A man convicted by a Rutherford County Circuit Court jury has appealed his conviction. 57 Year old Leonard Singer was convicted for of tampering with evidence, simple possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Singer was pulled over in 2015 after police saw the man driving with his headlights off after nightfall. As Singer pulled over for Murfreesboro Police, officers report they saw him rummaging through his truck. When told to get out, he kept rummaging. Police also noted that it appeared as if he was chewing on something when questioned. Police then pulled Singer out of the car and he evidently resisted.

Inside the truck police found crack cocaine and learned that Singer was chewing on marijuana, which is why he was convicted for tampering with evidence.

After being convicted in the courtroom of Judge David Bragg, he appealed and argued he received ineffective assistance of counsel. He also said that his police confession to ingesting weed was coerced and his arrest was not supported by probable cause. Singer, who was 54 at he time of his arrest, claims that the search of his truck was unauthorized.

Despite the subject's argument with the case, the Court of Criminal Appeals sided with the Rutherford County trial court.

Singer will remain in prison and his next parole hearing is in year 2020. His sentence will officially end one day after his 61st birthday in year 2022.

Source:

Case: No. M2018-01936-CCA-R3-CD