State v. Robert Brian Spencer, 2017AP1722-CR, 4/16/19, District 1 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Spencer raised many issues on appeal: insufficient evidence to support his conviction, multiple ineffective assistance of counsel claims, and a Brady violation. This post focuses on the 2 most interesting claims: ineffective assistance for failure to move to… Read more
5. No-knock authorization
State v. Marcus L. Pantoja, 2016AP1289, 7/05/17, District 1 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Police raided the apartment where Pantoja was living with his girlfriend; he claims on appeal that there was neither probable cause for the warrant nor reasonable suspicion of danger justifying its no-knock authorization, which turned up drugs and… Read more
State v. Nick E. Sammon, District 2, 2011AP682-CR, 7/25/12 court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity Search Warrant – Erroneous Information in Application A detective’s application for a search warrant of Sammons’ residence asserted that Sammons had been convicted in Texas for drug and burglary offenses (in fact, both had been dismissed… Read more
State v. Thomas William Brady, 2007 WI App 33, PFR filed 2/13/07 For Brady: Suzanne L. Hagopian, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue/Holding: Where the target of a search was not at home when the police forcibly entered pursuant to a search warrant, their unannounced entry did not, although not authorized by the warrant, violate the fourth amendment. ¶13… Read more
State v. Rayshun D. Eason, 2000 WI App 73, 234 Wis. 2d 396, 610 N.W.2d 208, affirmed in pertinent part, but reversed on other grounds, 2001 WI 98, ¶¶21-26 For Eason (in SCt): Suzanne Hagopian, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue: Whether the no-knock warrant was supported by reasonable suspicion that announcing police presence would create danger. Holding: The showing… Read more
State v. Dennis Moslavac, 230 Wis. 2d 338, 602 N.W.2d 150 (Ct. App. 1999) For Moslavac: Michael S. Holzman. Issue/Holding: The knock-and-announce rule does not apply when the target premises are unoccupied. Police have authority to forcibly execute a search warrant when the premises are unoccupied. It follows that the knock-and-announce rule doesn’t apply to… Read more
