Rawlings v. Commonwealth

The majority opinion holds that the search of Cox’s purse did not violate “Rawl-ings’ legitimate or reasonable expectation of freedom from governmental intrusion” under the Fourth Amendment even though the items seized belonged to Rawlings and had been placed in Cox’s purse with her consent for safekeeping.1 I am compelled to dissent for two reasons.

I

The searches and seizures which occurred were the fruits of unlawful arrests and should be suppressed. Wong Sun v. United States, 371 U.S. 481, 83 S.Ct. 407, 9 L.Ed.2d 441 (1963). After lawfully entering the premises to arrest Marquess the police…