On Point blog, page 2 of 2
Arrest — Probable Cause — Drug Odor: “raw” marijuana — Search of Passenger.
State v. Mata, 230 Wis.2d 567, 602 N.W.2d 158 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Mata: Daniel P. Murray.
Issue: Whether the police had probable cause to search the passenger of a stopped car, based on the odor of “raw” marijuana.
Holding: The odor of marijuana was sufficiently linked to the passenger to justify the search.
The police stopped a car because it didn’t have a front plate.