In a recent Minneapolis narcotics investigation, officers used a cell phone locator tool to track a drug dealer to his residence. A confidential informant provided police officers with information that a suspect known as "Dennis" was dealing larg...
A defendant in a Minnesota criminal case has no absolute right to withdraw a guilty plea. The Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure allow for the withdrawal of a guilty plea in two different situations. In the first, a judge may ...
Does your package fit the drug package profile? If so, there may be reasonable, articulable suspicion for the police to conduct a narcotics dog sniff. If the dog alerts to your package, probable cause will be established for the issuance of a search warrant. The United States Constitution and the Minnesota Constitution protect all citizens [...]
Let's say you are at the Minneapolis airport and happen to be carrying $50,000.00 in cash in your backpack. The cash does not represent proceeds from any criminal activity. Instead, you are a hardworking American citizen who dutifully s...
Officers who conduct a lawful arrest may freeze a suspected drug house while obtaining a search warrant. Officers must have probable cause to believe that evidence of criminal activity may be found on ...
When can I use force to defend myself against a home invasion? Under Minnesota law, you are allowed to use a reasonable amount of force to defend yourself from an assault. The law allows the use force in self-defense during a home invasion when (1) you have not been aggressive toward or provoked the other [...]
One of the central issues for the jury to decide in every robbery case is the identification of the suspect. The state will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is the person who in fact ...
Before the police can conduct a pat frisk, there must first be a lawful investigative stop. Police are allowed to temporarily detain a person or stop a car when there is reasonable suspicion that a crime has been or is being committed. The standar...
Yes, any person who is newly admitted as an inmate to a jail facility in Minnesota has a right to make either a local or collect long-distance phone call. The right to make a phone call from jail allows you to contact either a family member or a sig...
The Minnesota firearm-enhancement statute applies to convictions for certain types of criminal offenses where a person had in possession or used a firearm at the time of the offense. The firearm-enhancement statute requires a person to serve a minimum term of imprisonment of not less than 3 years. The statute applies to the following criminal offenses: (1) [...]
