Ybarra v. Illinois 444 U.S. 85 (1979)

• Author: Leonard W. Levy
• Pages: 2939

Page 2939

Although three dissenting Justices complained that the Supreme Court majority had narrowed the STOP-AND-FRISK RULE of TERRY V. OHIO (1968), Justice POTTER STEWART for the Court did not doubt that an officer may pat down a suspect for a concealed weapon. Stewart regarded Terry as an exception to the requirement of PROBABLE CAUSE. Here no such cause existed to search a person suspected neither of criminal activity nor of having a weapon. A police officer, having a warrant to search a tavern and its bartender, patted down a bystander, felt no weapon, but removed from his pocket a cigarette pack containing heroin. The Court reversed the man's conviction, because the warrant did not...