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Home > Practice Areas > Criminal Law > Smell of ether not grounds for search
Smell of ether not grounds for search
By:
Nora Tooher
Published: January 21, 2010
Tags: search and seizure
The odor of a lawful substance associated with contraband doesn’t necessarily furnish probable cause for a warrantless search, the Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled.
A police officer on foot patrol noticed a strong odor of ether on the defendant. Knowing that the odor of ether is associated with PCP, the officer reached over, grabbed the defendant’s hands and had him place them over the top of his head.
The officer then searched the defendant and found a glass vial containing a liquid that was later confirmed as PCP.
The defendant moved to suppress the evidence, claiming the glass vial was the fruit of an illegal seizure.
The court agreed.
“[T]he substance in question, ether, is not contraband. Possession of ether is not a criminal act, nor did the surrounding circumstances provide a substantial basis for a suspicion that the [defendant] possessed contraband. …
We are unaware of any cases in which a court held that the smell of ether or another lawful substance associated with contraband, on its own, constituted probable cause for a belief that contraband was present or a crime was committed,” the court said.
It cited similar rulings from courts in California, Kansas, Missouri and Oregon.
Maryland Court of Appeals. Bailey v. Maryland, No. 10, September Term 2009. Jan. 14, 2010. Lawyers USA No. 993-1546.
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