Minnesota v. Dickerson
United States Supreme Court
508 U.S. 366 (1993)
Police saw Dickerson (defendant) leaving a known crack house and, when he turned away at the sight of officers, stopped him and performed a patdown search. The officer found no weapon but felt a small object in Dickerson's pocket, and only after squeezing and manipulating it to confirm his suspicion that it was crack cocaine did he reach in and remove it. Dickerson was arrested and, at trial, moved to suppress the evidence; the trial court denied the motion, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed, declining to adopt a "plain feel" exception, and the Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed.
Whether a police officer performing a patdown search for weapons may seize other contraband detected during the search if the identity of that contraband is not immediately apparent.