Judge Gerri Pickett
Mes was charged with criminal sale and possession of marijuana. A combined Dunaway/Huntley/Mapp hearing was held on the issue of whether there was probable cause to arrest Mes, and if statements and evidence should be suppressed. Police responded to a 911 call that someone was selling crack cocaine. An officer testified he and his partner observed Mes and two females, noting a female handed Mes money in exchange for a small object she put in her purse. Officer's recovered marijuana from the female's purse, and Mes was arrested, and 14 bags of marijuana were recovered. The officer made an in-court identification of Mes as the person he arrested. The court stated when the officer observed what he believed was a drug transaction in a known drug prone location, he was permitted to make a stop and request for information. As Mes responded he had two bags of "weed," this gave the officer probable cause to arrest Mes, thus suppression of the marijuana was denied. Further, the court found prosecutors met their burden of proving the statement allegedly made by Mes was voluntary and spontaneous, thus not subject to suppression. Also, as Mes' arrest was lawful, evidence seized as a result of such arrest was lawfully obtained, and suppression was denied.
