MANATEE CLEMONES, PETITIONER,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, RESPONDENT

Fla. | 1994-06-09
No. 82136
GRIMES, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN and HARDING, JJ., concur., McDONALD, Senior Justice, dissents.
638 So. 2d 54 Florida Supreme Court (1994)

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Holding

The manufacture of crack cocaine by law enforcement for use in a reverse-sting operation constitutes governmental misconduct violating the due process clause.


Facts & Procedural History

Law enforcement manufactured crack cocaine for use in a reverse-sting operation. The defendant was charged with solicitation to purchase the drugs.…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

[*55] PER CURIAM.

We review State v. Clemones, 625 So. 2d 1231 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). The district court certified this question as one of great public importance:

WHETHER THE MANUFACTURE OF CRACK COCAINE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FOR USE IN A REVERSE-STING OPERATION CONSTITUTES GOVERNMENTAL MISCONDUCT WHICH VIOLATES THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION, WHERE THE CHARGE IS SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE, I.E. WHETHER MET-CALF V. STATE, 614 S0.2D 548 (FLA. 4TH DCA 1993), IS CORRECT?

We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla.Const. We recently resolved the issue presented in this case in Metcalf v. State, 635 So. 2d 11 (Fla.1994), where we found a due process violation when police used illegally manufactured drugs in a reverse-sting operation. On authority of Metcalf we quash the decision under review. We answer the first part of the certified question in the affirmative. We answer the second part — whether Metcalf v. State, 614 So. 2d 548 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993), is correct — in the negative.

It is so ordered.

GRIMES, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN and HARDING, JJ., concur. McDONALD, Senior Justice, dissents.


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