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Legal Analysis Memorandum

Essay Instructions:
Assignment 2: Legal Analysis Memorandum Pretend you are a new associate at a criminal defense firm in Washington DC. Write a two- to three-page internal memorandum to your supervising attorney regarding the legal issues of this particular fact pattern (see the memorandum from your supervisor below). Focus your analysis on the Fourth Amendment and its right-to-privacy aspects. Using the criminal statute provided, compare the two legal cases indicated below using only the links supplied below with the facts to determine whether the rules from those cases apply to the facts. It is a given that the criminal statutes provided apply. Structure the body of your memo to the supervising attorney using the IRAC method: I. Issue: Explain the material facts presented in the memo from the supervising attorney, and clearly state whether the drugs and/or guns found should be admissible or not. II. Rule: Address the relevant criminal procedure issues, the applicable fundamental rights established by the Fourth Amendment, and the issues and rules clarified in the case law given that are relevant to whether the drugs found on Mr. Blake should be admissible or not. (e.g., stop and frisk, plain view) III. Analysis: Using the relevant facts presented, determine whether or not they meet the requirements set out in the DC Code, the amendments, or Mapp v. Ohio and Minnesota v. Carter regarding the admissibility of evidence (drugs and guns) in the criminal prosecution against Mr. Blake. IV. Conclusion: Restate your legal opinion. Case Law Supplied by the Firm\\\'s Law Librarian Mapp v. Ohio 367 U.S. 643 (1961) http://www(dot)law(dot)cornell(dot)edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0367_0643_ZO.html Minnesota v. Carter 525 U.S. 83 (1998) http://www(dot)law(dot)cornell(dot)edu/supct/html/97-1147.ZO.html Criminal Statutes provided by the Firm's Law Librarian (Use ONLY the elements of the crime as described below.) Possession of a Controlled Substance Type of Offense: Misdemeanor. DC Code Citation: §48-904.01, §48-904.08 Charge Elements: The elements of this offense are as follows: 1. The defendant possessed a controlled substance. 2. The defendant did so knowingly and intentionally. This means consciously, voluntarily, and on purpose, not mistakenly, accidentally, or inadvertently. Possession of a Controlled Substance Type of Offense: Felony. DC Code Citation: §48-904.01 Charge Elements: The elements of this offense are as follows: 1. The defendant distributed a controlled substance. To distribute means to transfer or to attempt to transfer an item to another person. The government need not prove that the defendant received or expected to receive anything of value in return. 2. The defendant distributed the controlled substance knowingly and intentionally. This means consciously, voluntarily, and on purpose, not mistakenly, accidentally, or inadvertently. 3. When the defendant distributed the controlled substance, he was at least 21 years of age. 4. When he distributed the controlled substance, the person to whom the substance was distributed was under 18 years old. 5. The amount or quantity of the controlled substance distributed was ____ grams or more. In the District of Columbia, if the controlled substance is marijuana and this is the offender\\\'s first conviction for distribution and/or possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, then the maximum exposure of incarceration is 180 days. Unregistered Firearm Type of Offense: Felony/Misdemeanor. DC Code Citation: §7-2502.01, §7-2507.06 Charge Elements: The elements of this offense are as follows: 1. The defendant knowingly possessed a firearm. 2. The defendant did so knowingly and intentionally. 3. The defendant had not registered the firearm as required by District of Columbia law, or the defendant possessed a pistol or firearm in his dwelling place or place of business or on other land possessed by the defendant that could have been registered. 4. The defendant knowingly distributed a firearm to a person under 18 years of age, or the defendant had a prior conviction for a violation of this section, in which cases, the offense is a felony. Fact Pattern supplied by your Supervisor Memorandum To: Junior Associate From: Supervising Attorney Re: DC v. Blake Mr. Jonathan Blake, a new client of the firm, recently requested our legal services in a criminal matter. Mr. Blake was recently arrested for possession of a controlled substance by the Metropolitan Police Department. According to Mr. Blake, the facts are as follows: Jessie Smith and his wife are the co-owners of a residence at 3630 16th St. NW, Washington DC, 20015. Jessie Smith and Jonathan Blake run a catering business in the Smiths\\\' basement. Jonathan Blake was at the Smiths\\\' house on Sunday, February 6, 2011, watching the Super Bowl. Mr. Blake and two other guests were sitting on the couch watching television and smoking marijuana. The Smiths\\\' home has a very large living room window. Police officers responded to a call from a neighbor about noise emanating from the Smith household. Officers observed Mr. Blake and his friends smoking marijuana through the large living room window. Officers also observed Mr. Blake hand a baggie of white powder to someone standing near the couch. Officers then knocked on the door. After hiding the drugs, Mr. Smith opened the door and granted the officers access. When the officers came inside, they informed Mr. Blake and his friends that they had witnessed the transfer of a baggie of white powder between Mr. Blake and another gentleman and that everyone in the room had been observed smoking marijuana through the living room window. Police then observed what looked like a shotgun sandwiched between the cushions of the couch near Mr. Blake. Upon further inspection, the officers discovered three other guns underneath the same couch. The ownership of all four confiscated firearms is in dispute. The officers then conducted a pat-down search of Mr. Blake and everyone else in the room. The officers found that Mr. Blake had on his person a large amount of suspected marijuana, suspected cocaine, and money ($400). Another occupant of the room had a baggie of suspected cocaine (white powder). Mr. Blake was then charged with possession of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Essay Sample Content Preview:
MEMORANDUM To: Supervising Attorney From: Junior Associate Re: DC v. Blake In this given case the material facts are that Mr. Blake had been arrested with the possession of a controlled substance which is contrary to the DC Code on s48-904. He claims that he was a visitor in the said house which was owned by Jessie smith and his wife. The client does admit to smoking the contraband in the name of Marijuana which is illegal the matter was reported by the neighbors of the Smiths the decided case of Kentucky v King ruled that the cops who smelt marijuana coming from a house can break and arrest the offenders if they heard of noise indicating hiding of the substance and do not need any form of warrant this was an argument based on the 4th amendment to the US constitution. Which states “people’s rights to be secure in their houses and against any unreasonable searches shall not be violated and no warrants issued but on cause or things to be seized.” They had been seen with a white bag which was not there when the police were allowed entry into the house. The case Payton v New York holds almost the same principle and similarly had no warrant for the arrests and search especially after some of it was hidden. Looking through the window sufficed to have having proper validation as to the admissibility of the goods especially because they had hidden the bag the case of Minnesota v Carter gives the emphasis on the privacy of the claimant on peeping through the blinds by the officer the observation did not constitute a search. The case of Weeks v. United States stated that the main aim of the court is to ensure that the law is well followed and the guilty punished it is immaterial as to how the evidence was attained the suffering and embodiment of the funda...
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