Category Archives: Ineffective assistance

CA10: Evidence obtained by state in prosecution later barred by McGirt still with good faith

Defendant was originally prosecuted in Oklahoma state court for murder. After McGirt v. Oklahoma, he moved to set aside the Oklahoma conviction as being obtained without jurisdiction. In federal court, he moved to suppress the evidence obtained by the state … Continue reading

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WV: Police looking at the exterior of defendant’s car was not a search and violated no REP

Police looking at the exterior of defendant’s car was not a search and violated no reasonable expectation of privacy. State v. Estep, 2024 W. Va. LEXIS 92 (Feb. 20, 2024).* The trial court granted a Franks motion, but the state … Continue reading

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FL2: Suppression under Franks reversed; not material to PC

Defendant established that there were false statements in the affidavit for warrant that ran the full spectrum from negligence to likely intentionality. But probable cause remained, even excluding what was challenged. “While the temptation to advance the prophylactic purpose of … Continue reading

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E.D.Mich.: The SW failed particularity, but the govt proved inevitable discovery

“Defendant seeks to suppress all evidence seized from the subsequent 2018 search in this case because he argues the 2018 warrant was unconstitutionally overbroad. Although this Court concludes the 2018 search warrant violated the Fourth Amendment’s particularity requirement because it … Continue reading

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E.D.Cal.: Affidavit for SW for def being a prohibited person for firearms possession doesn’t have to allege interstate commerce nexus

A warrant was issued for defendant’s home in California for proof of travel to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Officers found firearms and defendant was a prohibited person because of domestic violence orders. On the firearms warrant, it … Continue reading

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WV: “Mobile cellular phones” particular enough

“The first warrant authorized the seizure of ‘mobile cellular phones,’ clearly imparting sufficient particularity to allow the officer to know that petitioner’s phone was to be seized. Where the warrant clearly authorized seizure of the phone, there can be no … Continue reading

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D.Me.: SW affidavit mentioned a licensing complaint against defendant doctor, but omission that the complaint was resolved favorably gets a Franks hearing

Defendant is a D.O. accused of over prescribing. She made her substantial preliminary showing to get a Franks hearing because the affiant omitted from the affidavit for warrant that the licensing authority considered the same claims and found she acted … Continue reading

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DE: Cell tower dump was reasonable under 4A

Defendant was convicted of robbery and kidnapping of a woman from her apartment complex to go to her ATM machine. Police got cell tower dumps for the nearest towers to the occurrence at the specific times to locate cell phones … Continue reading

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D.Minn.: Def’s PC suppression argument showed a trial defense, not an argment for suppression

Defendant’s objection to the R&R isn’t enough to overrule the USMJ’s finding there was probable cause. Defendant presents a trial defense, not a defense to probable cause. United States v. Cole, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 752 (D. Minn. Jan. 3, … Continue reading

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NY Nassau: Mere theory someone else is inside when it’s not even practical doesn’t support a protective sweep

Police were sent to defendant’s house/dentist office on a report of his menacing with a firearm. Defendant came out and submitted. The entry into the house for exigency or protective sweep was not shown by the state to be justified. … Continue reading

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VA: Stop of men on street matching BOLO for other officers to arrive in two minutes was reasonable

The first officer to encounter defendant was responding to a BOLO of suspects on the street related to a nearby home invasion. They were close enough to the description. He stopped them and held them about two minutes until other … Continue reading

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AR: HBO film crew ride-along on drug raid doesn’t lead to suppression

An HBO film crew was doing a ride-along with the DEA and local DTF officers for the making of “Meth Storm.” Defendant raises via post-conviction that the ride-along film crew violated the Fourth Amendment and the state constitution. The court … Continue reading

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D.Ariz.: Federal wildlife officer can make speeding stop in national wildlife refuge

A federal wildlife officer has the authority to make a stop for speeding in a national wildlife refuge under 50 C.F.R. § 27.31(a), (d). [Virginia v. Moore goes unmentioned: The stop would not violate the Fourth Amendment in any event.] … Continue reading

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DE: Mandamus can’t be used as interlocutory appeal of denial of motion to suppress

A petition for writ of mandamus can’t be used as an interlocutory appeal of denial of a motion to suppress. [Mandamus isn’t anywhere near a possible remedy.] In re Taylor for A Writ of Mandamus, 2023 Del. LEXIS 400 (Dec. … Continue reading

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E.D.Tenn.: Items unreasonably seized under SW as outside its scope still not returned because they are forfeitable

Some of the items seized under the warrant were named or were covered by plain view when the police got inside. Some are excludable, but they aren’t returned because the government intends to forfeit. United States v. Abdul-Latif, 2023 U.S. … Continue reading

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OH8: Extraterritorial stop by LEO doesn’t violate 4A, and exclusionary rule doesn’t apply to statutory violations

An extraterritorial stop by an officer does not violate the Fourth Amendment. The exclusionary rule doesn’t apply to statutory violations, here especially because of public safety concerns. City of Fairview Park v. Bowman, 2023-Ohio-4210, 2023 Ohio App. LEXIS 4047 (8th … Continue reading

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CT: IAC in cell phone search decided on lack of prejudice, not the merits

Defendant was convicted of accessory to murder. He claimed trial counsel was ineffective for not moving to suppress the 2013 search of his cell phone. Police sought a warrant for the phone, and the DA prepared it. While the papers … Continue reading

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CA5: Siccing police dog on woman in mental health crisis was excessive force; no crime involved

“Without any further attempts to subdue Sligh without the use of a dog bite, and without providing Sligh any warning that she may be subjected to a dog bite if she did not comply, Sutton sicced a dog on a … Continue reading

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CA7: Hospital medical staff getting def to spit out machine gun part wasn’t search and they weren’t govt actors

Defendant had a Glock fully auto switch in his mouth while in the hospital. While treating him, the medical staff finally got him to spit it out. That was not a search. The medical staff were not government actors for … Continue reading

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S.D.Ind.: When a crime occurs in a car in front of the passengers, it’s reasonable to infer they were involved for PC purposes

When a suspected crime occurs in a car in front of the passengers, it is reasonable to infer, for probable cause purposes, that they are involved, comparing Di Re (1947) and Pringle (2003). United States v. Groves, 2023 U.S. Dist. … Continue reading

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