People v. Bolasa

Summary

The Supreme Court acquitted two defendants charged with violating the Dangerous Drugs Act, reversing their trial court conviction. Police officers, acting on an anonymous tip, conducted warrantless surveillance and arrest of suspects allegedly repacking marijuana. The Court found the arrest illegal as it fell outside recognized exceptions to the warrant requirement - officers lacked personal knowledge of ongoing criminal activity and evidence was not discovered inadvertently. The illegal arrest rendered the subsequent search invalid, making all seized evidence inadmissible under constitutional exclusionary principles. The decision reinforces constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures in criminal prosecutions.