United States Sixth Circuit

Denial of defendants' motion to suppress evidence in a prosecution for drug-related offenses is affirmed where: 1) under the circumstances, an officer had probable cause to believe that a traffic violation had occurred for following another vehicle more closely than was reasonable and prudent, and therefore was justified in making an initial stop of defendant's vehicle; and 2) there was no clear error in finding the officer a credible witness.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/06/2007
• Published 02/06/2007

Judges

• Before: MERRITT, SUTTON, and GRIFFIN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Mike A. Little, Chattanooga, Tennessee, for Appellants.   Perry H. Piper, Assistant United States Attorney, Chattanooga, Tennessee, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Mike A. Little, Chattanooga, Tennessee, W. Charles Lea, Garland, Samuel & Loeb, Atlanta, Georgia, for Appellants.   Perry H. Piper, Assistant United States Attorney, Chattanooga, Tennessee, for Appellee.