State ex rel. Kerns v. Read

This is an appeal by the Chief of Police of the city of Baker from an order finding him in direct contempt, ORS 33.030, for refusing to answer a question, ORS 33.010 (l)(j), about the identity of an informant during a hearing on a motion to suppress in *50the case of State v. Kerns (Baker County Crim Case No. 1083).

One Leland Kerns had been indicted for possession of marihuana. He moved to suppress the marihuana that was the basis of this charge on the grounds that the warrantless search of his car by Chief Read and two other officers was illegal. At the suppression hearing Chief Read testified…