Not Guilty Verdict in Indianapolis Cocaine-Possession Case
The Situation
Police stopped and searched a client as he walked toward a gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Indianapolis. An officer found cocaine in the client's pocket, leading to a drug-possession charge.
The Legal Challenge and Strategy
The defense focused on knowledge, an element the State still had to prove despite the location of the cocaine. Attorney Nicholson argued that a person who knowingly possessed cocaine would not ordinarily walk directly toward a police officer under those circumstances.
The Result
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Why It Matters
Physical possession alone did not answer whether the client knowingly possessed the substance. Focusing the jury on the required mental state resulted in an acquittal.
Practice area(s): Criminal Defense
