In which of the following examples would there be enough evidence to justify probable cause and continue with an arrest?
A.
A vehicle is pulled over for a broken taillight. The officer asks to open and search the trunk and finds an open bottle of whiskey.
B.
A vehicle is pulled over at a holiday check stop, and there are several visible open bottles of alcohol on the passenger seat and the driver is clearly intoxicated.
C.
A hit and run car accident has occurred at the local mall. Police go around a nearby neighborhood, searching in people's garages for evidence of an accident, such as a dent, on the vehicles in the garages.
D.
A robbery has taken place at a bank and police apprehend a man who is walking down the street, awa
y from the bank, with a mask and a bag of money in his hand.
The correct example that would have enough evidence to justify probable cause and continue with an arrest is option D. The man was found with the mask and a bag of money, which are strong indications of his involvement in the robbery. The other examples do not provide enough evidence to justify a probable cause and continue with an arrest. In option A, a broken taillight and an open bottle of whiskey in the trunk are not enough to justify an arrest. In option B, while the driver may be clearly intoxicated, the open bottles of alcohol may not necessarily belong to them, and further investigation would be needed. In option C, searching in people's garages for evidence without a warrant or probable cause is an infringement of privacy and against the law.
In this scenario, the example that would likely provide enough evidence to justify probable cause and continue with an arrest is example D. A robbery has taken place at a bank, and the police apprehend a man who is walking down the street, away from the bank. The police may have reasonable suspicion to believe that the apprehended person is involved in the robbery based on proximity to the crime scene and potentially matching a description provided by witnesses or surveillance footage. This situation may provide enough evidence to justify probable cause and proceed with an arrest.
To determine which of the examples would have enough evidence to justify probable cause and continue with an arrest, we need to understand what probable cause means. Probable cause refers to a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed and the person being arrested is connected to it. This belief is based on factual evidence or information that a reasonable person would rely upon.
Let's go through each example and assess if there is enough evidence to establish probable cause:
A. In this example, a vehicle is pulled over for a broken taillight, and during a search, an open bottle of whiskey is found in the trunk. While having an open bottle of whiskey may be against the law in some jurisdictions, it does not necessarily indicate a connection to a crime. Without additional evidence, such as signs of drunkenness or other illegal activities, it might not be enough to establish probable cause for an arrest.
B. In this example, a vehicle is pulled over at a holiday check stop, and there are visible open bottles of alcohol on the passenger seat, and the driver appears intoxicated. This scenario provides more clear and compelling evidence for probable cause. The visible presence of open bottles of alcohol, combined with the driver's clear intoxication, indicates a potential violation of drinking and driving laws. This would likely provide sufficient evidence for an arrest.
C. This example involves a hit and run car accident, and the police are searching in people's garages for evidence of an accident. Searching private property without consent or a warrant generally requires additional legal justification. Without more specific and reliable information connecting a particular vehicle or individual to the hit and run, it may not be enough to establish probable cause for an arrest.
D. This example includes a bank robbery, and a man is apprehended while walking down the street. Without additional information or evidence connecting the man to the bank robbery (e.g., eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, etc.), it might not be enough to establish probable cause for an arrest.
In summary, based on the information provided, option B (a visibly intoxicated driver with open bottles of alcohol) would likely have enough evidence to justify probable cause and continue with an arrest.