Patton v. State

Summary

The Supreme Court of Delaware affirmed the Family Court's denial of Patton's motion to suppress a gun and ammunition found in his backpack. It held that Patton objectively abandoned the backpack by leaving it in plain view in a busy public place, departing from it, and taking no steps to conceal or protect it, eliminating any reasonable expectation of privacy. The court therefore resolved the appeal on abandonment grounds without deciding whether the search was supported by probable cause or exigent circumstances.