Alabama v. White

Officers received an anonymous telephone tip that the defendant would be leaving an apartment complex at a certain time, driving a brown Plymouth station wagon with a broken right taillight lens. The anonymous source stated the defendant would drive to a specific motel and would be in possession of approximately one ounce of cocaine in a brown attaché case. The officers did not know if the anonymous caller was reliable or how the caller knew this information. The officers went to the apartment complex and located a Plymouth station wagon with a broken right taillight in the parking lot. The officers observed the defendant leave the building and enter the station wagon. The officers followed her as she drove to the motel identified by the anonymous source. The officers stopped her. After obtaining the defendant’s consent to search the vehicle, the officers found a locked brown attaché case. The defendant provided the combination to the case and upon opening it the officers found marijuana. The defendant was arrested. During processing, the officers found cocaine in her purse.