Opinion ID: 1394584
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: prison search

Text: After Moorman's arrest, prison authorities performed a warrantless search of his living quarters at the Arizona State Prison. During the search, two of Moorman's lockers were unlocked. One of the documents discovered during the search was a forged codicil to Mrs. Moorman's will. The effect of the codicil was to leave her considerable estate to Moorman. The state used this document to show a motive for the murder. Moorman contends that the prison search violated his fourth amendment rights. However, the United States Supreme Court has held that the Fourth Amendment proscription against unreasonable searches does not apply within the confines of the prison cell because prisoners have no reasonable expectation of privacy. Hudson v. Palmer, 468 U.S. 517, 526-31, 104 S.Ct. 3194, 3200-02, 82 L.Ed.2d 393 (1984). Therefore, neither prison authorities nor police needed a warrant to search Moorman's cell or, in this case, dormitory-like area. [3] Defendant claims also that the evidence should have been suppressed because prison authorities violated the prison's regulations when they conducted the search. Even if true, suppression is not the remedy for a rules violation. State v. Bishop, 137 Ariz. 361, 363, 670 P.2d 1185, 1187 (App. 1983).