Court Opinion

ID: 9477721
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 06:29:32.080549+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:46:00.703210
License: Public Domain

OAKES, Circuit Judge
(concurring):
I concur.
Despite the concerns I have recently expressed in United States v. Cattouse, 846 F.2d 144, 148 (2d Cir.1988) (dissenting opinion), about erosion of the Fourth Amendment warrant clause by expansion of the exigent circumstances “exception,” I concur here, where of course the officers did have a warrant. The knowledge they possessed of Spinelli’s background and operations coupled with the volatile nature of the methamphetamine laboratory (which was housed in an upstairs room complete with a window fan and a visibly rusted screen) and the presence of children in the vicinity would suggest to a reasonable person that time was of the essence, once it appeared that Spinelli may have spotted the surveillance. I therefore join in Judge Kearse’s able opinion.