WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court handed law enforcement an added tool on Monday.
The Court ruled 8-1 that it was okay when Lexington, Ky. police busted into an apartment without a warrant after smelling marijuana and fearing the suspect was trying to destroy evidence, the Associated Press reported.
The ruling overturned a Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that had thrown out evidence gathered during the raid of Hollis King’s apartment, AP reported.
“Occupants who choose not to stand on their constitutional rights but instead elect to attempt to destroy evidence have only themselves to blame,” Justice Sam Alito said in his opinion, according to AP.
Justice Ginsburg, the lone dissenting vote, said the ruling gives police an easy was to forgo warrants in drug cases, AP reported.
“Police officers may now knock, listen, then break the door down, never mind that they had ample time to obtain a warrant,” she said.
