Case Name: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Leonard Alexander JENKINS, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1981-12-02
Citations: 406 So. 2d 1236
Docket Number: No. 81-1188
Parties: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Leonard Alexander JENKINS, Appellee.
Judges: GRIMES, A. C. J., and DANAHY, J., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 406
Pages: 1236–1237

Head Matter:
STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Leonard Alexander JENKINS, Appellee.
No. 81-1188.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Dec. 2, 1981.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Robert J. Landry, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, for appellant.
Jerry Hill, Public Defender, Bartow, and Eula Tuttle Mason, Asst. Public Defender, Tampa, for appellee.

Opinion:
OTT, Judge.
Appellee was charged with possession of marijuana. A police officer had entered his residence in response to a call from a neighbor, who was justifiably concerned for ap-pellee's welfare. The officer observed marijuana in plain view in several locations, and seized it without obtaining a warrant. The trial court granted appellee's motion to suppress the evidence, after making the following findings:
1. under the emergency doctrine the officer had a right to enter the house;
2. the officer did not suspect the presence of illegal drugs;
3. the contraband was in plain view;
4. the house was vacant, the contraband was in no danger of being destroyed or removed, and no one was present in the house; and
5. warrantless seizure was not necessary by reason of the time element of other exigent circumstances.
The state contends on appeal that a warrant was not required because the marijuana was in plain view. We agree and reverse.
When an officer legally enters a constitutionally protected area and observes contraband in plain view, he may constitutionally seize it without first obtaining a warrant. Ensor v. State, 403 So.2d 349 (Fla.1981).
Accordingly, it was error for the trial court to grant appellee's motion to suppress.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
GRIMES, A. C. J., and DANAHY, J., concur.