Case Citation
Legal Case Name

U.S. v. JONES Case Brief

United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit2012
673 F.3d 497

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of a suppression motion and an ACCA sentence, holding that the defendant was not seized until physically apprehended and that reasonable suspicion justified the stop. The court also found prior convictions qualified as ACCA predicates.

Legal Significance: This case clarifies the point of seizure during police pursuit under Hodari D. and illustrates the cumulative effect of factors establishing reasonable suspicion. It also provides an application of the ACCA’s categorical approach to prior convictions.

U.S. v. JONES Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Officer Strickland, patrolling a high-crime area known for drug trafficking, observed Defendant Jones and another male in what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction. When Strickland exited his vehicle to investigate, Jones immediately fled. Strickland pursued, ordering Jones to stop. During the chase, Jones dropped a brown paper bag and other items. After approximately 200 yards, Strickland caught Jones, pushed him down, and handcuffed him. Another officer retraced the flight path and found ammunition, a holster, and a loaded revolver. Jones, after Miranda warnings, admitted to possessing the firearm. The district court denied Jones’s motion to suppress the firearm and confession. Jones pleaded guilty, preserving his right to appeal. He was sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) based on three prior Tennessee convictions: a 1978 “Assault to Murder 2nd Degree,” and 1986 convictions for “Burglary II” and “Assault to Murder 1 with Injury.” The presentence report indicated the 1986 offenses occurred about an hour apart at the same residence.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Did the district court err in denying the defendant’s suppression motion by finding that the officer had reasonable suspicion to detain him, and did it err in sentencing him under the ACCA by determining his prior convictions qualified as predicate offenses committed on different occasions?

The Sixth Circuit affirmed. The defendant was not seized until physically apprehended Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dol

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Did the district court err in denying the defendant’s suppression motion by finding that the officer had reasonable suspicion to detain him, and did it err in sentencing him under the ACCA by determining his prior convictions qualified as predicate offenses committed on different occasions?

Conclusion

The case reinforces the principle that flight from police in a high-crime Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit

Legal Rule

A person is seized under the Fourth Amendment when an officer, by Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna al

Legal Analysis

The court first addressed the Fourth Amendment claim, determining that under *California Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia des

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  • A Fourth Amendment seizure occurs upon physical restraint or submission to
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, s

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