Voluntary conversation with police leads to arrest
Facts In 2012, Master Sergeant John Harris and Communications Officer Keishawn McDonald of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department were patrolling several Canton, Mississippi apartment complexes after the police department received complaints from the apartment management of loitering and possible drug deals occurring on the premises. Harris testified he pulled into Madison Heights apartment complex and noticed […]
Subject does not need to be explicitly told that he can stop interrogation at any time
Facts In 2010, Cheryl McFarland was on the phone with her husband when she arrived home and saw a strange red or maroon car in the carport. She then observed that the house door had been kicked in and two men came running out. One with dreadlocks came out first, choked her, and threw her […]
Answering a subject truthfully is not coercion for Miranda purposes
Facts In 2011, Mickey Johnson, his fianceé Chiquita Clay, and Gamilla Truss were in Johnson’s home when law enforcement officers arrived to execute a search warrant. During the search, officers located a plastic bottle containing crack cocaine. Following the search, the officers arrested Johnson and transported him and Clay – whom they did not arrest […]
Even if officer lacks reasonable suspicion for traffic stop, fruit of poisonous tree does not extend to new crime of evasion
Facts In 2008, Robert Williams was driving east on I-220 in Madison County, Mississippi, when Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies saw his vehicle cross the fog line on the right side of the road. Williams was driving a rental car listed in someone else’s name and appeared extremely nervous. He denied having any drugs in the car […]
Disobeying order to stay off phone justified disorderly conduct conviction
Facts Mark Matthews and Brittany Sullivan had a daughter, Macy Kate, in 2008. Because they were not married, custody arrangements were established by a final judgment of filiation and support filed in Madison County Chancery Court, granting joint legal and physical custody to both parents. The custody agreement provided that Matthews had custody of Macy […]
Written waiver not required for valid confession
Facts In 2010, parked cars were obstructing traffic outside a night club so officers called a tow truck to assist. As the tow truck driver was attaching a vehicle to his wrecker, a Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Ivana Merritt, struck the side of the wrecker and ran over Robert Bounds (he survived), carrying him about […]