27 pounds of cannabis and roughly 0.5 pounds of cocaine will not be considered admissible evidence in Keith Halliburton's ongoing drug crime case due to a recent ruling from a Macon County Circuit Court judge. Our Decatur drug crime lawyers at Johnson Law Group made the argument that the evidence was collected outside of Fourth Amendment rights and should be deemed inadmissible.
Halliburton was apparently the target of an Illinois-based drug sting operation. Police intercepted a package that contained cannabis to be delivered to his address and inserted a tracking device into the package. When the parcel was opened, it would notify police, who could then collect it and other evidence due to an anticipatory search warrant.
Police made a crucial and inexcusable mistake of arresting and charging Halliburton before he ever had the chance of opening the package. Not only was there no probable cause to arrest him, as nothing suggested he knew what was inside the package, but the specific conditions listed in the anticipatory search warrant were ignored.
We anticipate that the prosecution will try to appeal the judge's ruling, but we are ready for whatever they bring. We are dedicated to the proper defense of our client and the honesty of our nation's criminal justice system. If the ruling is upheld through appellate court, the case should be dismissed simply due to a complete lack of evidence of any crime.
These news sources recently posted articles about this interesting case development:
Contact Johnson Law Group and our drug crime lawyers in Decatur IL if you have been accused of or charged for a serious drug crime violation. We bring 50+ years of legal experience to each case we handle. Free case evaluations are also available.