Officers Made Two Illegal Entries Into the Same Home Judge Suppressed the Evidence

Description: In Michigan, what started as a broken headlight became a Fourth Amendment case that went all the way to the front door of a private residence — and then through it. When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop the driver pulled into his driveway and fled on foot into his home. Officers followed, cleared the first floor, found no one, and retreated outside to wait for backup. Fifteen minutes later they walked back in without ever obtaining a warrant. The defense argued that neither entry into the home was constitutionally permissible. The prosecution argued that two active felonies in progress justified everything that followed. The judge worked through the hot pursuit doctrine, the Supreme Court's ruling in Lange versus California, and the narrow exceptions to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement one by one. And when it was over the answer came down to one question — what exactly was the emergency that prevented officers from getting a warrant before walking back through that door a second time. Disclaimer: This video is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The proceedings shown are matters of public record. Third party materials if any remain the property of their respective owners and are used for commentary criticism reporting and educational purposes only. If you are facing a legal matter consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making any decisions.