The Supreme Court rejected an appeal that would have overturned a conviction of a Washington state man. The man is an ex felon who was appealing a law that would send him back to prison for several months.
The man was pulled over by police in 2005. They told a reporter that they suspected that he was selling cocaine. Police also realized he was wearing a vest. If police suspect a person is breaking the law, they have the right to pull an individual over.
The court rejected his appeal over a federal law banning convicted felonies from having body armor. This also includes bulletproof vests. A 7-2 decision by the Court to not review the case determined that they would not intervene with the decision for the man to be sentenced to 18 months in prison. They decided to stick with the original verdict. Drug possession was certainly the contention of the law enforcement group.
The 2002 law made it illegal for convicted felonies to have armor or vests. The law was proposed during a time where many high-profile shootings were occurring involving police officers. Many of the shootings occurred during bank robberies. The law was proposed to prevent more officers from being killed.
If the man had not been an ex-felon, he would have not broken federal law. It is a federal matter because he was stopped in Washington for suspicion of selling cocaine, but the police officers noticed the vest which had been manufactured in California, explained a spokesperson. He was convicted of armed robbery in 1999.
If you are being charges with a federal offense, look no farther than a New York Criminal Attorney to represent you. Let a New York Criminal Attorney help you.