Violation of 48 hour rule does not suppress the confession in this case
Facts In 2004, Darral Bell and LeCedric Hurst were involved in an altercation at the residence of Edna Spears, a relative of Hurst, with other witnesses present. Bell testified that Hurst struck him with his hand, but Bell did not respond to this attack. Bell left Spears’s residence, driving a white F350 work truck, with […]
Mistake of law or fact based on good faith and a reasonable basis still valid
Facts In 2003, Anthony Ryan Loveless was stopped in the north-bound lane at a four-way stop sign in the City of Booneville, Mississippi. Directly across from Loveless, in the south-bound lane, Booneville Police Officer Bryon Parker was also stopped at the four-way stop. According to Parker, while the two vehicles were awaiting their turn to […]
DUI for marijuana found based on subject’s statements and evidence
Facts Zavien Beal was a student at Alcorn State University in 2005. On November 3, 2005, Beal left school and went to Natchez, Mississippi, some 25 miles or so away. After spending some time in Natchez, Beal left to return to Alcorn State when he was stopped by Officer Kenny Tarleton of the Mississippi Highway […]
a motorist is not subject to custodial interrogation prior to an arrest
Facts In 2002, Kenneth Keys was driving a vehicle and passed Perry County Deputy Sheriff Danny Merritt, who was driving in the opposite direction. The road on which the two men were traveling is narrow. Keys testified that the deputy had his high beams on and was pulled to the side of the road as […]
No constructive possession when two defendants flee from a car in separate directions with different amounts of cocaine denominated differently
Facts In 2003, authorities with the Indianola Police Department received a tip that Jerry Ford and Tracy Dixon were leaving Ford’s residence in a blue Mazda and that they would be carrying illegal drugs. Upon stopping the Mazda, Officer Ronald Ragon was joined by a patrol car containing Officers Edrick Hall and Tony Cooper. When […]
Constructive possession may be proven by circumstantial evidence
Facts In 2003, drug enforcement officers from the Madison County narcotics unit stopped a vehicle driven by Marcus Bates in Canton, Mississippi. The agents were in an unmarked car and all wore plain clothes. The vehicle was stopped after Lieutenant Randy Tucker noticed through his rearview mirror that the car Bates was driving did not have […]