Bond v. United States

Agent Cantu boarded a bus and started to squeeze the soft luggage in the overhead bins for the purpose of finding drugs. In an overhead bin at the back of the bus, where Bond (the defendant) was seated, Agent Cantu felt a green canvas bag and noticed that it contained a “brick-like” object. The defendant stated that the bag was his and allowed Agent Cantu to search it. Agent Cantu found a certain amount of methamphetamine wrapped in duct tape in an oval shape rolled up in a pair of pants. At trial, the defendant moved to suppress the evidence, but the motion was denied. The defendant was convicted. On appeal, the defendant argued that the search was illegal, claiming that although the bag was open to the public, Agent Cantu manipulated the bag in a way that the other passengers would not have. The court of appeals held that Agent Cantu’s manipulation of the bag was intended to detect drugs and was irrelevant for the purposes of the Fourth Amendment. Then, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.