United States Fourth Circuit

Conviction of defendant for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and related crimes is affirmed where: 1) because the police department's policy authorizes the opening of closed containers encountered during an inventory search and the deputy adhered to that policy, the search falls within the inventory search exception, and thus, does not violate the Fourth Amendment; and 2) because the department's policy properly curtails the discretion of searching officers and the deputy adhered to that policy, the search falls within the inventory exception.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/28/2009
• Decided 12/31/2009
• Published 12/31/2009

Judges

• Before TRAXLER, Chief Judge, and DUNCAN and AGEE, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:James Orlando Broccoletti, Zoby & Broccoletti, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellant. Peter Sinclair Duffey, Office of the United States Attorney, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee. ON BRIEF:Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellee.