When a tenant was unable to get back into his own apartment, police were dispatched to the scene and encountered Corey Leggett (the tenant's friend) refusing to open the door. (Leggett also reportedly used threatening and profane language, demanded to see a search warrant, and asked for drugs.)
After they heard Leggett moving appliances, officers forced open the entrance and found the man in possession of three guns and ammunition.
Because he thought the officers' conduct was constitutionally violative and a warrantless "search and seizure," Leggett wanted to prevent prosecutors from using the evidence retrieved from the apartment at his criminal trial. In response to the Westchester County Court's denial of that request, Legget pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, and filed an appeal.
Since it was "reasonable" to believe that an "emergency" existed, and that Leggett's safety, and that of others, was at risk, the Appellate Division, Second Department, thought the cops had acted appropriately. (It also upheld the guy's sentence because it wasn't "excessive" and Legget understood the ramifications of his plea.)
What was Leggett trying to pull?
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: People v. Leggett