United States v. Martin Lewis Thompson, A/K/A Guinn Martin Chitty

GODBOLD, Chief Judge:

Defendant Martin Thompson was convicted of possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of 26 U.S.C. Sections 5861(d), 5871 (1976). His primary defense was that the evidence of his crime was the fruit of an unlawful detention. A magistrate, after conducting an evidentiary hearing, recommended that the district court grant Thompson’s motion to suppress evidence. The district court rejected the magistrate’s recommendation and denied the motion. Thompson waived a jury trial and was convicted on the basis of evidence that was the subject of the motion to suppress. We…