Michigan v. Tyler

The respondents, Loren Tyler and Robert Tompkins, were convicted in a Michigan trial court of conspiracy to burn real property in violation of Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.157a (1970).1 Various pieces of physical evidence and testimony based on personal observation, all obtained through unconsented and warrantless entries by police and fire officials onto the burned premises, were admitted into evidence at the respondents’ trial. On appeal, the Michigan Supreme Court reversed the convictions, holding that “the warrantless searches were unconstitutional and that the evidence obtained was therefore…