Adams v. Williams

Me. Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court.

Respondent Robert Williams was convicted in a Connecticut state court of illegal possession of a handgun found during a “stop and frisk,” as well as of possession of heroin that was found during a full search incident to his weapons arrest. After respondent’s conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Connecticut, 157 Conn. 114, 249 A. 2d 245 (1968), this Court denied certiorari. 395 U. S. 927 (1969). Williams’ petition for federal habeas corpus relief was denied by the District Court and by a divided panel of the Second Circuit, 436 F. 2d 30 (1970), but on rehearing en banc the Court of Appeals granted relief. 441 F. 2d 394 (1971). That court held that evidence introduced at Williams> trial had been obtained by an unlawful search of his person and car, and thus the state court judgments of conviction should be set aside. Since we conclude that the policeman’s actions here conformed to the, standards this Court laid down in Terry v. Ohio, 392 U. S. 1 (1968), we reverse.

Police Sgt. John Connolly was alone early in the morning on car patrol duty in a high-crime area of Bridgeport, Connecticut. At approximately 2:15 a.m. a person known to Sgt. Connolly approached his cruiser [*145] and informed him that an individual seated, in a nearby vehicle was carrying narcotics and had a gun at his waist.