State of Iowa v. Andrew Jay Porter

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of Porter’s motion to suppress drugs discovered in his backpack during execution of a premises search warrant. It held that a warrant authorizing a search of a location for controlled substances permits officers to search containers on the premises capable of holding the specified evidence, unless the container is in the physical possession of an unnamed person. Because Porter’s backpack was unattended and outside his physical possession when searched, the search did not violate either the Fourth Amendment or article I, section 8 of the Iowa Constitution.