The People, Plaintiff and Respondent v. Willie Ovieda, Defendant and Appellant.

Summary

The court held that police may not enter a private home without a warrant under a generalized, nonemergency community-caretaking rationale. A warrantless residential entry must instead be supported by a recognized exception, such as exigent circumstances, and the officers here lacked specific, articulable facts establishing an emergency after the suicidal defendant and known occupants were outside and secured. The court reversed and remanded for withdrawal of the guilty plea and grant of the suppression motion.