Driving under the Influence (DUI) charges were dropped against WWE star Alex Riley following a motion to suppress that was filed earlier this month. In the motion, Riley's defense attorneys claimed that the police did not have probable cause to stop Riley's vehicle. The judge agreed and suppressed all evidence that resulted from the illegal stop, including the officer's personal observations of Riley and the results of the field sobriety tests.
A motion to suppress may be filed when there is reason to believe that a defendant's constitutional rights were violated. In this case, it appears that the defense claimed that police violated Riley's Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Fourth Amendment prohibits police from (among other things) stopping a vehicle without probable cause.
Probable cause means evidence that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it. Any traffic violation can be a sufficient basis for a traffic stop. But, an officer's hunch or unsupported belief is insufficient to justify a traffic stop. If an officer stops a vehicle without probable cause, all evidence that he or she gathered as a result of the illegal stop will be suppressed under the "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" doctrine. In many cases, if a motion to suppress is granted, the criminal case will be dismissed.
If you or someone you know is charged with Driving under the Influence, it is important that you call a Las Vegas DUI Attorney right away. ALas Vegas DUI Attorney can assist by analyzing the facts of your case and determining if a motion to suppress is appropriate in your case. The Las Vegas DUI Lawyer can also identify applicable defenses and provide you with the most effective litigation strategy possible.