State v. Audley

Claude Audley appeals his conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. He asserts that RCW 10.79.130, which authorizes warrantless strip searches of some arrestees, violates the right of privacy guaranteed by article 1, section 7 of the Washington State Constitution. We conclude that, in this context, the protection afforded by the state constitution is coextensive with that afforded by the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution. Under the Fourth Amendment, a warrantless strip search of an arrestee is constitutional if it is supported by reasonable suspicion that…