When Stewart saw the unspent cartridge in the pickup, he had a reasonable suspicion that Bastian was armed. During an investigative detention, if an officer reasonably suspects that personal safety requires it, the officer may frisk the seized person for firearms or other dangerous weapons. K.S.A. 22-2402(2). However, Bastian had already been patted down by Ball, "a capable and competent officer," when Bastian first got out of the pickup. Further, the pat-down frisk for weapons authorized by K.S.A. 22-2402 is not the same as a search inside a suspect's pockets. . . . When Stewart directed Bastian to empty his pockets in anticipation of a second pat-down search, Stewart violated Bastian's Fourth Amendment rights. He had no probable cause to search Bastian's person beyond a pat-down frisk to search for weapons.This is a nice decision, both on the procedural ruling and the merits.
Here is the coverage on FourthAmendment.com
[Update: the state did not file a PR in Bastian and the mandate issues on March 8, 2007].
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