Commonwealth v. Cooper

BY JUDGE EDWARD L. HOGSHIRE

Richard Dean Cooper is charged with one count of forging a public document by signing a uniform summons with the name Anthony Brown, in violation of Virginia Code § 18.2-168. Defendant filed a motion to suppress the uniform summons and Defendant’s statements to the police officer on the basis that he did not have reasonable and articulable suspicion that Defendant was involved in criminal activity. The motion is denied. Although the uniform summons was gleaned during an illegal stop, the “new and distinct crimes” exception to the exclusionary rule purges the taint…