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People v. Copeland

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Jul 6, 1976
39 N.Y.2d 986 (N.Y. 1976)

Opinion

Argued June 8, 1976

Decided July 6, 1976

Appeal from the Supreme Court in the Second Judicial Department, MARIE G. SANTAGATA, J.

Eugene Murphy, James J. McDonough and Matthew Muraskin for appellant.

Denis Dillon, District Attorney (Martin I. Saperstein and William C. Donnino of counsel), for respondent.


MEMORANDUM. The order of the Appellate Term should be affirmed.

In the early morning hours a patrolman stopped the automobile defendant was driving after it had been observed weaving from lane to lane. On being asked for his driver's license, defendant stated that he did not possess a license, and he was thereupon arrested for violation of section 509 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (CPL 140.10, subd 1, par [a]). Further inquiry disclosed that defendant carried no identification. The arresting officer then frisked him, and when defendant emptied his pockets the contraband fell out.

Without the available data on which to prepare a uniform traffic summons and confronted with the driver of a weaving car who possessed no operator's license, we can only conclude that this arrest was warranted and that the search of defendant's person incident thereto was surely lawful (cf. People v Troiano, 35 N.Y.2d 476). Accordingly, the motion to suppress was properly denied.

Chief Judge BREITEL and Judges JASEN, GABRIELLI, JONES, WACHTLER, FUCHSBERG and COOKE concur.

Order affirmed in a memorandum.


Summaries of

People v. Copeland

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Jul 6, 1976
39 N.Y.2d 986 (N.Y. 1976)
Case details for

People v. Copeland

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. DON COPELAND, Appellant

Court:Court of Appeals of the State of New York

Date published: Jul 6, 1976

Citations

39 N.Y.2d 986 (N.Y. 1976)
387 N.Y.S.2d 234
355 N.E.2d 288

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