Boston police stopped a motorist 24 hours after he violated the traffic law. The stop led to a vehicle search which allegedly uncovered cocaine.
Today the SJC ruled that the unreasonable delay between the traffic infraction and the motor vehicle stop violated the driver’s constitutional rights.
We conclude that the motor vehicle stop violated art. 14. Although a police officer may stop a motor vehicle upon observing a civil traffic infraction, such a stop is a seizure that must be conducted in a reasonable manner. A stop for an infraction is not reasonable if, upon consideration of the totality of the circumstances, the stop occurred after an unreasonable delay.
The full text of the slip opinion is attached below.