State v. Smith

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey considered whether the exclusionary rule announced in Mapp v. Ohio applies retroactively to a search conducted before that decision and whether the police officers’ warrantless entry, observation through a crack, and seizure were constitutional. The Court held that Mapp applies to pre‑Mapp convictions, that the officers’ observation did not constitute an unreasonable search, and that the warrantless arrest and search incident to arrest were lawful. Accordingly, the heroin evidence was admissible and the defendant’s conviction was affirmed.