In July, a Prince George’s County judge made a rare decision to credit the testimony of attorney David Wooten’s client over a detective’s testimony, and to suppress the defendant’s confession, which led to the discovery of cocaine hidden in a wall. Mr. Wooten’s client was facing certain jail and deportation if convicted of felony drug charges such as possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. As Mr. Wooten learned a long time ago by reading Andrew Jezic’s book Maryland Law of Confessions, it is a rare feat to convince a judge to suppress a confession. A week after this victory the entire case was dismissed, and Mr. Wooten’s client got to remain in the United States a free man.
