State v. Byseem T. Coles (070653)

This appeal involves the validity of the warrantless search of the bedroom of defendant, Byseem Coles, a young adult, nine days shy of twenty years old when the events pertinent to this appeal *327occurred. Defendant lived with other family members in his aunt’s home in Camden where he had his own bedroom. The bedroom door had a padlock on it to keep others, especially young children living in the household, from getting into his private belongings.

On the evening of March 18, 2008, when defendant was walking in the neighborhood in which he lived, he was detained by a police officer investigating…