United States v. J. Lee Havens

VANCE, Circuit Judge:

J. Lee Havens was convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, 1 of importing approximately 1490 grams of cocaine into the United States, 2 and of knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute approximately 1490 grams of cocaine. 3 He received three concurrent eight-year sentences and a fine of $5,000. His appeal to this court challenges the lower court’s ruling allowing the introduction of suppressed evidence. 4 We reverse the judgment of conviction and remand for a new trial.

On October 2, 1977, Havens and John Kenneth McLeroth,…