle, and reserved his…