Oregon Law of the (Searched and Seized) Purse

The Oregon Supreme Court has decided State v. Morgan (CA A134236; SC S057279)

Excerpt: “This is a criminal case in which defendant was convicted of unlawful possession of heroin, ORS 475.854,(1) which a police officer discovered in defendant’s purse. Defendant reached into the purse after the officer indicated that he needed to search it for weapons. The officer, concerned that defendant was reaching for a weapon, seized the purse and saw drug paraphernalia inside it. The trial court refused to suppress the evidence found in the purse, and a divided panel of the Court of Appeals affirmed. We allowed defendant’s petition for review and now affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals and the judgment of the trial court….” (Link to full case.)

May 13, 2010, Oregon Supreme Court Media Release

(The wags amongst my readers may be heard to mutter something about going to h***in a handbag (or a handbasket).)