Challenge to Seizure of Drugs Found in Defendant's Vehicle Rejected

In U.S. v. Taylor, No. 08-3648, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit faced a challenge to a conviction for possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute it.

As stated in the decision: "the agents viewed Taylor driving without his seatbelt, and Taylor has not challenged that factual finding on appeal."

The Court affirmed the conviction in concluding that the initial stop of the vehicle and the questioning was proper as it was based on probable cause to believe that defendant had committed a traffic offense.  The Court further found that the seizure was reasonable in duration and the subjective motivations of the agents are irrelevant to the Fourth Amendment analsys. 

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Full Text of U.S. v. Taylor