Illinois police often show up at someone’s house if they suspect that one or more residents inside may have committed a crime. Often, officers will ask to be allowed in to have a look around. It is critical that anyone who encounters police in this manner understands his or her personal rights and also where to seek a criminal defense attorney if a problem arises.
One man recently wound up facing arrest after a task force dispatched by the Champaign Police Department searched his home. Investigators claim the 48-year-old man was in possession of more than 100 pounds of cannabis. They also say the discovered heroin, crystal methamphetamine and numerous firearms at the residence.
A person may be at a location where a particular substance is found, but it does not necessarily mean the substance belongs to him or her. Also, if police seize certain substances from a home, believing them to be illegal drugs, prosecutors who later file charges must prove (through laboratory testing) that the substances are, in fact, what they claim them to be. There have been many cases in the past where substances suspected of being illegal drugs turned out to be other items that merely looked like drugs, such as talcum powder or prescription medication.
An Illinois criminal defense attorney can thoroughly review events leading up to and following a client’s arrest to determine if his or her rights were violated in any way. If a personal rights violation took place, evidence offered by prosecutors in support of the charges can be challenged as inadmissible in court. This is only one of many reasons it is always best to rely on someone who is well-versed in criminal law and knows the ins and outs of the criminal justice system.
