NoemiDelgado

4/30
Periods3/4
Bondv.UnitedStates(2000)
IRAC
Thefactsofthecasearethefollowing:StevenDewayneBondwasonaGreyhoundbusfrom
CaliforniatoArkansaswhenthebuswasstoppedataBorderPatrolcheckpointinSierraBlanca,
Texas.CesarCantuwasthepatrolagentwhoenteredthebustomakesureallpassengerswerelegally
intheUnitedStates.Aftercompletingthecheck,Cantuwalkeddowntheaisleandsqueezedluggagein
theoverheadstoragespace.Bondwasseatednearthebackofthebus.WhenCantusqueezedBonds
greencanvasbag,hefeltabricklikeobjectandaskedwhoitbelongedto.Bondsaiditwashisand
gaveCantupermissiontoopenit.Cantufoundabrickofmethamphetaminewrappedinducttapeand
rolledinapairofpants.Bondwaschargedwithconspiracytopossessandpossessionwithintentto
distributemethamphetamine.Bondappealedthisindictmentonthebasisthat,AgentCantus
manipulationofthebagwasnotasearchwithinthemeaningoftheFourthAmendment(page2).The
legalquestionsathandhereare:DidBondexhibitanexpectationofprivacy?Ifso,isthisexpectation
onethatsocietydeemsreasonable?Theanswerstothesequestionswillhelpusdeterminewhetheror
notthesearchviolatedrightsgivenbytheFourthAmendment.
AccordingtotheCAv.Ciarlocaseof1986,therearethreevariableswhenunderstanding
whetherornotsomeonehaslegalstanding:Weretheysearchedbyanactorofthestate?Havethey
clearlyshownanassumptionofprivacy?Issocietywillingtoconsiderthisassumptionofprivacy
reasonable?StevenDewayneBondcanclaimprotectionundertheFourthAmendmentbecauseAgent
Cantu,aborderpatrolagent,wasindeedanactorofthestateandStevenBondhadthedrugsinsidehis
personalbag,whichclearlyestablishesanexpectationofprivacy.Havingitemsconcealedinabagis
definitelyanexpectationofprivacythatisconsideredreasonablebysociety.
BecauseBondcouldexpectprivacyofthebelongingsinsidehisbagandwassearchedbya
governmentofficial,theFourthAmendmentautomaticallyappliestohiscase.SowhenCantuwalked
downtheaisleofthatbusfeelingpeoplesbagsforsomethingunusual,hewasviolatingtheFourth
Amendmentrightsofeverypersononthebus.AccordingtotheFourthAmendmentpeoplehavethe
rightto,besecureintheirpersons,houses,papers,andeffects,againstunreasonablesearchesand
seizures.Thisrightisinplacetoprotectpeoplesprivacyandpreventunreasonableinvasionbythe
government.Cantucertainlyhadnoreasontobesuspiciousthattherewereillicititemsonthebusand
didnothavetherighttotouchanyonesthings.AgentCantudidnotsimplytouchtheirthingstomove
them,likeanotherpassengerorthebusdrivermight,hisintentionwasclearlytofindillegalsubstances.
WhenCantusqueezedBondsbag,hewassearchingBondwithoutawarrantandinvadinghisrightto
privacy.Thegovernmentcannotfeelandmanipulatepeoplesbelongingswithoutareasonablesuspicion
orawarrant,andtheFourthAmendmentwascreatedtopreventjustthat.
Inthiscase,thesearchconductedbyagovernmentofficialwasaviolationofrightsprotectedby
FourthAmendment.Bondwassearchedbyanactorofthestateandhadstanding.I,therefore,would
findinfavorofStevenDewayneBond.