United States v. Sanchez

SELYA, Circuit Judge.

This appeal proves the venerable adage that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Although the appeal potentially presents a variety of issues, it is most easily resolved by resort to an elementary principle of constitutional law: the plain view exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment. The tale follows.

Before us, defendant-appellant Ruben Sanchez challenges an order denying his motion to suppress evidence — a gun and ammunition — seized during an inventory search of a motorcycle impounded by the police. Setting to one side more…