Court Opinion

ID: 9690597
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 19:25:13.381654+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:00.031025
License: Public Domain

Concurring Opinion by
Justice COOPER.
In Thornton v. United States, 541 U.S. 615, 124 S.Ct. 2127, 158 L.Ed.2d 905 (2004), the United States Supreme Court essentially held that a search incident to a lawful arrest includes a search of any vehicle in which the arrested person was a “recent occupant.” Id. at 623-24, 124 S.Ct. at 2132. In my view (and that of five members of the Court that decided Thornton ), the reasoning supporting this departure from previously settled law with respect to automobile searches is seriously flawed. Nevertheless, Thornton is on all fours with the facts of this case. As I stated in my concurrence in Rainey v. Commonwealth, 2005-SC-0185-DG, 197 S.W.3d 89, 2006 WL 1360888 (Ky. May 18, 2006), because (and only because) I consider it important for law enforcement purposes that consistency be maintained between Kentucky and federal law on Fourth Amendment issues, I reluctantly concur in the majority opinion.
JOHNSTONE, J., joins this concurring opinion.