Court Opinion

ID: 9759265
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:10:30.879706+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:00.621262
License: Public Domain

O’BRIEN, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
While I agree with Mr. Justice Roberts’ analysis concerning Steagald v. United States, 451 U.S. 204, 101 S.Ct. 1642, 68 L.Ed.2d 38 (1981), I must disagree with both him and the majority that the police conduct in executing the arrest warrant was reasonable. I believe the case law of this Commonwealth, as fully set forth in my dissenting opinion in Commonwealth v. Norris, 498 Pa. 308, 446 A.2d 246 (1982), mandates that police announce both their identity and purpose prior to executing a forcible entry. The rationale for the knock and announce rule, which is to reduce the potential for violent confrontations between officers and occupants and to guard against needless destruction of private property, is no less viable merely because the premises belong to another party.
I would suppress the arrest and all evidence derived therefrom, and reverse for a new trial.