Opinion ID: 71441
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Martin County Search

Text: 36 Finally, Campbell challenges an automobile search. Pursuant to a lawful traffic stop, police seized almost $6000 from a car in which he was riding. Campbell argues that even though the police had probable cause to stop the vehicle, they needed a search warrant to look behind the door panel that contained some of the money. 37 On appeal, determinations of probable cause and reasonable suspicion should be reviewed de novo. Ornelas, --- U.S. at ----, 116 S.Ct. at 1662. The car in which Campbell was a passenger was pulled over because it was speeding and one of its headlights was out. The driver was arrested pursuant to an outstanding warrant, and a search incident to arrest resulted in the discovery of $1200 over the driver's side visor. The officer then discovered that Campbell had previously been convicted of a drug felony. Furthermore, the ownership of the vehicle was at issue because Campbell claimed to have borrowed the car. Given these facts, the officer had probable cause to search the vehicle for drugs and additional contraband. See id. at ----, 116 S.Ct. at 1663. 38 Campbell, however, argues that even though probable cause existed to permit a search, the vehicle was already under physical control of the police, thus requiring a warrant. If a car is readily mobile and probable cause exists to believe it contains contraband, the Fourth Amendment thus permits police to search the vehicle without more. Pennsylvania v. Labron, --- U.S. ----, ----, 116 S.Ct. 2485, 2487, 135 L.Ed.2d 1031 (1996). Because the car was stopped on the highway in the process of returning to Miami, it remained readily mobile, thus justifying the search behind the loose panel. 3 Accordingly, the evidence of the search was admissible.