Confidential informant was credible for search warrant in this case
Facts In 2010, Deputy Ralph Sciple of the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department received information from a confidential informant indicating that Benjamin Cooper was selling methamphetamine from his house. Sciple testified that this confidential informant had provided credible information in the past that led to arrests and convictions. The informant stated that he saw methamphetamine being […]
Request to remain silent must be clear and unambiguous
Facts AB confided to her cousin, Whitney Grose, that Jeffrey Kleckner, AB’s cousin, had sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions during the past several years. The Union County Sheriff’s Department was contacted, and it began an investigation. Angie Floyd, a forensic-interview specialist with the Children’s Advocacy Center in Tupelo, Mississippi, interviewed AB on September 9, […]
inevitable discovery cures illegal statement taken by police
Facts In 2008, Elliot Jones was driving in Jackson County, Mississippi, when he noticed a Toyota Sequoia SUV by the side of the road with three black males standing behind it. Jones then saw one of the men in a white t-shirt shoot one of the other men. Jones also saw a silver Scion at […]
Spontaneous Statements made by arrestees before miranda are admissible
Facts In 2003, Officer Samuel Gardner of the Jackson Police Department (JPD) responded to the home of Janice Cotton in a call for assistance. When he arrived, he saw Adrian Williard dragging Crystal Latham, Cotton’s daughter, across the street. Gardner stated that when he exited his vehicle and attempted to separate Williard from Latham, Williard […]
Violation of the 48 hour rule does not automatically render a confession inadmissible
Facts In 2019, Johnny Hollingsworth discovered his tiller was missing from his property and called police. A few days later his trailer also went missing. He then got a call from Sheriff’s Investigator Kevin Baysinger to inform him that both his tiller and trailer had been located at a local pawn shop. Tadise Seales was then […]
Statements before arrest are non custodial
Facts On February 20, 2009, shortly after midnight, Mississippi Highway Patrol Officer Willie Triplett responded to a dispatch call for a one-vehicle accident on Highway 19 in Neshoba County. Upon arriving at the scene, he found a vehicle that had apparently left the highway, overturned, and ended up back on the highway facing the wrong […]