Driver was in constructive possession of handgun found under his seat
Facts In 2010, Willie Weekly and Beverly Edwards were robbed at gunpoint in a parking lot in Jackson, Mississippi. Two men in a dark colored sedan got a credit card, $400, and a straight razor in the robbery. After giving a description of the robbers and the vehicle to the police, a BOLO was put […]
Mother gave oral consent to search her home
Facts In 2009, nine year old Farrah spent the night at her grandmother’s house. Dennis Brown is Farrah’s uncle and was living with Farrah’s grandmother, Eva Sylvester. The next day, Farrah told her mother that Brown had sexually assaulted her. Kimberly Willis, who is Brown’s sister and a daughter of Sylvester, asked police to come […]
You must have reasonable suspicion before you can demand that someone provide you with a name and social security number
Facts In 2010, the Starkville chief of police called the police station and requested someone investigate a man walking two pit bulls near Louisville Street. The chief of police noted that the man did not seem to have control over the dogs, which posed a potential danger to a pedestrian in the area. Sergeant Shawn Word responded […]
A suggestive photo lineup does not automatically exclude the identification
Facts: In 2010, Anthony Nichols and his girlfriend, Haley Brooke Terrell, and their friend, Jarron Pappas, traveled from McComb to Brookhaven to sell a pit bull dog. The trio first talked to Pappas’s friend, Brent Fells, about purchasing the dog. During this conversation, a friend of Fells approached and expressed an interest in the dog; […]
Affidavit for disorderly conduct must focus on conduct in addition to speech
Facts In 2009, Officer Michael Case of the Brandon Police Department received a call requesting that he follow up on a complaint about dogs residing at a specific address who entered a neighbor’s garage in Brandon, Mississippi, and pulled out items. Case went to the home with the dogs and spoke to a babysitter. Case explained that […]
It is a violation to not use your turn signals even if there are no other cars around
Facts In 2009, Officer Luis Garcia, Gulfport Police Department, stopped Barry Melton’s vehicle when he made a right hand turn without using a turn signal. When Melton advised his drivers license was suspended, he was asked to exit the vehicle and arrested. Garcia recovered a knife and a black pouch from Melton’s person. Inside the pouch […]