Kentucky v. King
United States Supreme Court
563 U.S. 452 (2011)
Police mistakenly went to the wrong apartment during a drug sting, and after smelling marijuana and hearing hurried movement inside following a loud knock and announcement, kicked down the door believing evidence might be destroyed, arresting King (defendant) and others on unrelated drug charges. King moved to suppress the evidence, arguing the warrantless entry violated the Fourth Amendment; the trial court denied the motion under the exigent circumstances exception, but the Kentucky Supreme Court reversed, reasoning the exception didn't apply because police had themselves created the exigency through their conduct. The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Whether the exigent circumstances exception to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement applies to an officer-created exigency if the exigency does not arise from the officer's unreasonable or unconstitutional conduct.