TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - A judge who dismissed a drunken driving charge against a Mississippi city attorney says a highway patrol checkpoint was unconstitutional because there was no evidence state troopers had a supervisor’s permission for the checkpoint.
Lee County Justice Court Judge Chuck Hopkins tells The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that no documentation of a supervisor’s approval was included in the court record.
Hopkins on July 11 dismissed a DUI refusal charge against Tupelo City Attorney Ben Logan.
Logan was charged in December with refusing a DUI breathalyzer test.
Logan’s lawyers argued a supervisor’s approval is necessary to comply with constitutional standards against unreasonable search and seizure.
There had been some uncertainty about why Hopkins had ruled. The judge says he told a trooper that the only mistake was failure to show permission.
___
Information from: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, http://djournal.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.