stop and search mess

in champaign, illinois i was walking down the street and was approached by a man asking for change. I gave him forty cents from my pocket and kept going. about one block later, a police officer stopped me and asked if the man was buying me liquor. I said no I gave him change and gave him the right to search my backpack which i foolishly added was not mine but a roomates. After several minutes I said I had to get to work and since no alcohol was present might i be on my way. At this time the officer came upon several bags of marijuana concealed indiscreetly and I was arrested. Is there anything i can do? Did he have the right to continue his search after it was clear i was not guilty of the original suspected crime. are things i said before my arrest admissable in court.

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

Yes as to your second question. As to his suspicion, he had no right to search your bag in the first place. He was not searching for weapons. So.....you stand a pretty good chance of getting it dismissed. But don't mess around. Get a private attorney to defend this and next time, don't borrow other people's things. : - )

http://www.attorneypages.com

Yes, but the problem is you consented to the search. Therefore, the search was legal.