State v. Palacio

In State v. Palacio, 111 N.J. 543, 545 A.2d 764 (1988), which involved an automobile stop leading to a prosecution for possession of fifteen pounds of cocaine concealed in a secret compartment, the Court identified a number of relevant facts supporting the jury's determination that the passenger was a joint, constructive possessor: The large quantity and high value of the drugs; The accessibility of the drugs, even though hidden, to both occupants; The driver's obvious involvement in drug trafficking; Both participants residing in the same, distant area, suggesting they had traveled together for a considerable distance and knew each other; The nervous conduct of the passenger; The occurrence of conversations between driver and passenger which they sought to keep concealed from the police. Id. at 552-53, 545 A.2d 764.