Opinion ID: 1723259
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Incident to Arrest

Text: In Mississippi authorities may search a vehicle as an incident to arrest even when the underlying offense for which the defendant has been arrested is a traffic violation. Watts v. State, 196 So.2d 79, 86 (Miss. 1967). However, in the instant case there appears to be a question as to whether the search was actually an incident to the arrest. Ferrell was stopped for speeding. When the officers found that his license was suspended, he was asked to exit the car, at which time he was placed under arrest. No weapons or contraband were found on Ferrell's person when he was searched and handcuffed. He was then escorted across the street and placed in a patrol car. Officer Byrd then returned to the car Ferrell was driving only after he was requested to retrieve the keys. The United States Supreme Court has held that the scope of a warrantless search must be commensurate with the rationale that excepts the search from the warrant requirement. Cupp v. Murphy, 412 U.S. 291, 295, 93 S.Ct. 2000, 2003, 36 L.Ed.2d 900 (1973). In the case of a search incident to arrest, the exception to the warrant requirement is founded upon the reasonable concern that the arrestee might have a weapon on his person or within reach, and that he may attempt to destroy evidence which is within his grasp. Cupp, 412 U.S. at 295, 93 S.Ct. at 2003. The search of Ferrell's car cannot be classified as incident to arrest under Cupp. At the time Officer Byrd searched the car, Ferrell had already been frisked, handcuffed, and placed in the backseat of Officer Byrd's patrol car. Consequently, he could have had no reasonable fear that Ferrell might have a weapon. Furthermore, based upon the defendant's behavior and the prior pat-down there was no reason to think that Ferrell might be in a position to destroy incriminating evidence from the crime which led to his arrest, i.e., a suspended driver's license.