Duarte v. Commonwealth

Opinion

KOONTZ, C.J.

William Allen Duarte appeals his conviction of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The sole issue Duarte raises is whether the trial court erroneously refused to suppress evidence obtained through the search of his dormitory room by school officials. We find the trial court properly admitted the evidence.

Duarte was a student at Averett College, a private four year liberal arts school in Danville, Virginia. Duarte lived on campus in a dormitory room that he shared with Hugh Thomas Francis, Jr. On February 14, 1990, as part of his investigation into a burglary,…