State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Byseem T. Coles, Defendant-Respondent

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that a warrantless search of a defendant's bedroom, based on consent from his aunt, was not objectively reasonable because the consent was obtained while the defendant was unlawfully detained. The Court affirmed the Appellate Division’s reversal of the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress. Justice Patterson dissented, arguing that the majority misapplied federal precedent and that the search should be deemed reasonable.