A defendant was indicted for murder and placed in a jail cel…
A defendant was indicted for murder and placed in a jail cell awaiting trial. To bolster its case and learn more about the underlying facts, the prosecution enlisted the help of a paid government informant posing as a cellmate. The informant was specifically told not to initiate any discussion about the murder nor to interrogate the defendant in any way but merely to passively listen and gather information volunteered by the defendant. The informant proceeded to follow these instructions. Over the next several days, the defendant made several incriminating statements about his involvement in the murder. The prosecution sought to introduce this evidence at trial. Upon objection, should the court allow the defendant’s statements to be admitted?
Read DetailsA woman was stopped at a police roadblock to check for drunk…
A woman was stopped at a police roadblock to check for drunk drivers. The police were stopping every third vehicle that came through the checkpoint, and the woman’s car turned out to be a third vehicle. After failing a field sobriety test, the woman was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Was the stop of the woman’s car legal?
Read DetailsThe police suspected that an 18-year-old living with his mot…
The police suspected that an 18-year-old living with his mother was selling marijuana to his high school classmates. The police went to the house without a search warrant and secured the mother’s permission to search the teen’s bedroom. In the bedroom, they found a locked suitcase under the teen’s bed. The mother said that it was her son’s suitcase but that they could search it. The police then broke the lock, opened it, and found a substantial amount of marijuana. The police charged the teen with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute it. If the teen should bring a pretrial motion to suppress the marijuana, how should the court rule on the motion?
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