​Court Allows Pat Down Evidence In Drug Case

The Iowa Supreme Court says drug evidence discovered during a warrantless pat down by a police officer can be used in court. A Dubuque officer said he felt baggies of what he believed to be drugs in the pocket of Earnest Hunt Junior while patting him down to check for weapons after a traffic stop. The bags contained crack – but the district court suppressed the evidence – saying there was no clear indication of what was in the baggies. The Supreme Court says the drugs found could be used as evidence based on what’s called the “plain feel” doctrine. It says officers can determine if an item may be drugs based on their experience and the feel of the item in someone’s pocket.