United States v. Southerland, Vince

RANDOLPH, Circuit Judge.

Vince A. Southerland’s appeal from a criminal conviction for possessing illegal drugs with the intent to distribute them originally raised the question whether the police violated the Fourth Amendment when, in executing a search warrant, they knocked on the door of a residence where he was staying, announced their identity and purpose, waited ten seconds and then broke the door open with a battering ram. After briefing, in which Southerland argued that the district court erred in not suppressing the drugs, cash and a scale found on the premises, the Supreme Court…