Mapp v. Ohio 1961
This case started as a search for evidence in the home of Dollree Mapp for a bombing case. The police recieved a tip that Mapp had evidence linking to this case so they tried going to her house to search for it. Mapp did not allow the three policemen that showed up at her home to go inside to search the house so one policeman stayed and the other two left. Two hours later they returned with a piece of paper they claimed was a warrant, not allowing Mapp to view the “warrant”, and entered her house.
The policemen did not find any evidence linking to Mapp to the bombing case; however, they did find illegal pornographic material in a suitcase under Mapp’s bed, which she claimed she didn’t own. The State of Ohio tried Mapp for the illegal material retrieved in the search for the bombing case materials. Mapp argued that because the search of her home violated her fourth amendment rights then the evidence seized by the policemen couldn’t present that evidence in court.
The United States Supreme Court ruled, with a 6 -3 decision that Mapp’s rights were violated and that the court could not convict Mapp for the illegal pornographic material. The main justice on this case was Tom C. Clark, appointed by President Harry S Truman, stated that, “We hold that all evidence obtained by searches and seizures in violation of the Constitution [is] inadmissible in a state court…. were it otherwise…the assurance against unreasonable searches and seizures would be [meaningless].”
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