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Probable Cause: Article Analysis

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Probable Cause Article Summary
Officer Ryan Humphrey was an officer for the West Valley City (Utah), police department. In June of 2013 Ryan Humphrey and Officer Halulic were both dispatched to a house that a cancer patient had died. The death of the cancer individual came to believe to be due to “natural causes”. At the scene of the decease house, both Officers (Ryan Humphrey and Halulic) counted the deceased person’s medication, to see if the death was due to overdose. Some of the medication included morphine tablets (SLTRIB,2014). In plain view, Officer Halulic saw Officer Ryan Humphrey took the pills and placed some morphine tablet in his pocket whie being very sneaky. Officer Halulic saw this crime happening and went straight to notify his supervisor (which who was also at the scene). After having a brief discussion with his supervisor the supervisor went to Ryan Humphrey and had a decision with him. Shortly during …show more content…
Although Officer Halulic and the supervisor spared Ryan Humphrey the embarrassment of putting an officer in hand cuffs and booking him in a jail, which by law they could of have. A search warrant wasn’t necessary due to the fact that the evidence was surrendered over by Officer Humphrey. An arrest warrant wasn’t necessary because Humphrey did the crime in plain view to Officer Halulic. Courts decide on the reasonableness of warrantless searches on a case-by-case situation.
The classification of probable cause does not change, regardless of the conduct in which law enforcement is engaged. The Supreme Court in the case of Beck v. Ohio expressed this. As more than bare suspicion; it exists when “the facts and circumstances within “the officers” knowledge and of which they have reasonably trustworthy information are sufficient to warrant a prudent man in believing that the suspect had committed or was committing an offense (Worrall,

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