There is no murder exception to the emergency search doctrine. Which statement best captures this?

• A. There is a murder exception
• B. There may be a murder exception with probable cause
• C. There is no murder exception
• D. Murder investigations require a warrant

Answer: (C)

Exigent circumstances govern when officers can act without a warrant, based on the risk to life or safety or the imminent destruction of evidence. There is no special “murder exception” that automatically grants a warrantless search simply because a homicide has occurred. A murder scene does not create an automatic exemption from the warrant requirement; investigators must still show exigent circumstances, or otherwise obtain a warrant if time allows. In other words, a homicide investigation does not itself justify a blanket exception to the need for a warrant. The best statement is that there is no murder exception.