Jonathan D. Carpenter, Appellant (defendant Below) v. State of Indiana, Appellee (plaintiff Below)

Summary

The Indiana Supreme Court held that officers violated Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution by entering Carpenter’s home without a warrant while pursuing an aggressive, injured dog. The circumstances did not provide objectively reasonable grounds to believe that a person inside needed immediate assistance, and less intrusive alternatives were available. Because the search warrant relied on observations made during the unlawful entry, the evidence obtained under the warrant was inadmissible, requiring reversal of Carpenter’s convictions.