United States v. Anderson

Three masked individuals robbed a Milwaukee bank at gunpoint and fled with $4,737 in a Honda Civic with license plates 480-TNG. The next day, police stopped that vehicle; Anderson was the driver and sole occupant. When the officer approached, Anderson fled and was pursued at high speed until he crashed. A search of the Civic revealed a bag containing 39 individually-wrapped baggies of crack cocaine and a loaded 9mm pistol, plus red dye stains consistent with a dye pack planted with the stolen money to explode. Anderson was acquitted of armed robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (bank robbery), but convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The court sentenced him to 96 months’ imprisonment. The Seventh Circuit affirmed with a limited remand so that the district court can determine whether it would have imposed the sentence, knowing that it can consider the mandatory sentence. The court rejected Anderson’s argument that he was denied his Sixth Amendment right to a public trial when the proceedings continued after the courthouse closed. Anderson did not object to the continuation; anyone in the building before 5:00 p.m. could attend the entire trial and there were only minimal proceedings after 5:00 p.m. View "United States v. Anderson" on Justia Law