United States of America v. Andrew Duckworth

Jackson, Mississippi, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with possession of a firearm.

Around 9:00 p.m. on November 29, 2021, a Hattiesburg police officer stopped a car with a defective tag light. After the driver told the officer that he had neither identification nor proof of insurance, the officer asked him to step out of the car. While conducting a protective pat-down of the driver, the officer felt a “hard, solid object in between [the driver’s] legs.” The driver initially denied that the object was a weapon but eventually admitted that it was a firearm. The officer handcuffed the driver and placed him in his squad car.

The officer then approached the car and asked the passenger, Ducksworth, to step out. Ducksworth replied that he was paralyzed from the waist down. The officer asked Ducksworth to put his hands up, and Ducksworth complied. As he began a pat-down of Ducksworth, the officer stated to Ducksworth that the driver had a firearm. He felt an object between Ducksworth’s legs and said, “you’ve got one too.” Ducksworth denied that the object was a firearm. The officer handcuffed Ducksworth and awaited backup. After removing a loaded firearm from his pants and learning that he was a convicted felon, officers arrested Ducksworth.

POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON

Defendant was committed to the custody of Bureau of Prisons for a term of 36 Months; 3 Years Supervised Release; $1,500.00 Fine; $100.00 Special Assessment.