State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Ronald Valentine, Defendant-Respondent

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the officer's pat‑down of Ronald Valentine was reasonable under the Terry stop‑and‑frisk doctrine, so the knife evidence was admissible and the conviction was reinstated. The Court reasoned that the totality of circumstances—including the high‑crime area, late hour, the suspect’s prior weapons history, and his nervous, evasive behavior—provided an objectively reasonable suspicion that the defendant was armed. Accordingly, the Court reversed the Appellate Division’s decision and affirmed the conviction.