You don’t need a traffic citation to make a Terry car stop – also a discussion on consent in the Mississippi constitution
Facts In 2013, Wayne Barrett heard a knock on his door and let Keagan Latham use the phone. Latham was a friend or relative of his former neighbors and left after using the phone. A few minutes later, Barrett heard another knock on his door and this time he did not recognize any of the […]
Express written or oral waiver not needed for statement and inventory search of vehicle proper
Facts In 2015, Sebastopol Chief of police Daniel Ogletree initiated a traffic stop on a Nissan Sentra because the driver, Robert Pinter, was not wearing a seat belt. Ogletree learned he had a suspended drivers license and an outstanding warrant so he placed him under arrest. Ogletree was going to need to tow the vehicle […]
Officers committed Edwards violation while taking statement in death penalty case
Facts In 2010, James Hutto, a resident of Alabama, contacted his ex-girlfriend and agreed to meet at a hotel in Clinton, Mississippi, for the weekend. His car broke down so after she left, he walked from the hotel to the Baptist Healthplex and befriended 81 year old Ethel Simpson. Simpson drove Hutto back to his […]
Phone call between victim’s mother and subject is properly admitted
Facts V.B. lived with Jimmy Brown, her grandfather, between the ages of eight and thirteen and again between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. VB eventually told her family that Brown had sexually abused her on numerous occasions for years. VB went to DeSoto County S.O. and VB’s mother then made a phone call to […]
A roommate can give consent for officers to enter common area of home and officers can enter subject’s bedroom to retrieve weapon
Facts In 2010, Jeffrey Hill was living at the Aiken Village Apartments in overflow housing for Mississippi State University (MSU). MSU police got a tip that Hill had a weapon at the apartment, which is a violation of MSU on campus policy. When the officers arrived at Hill’s apartment, Hill’s roommate allowed them to enter. […]
Exigent circumstances allowed officers to enter house after arresting subject
Facts In 2014, George Parks physically and sexually assaulted Desiree Stringer, a former friend and roommate who had come from Louisiana to visit him. He used a knife and a broken golf club to stab her repeatedly and did not allow her to leave the house for 17 hours. When he finally let her go, […]