a routine traffic stop had occurred, and the officer realized there was a needle sticking out of the drivers shirt, in his pocket.
The officer went ahead and searched the car and the passenger’s purse for additional drugs. He did, however, find additional things inside the purse and arrested the passenger on drug charges. The passenger, however, believed that she shouldn’t be charged. She thought the officer searching her purse was considered an unlawful search. However, the court denied it because the officer had probable cause to search the car for drugs. This includes anything within the car that could hold such illegal things. However, if the police officer probably knows or knows that any container belongs to the anyone else in the car and they are not suspected of doing any criminal activity, then that container cannot be searched.
