United States v. Ronald Hamilton, AKA Seal O

BETTY B. FLETCHER, Circuit Judge.

Defendant-Appellant Ronald Hamilton, who conditionally pled guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense, appeals his conviction. He argues that the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress evidence obtained from a search of his car was in violation of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel, because at the suppression hearing the district court permitted the government to conduct redirect examination of the searching officer concerning Hamilton with neither Hamilton nor his counsel present. We agree and therefore reverse.

I. BACKGROUND

This case arises…