In early September, the rapper T.I. and his new wife, singer Tiny, were pulled over on suspicion of intoxicated driving in Los Angeles. Our Riverside drug possession criminal defense lawyers became interested because police found pills on the couple, even though neither ended up being formally charged with a DUI. Instead, both were charged with felony drug possession. On Sept. 17, the New York Daily News reported that court documents from T.I.'s arrest show that he had codeine and marijuana on his person in addition to Ecstasy pills, and tested positive for opiates in a court-ordered drug test. T.I., whose birth name is Clifford Harris Jr., was subject to drug testing because he is on probation from a federal firearms conviction. His probation may be revoked at a hearing not yet scheduled, exposing him to more prison time than the seven months he originally served.
Police in Los Angeles pulled over T.I. and Tiny, whose birth name is Tameka Cottle, after seeing their luxury car make a U-turn on Sunset Boulevard. Officers claimed a strong odor of marijuana was coming from the vehicle and suspected that he was driving under the influence of drugs. However, there was no DUI arrest. Instead, news reports say, officers found pills on both T.I. and Tiny, and arrested them for felony drug possession. The next day, T.I. tested positive for opiates, a class of drugs that includes codeine. Unconfirmed reports said he may have been drinking cough syrup. It was not clear how the marijuana was found. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, T.I.'s hometown newspaper, said his probation officer cited the Ecstasy and the codeine as potential probation violations. A third potential violation was also cited: association with Cortez Thomas, a convicted felon. A federal judge will decide whether T.I. should serve more prison time, and if so, how much, at the future hearing.
This case is a good example of why our Laguna Beach drug possession criminal defense attorneys tell clients to stay squeaky clean when they are on probation. If convicted of a probation violation, T.I. will serve more prison time for the firearms conviction. This is entirely separate from any drug possession charges he might face, which could carry serious prison time if the amount of the drugs is large enough. If the arresting officers are telling the truth, the couple was pulled over only because of the smell of marijuana -- suggesting that their driving was fine otherwise and not a cause for concern. Nonetheless, an experienced criminal defense lawyer should look closely into whether the officers are telling the truth. The smell of marijuana is a subjective judgment and difficult to prove, making it a good excuse for officers who might have had less savory reasons to make the stop.
If you're accused of a drug crime in California, don't wait before you call Howard Law, P.C. for help. We represent clients accused of all types of crimes related to narcotics and controlled substances, from simple possession to serious felonies like trafficking. In cases like T.I.'s, where the charge comes from a traffic stop, we can also defend any intoxicated driving charges that stem from the stop. Remember, police officers can and do make mistakes, especially when they believe they can help their careers with a big "drug bust." That means some of them make arrests based on illegal searches -- and if that's the case, we can often get the case thrown out after proving the evidence was illegally obtained. Our Torrance drug possession criminal defense lawyers can also negotiate reasonable penalties for first-time or nonviolent drug offenders interested in a "drug court" program that can keep convictions off their records.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations, so you can speak with us with confidence and at no further obligation. To set up a meeting, call us toll-free at 1-800-872-5925 or send us a message online today.
