Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.

This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

In 2012, Special Agent Blair Lobrano with ATF developed an understanding of a drug trafficking operation occurring at 314 Cedar Grove, Prentiss, Mississippi. In October 2013, law enforcement seized a number of firearms (including an AK-47), several digital scales, and plastic baggies. Evidence from the search linked the Cedar Grove Operation to the Smith Triple Murder. Other testimony provided additional circumstantial evidence that Jones, D, and Hall were involved in the murders. At trial, P introduced certain text messages, videos, and photographs from the cell phones to demonstrate that Hall and D were involved in drug trafficking and firearms. P called thirty-four witnesses. At trial, Hall and D objected to Sims's competency to testify because, during his third cross-examination, Sims admitted that he had smoked meth on the morning of his testimony. The district court overruled the objections, stating that 'the believability of the witness would be a jury question.'At the close of P's case, Ds moved for judgments of acquittal, and the district court denied their motions. The jury found Ds guilty on all counts, and the district court sentenced each to life imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Ds appealed. Ds argue on appeal that the district court erred by failing to make a threshold determination of Sims's competency to testify.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

The court's holding and decision will be displayed here.