The People v. Eric R. Johnson, The People v. John A. DiSalvo, The People v. Costandino Argyris

In these cases we must decide whether police have reasonable suspicion to justify a forcible stop based solely on an anonymous informant’s uncorroborated “tip” that lacks any information by which to test the reliability of the informant or the information supplied. Information from informants, in particular anonymous informants who intentionally keep their identity secret and with whom law enforcement personnel have no known prior experience, is inherently suspect. The value of an informant’s tip has always depended on the credibility of the informant and the basis of the tip information.…