State v. Perry

MILLER, Justice:

This is an appeal from a forfeiture proceeding involving an automobile allegedly used to transport marijuana. 1 Two questions are raised regarding the inventory search of the vehicle, which is the means whereby marijuana was found in the locked trunk of the vehicle. First, was the arresting officer required to permit David Perry, the defendant, to make some alternative arrangement to police impoundment of the car? Second, did the police exceed the scope of a valid inventory search by opening the locked trunk of the vehicle? We answer the first issue in the affirmative and…