Florida inmate’s ruling curbs car searches for marijuana

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The ruling stems from the case of Darrielle Williams, who challenged a search that led to a 10-year sentence for a probation violation.

This decision could have major implications for roadside drug enforcement, as smelling marijuana is a common reason police use to initiate searches.

Because legal hemp and medical marijuana smell the same as illegal marijuana, the odor by itself does not automatically indicate criminal activity.

GAINESVILLE – Darrielle Williams was in his prison cell in Okeechobee, unaware that a state appeals court had ruled in his case that law enforcement officers can no longer justify searching a vehicle without permission because they say they smell the odor of marijuana.

The consequential decision in one of the most populous parts of the stat