Wilson v. Arkansas

Arkansas police were operating undercover in pursuit of Sharlene Wilson during the fall of 1992. During November and December of that year undercover officers made a series of narcotics purchases from Wilson, culminating in a potentially violent marijuana buy on 30 December. At this last meeting, Wilson told the informant that she suspected her of working with the police, and produced a semiautomatic pistol and threatened to kill her if her suspicions turned out to be correct. Judging from this incident that they should proceed with their operation before their informant was discovered, the Arkansas State Police applied for and obtained warrants to search Wilson's house the following day. Wilson lived with another person, Bryson Jacobs, and police noted in their warrant applications that Jacobs had prior convictions for arson and firebombing.

Police officers then proceeded to Wilson and Jacobs' house, finding the front door open and an unlocked screen door closed when they arrived. As they opened the screen door and entered the house, the officers announced themselves and informed the occupants that they possessed search warrants. Officers quickly discovered a quantity of narcotics, including marijuana, methamphetamine, and valium in the house, as well as drug paraphernalia, a gun, and ammunition. They also found Wilson and arrested her in the bathroom as she attempted to flush a quantity of marijuana down the toilet. Jacobs was also taken into custody during the raid.