United States v. Shields, No. 13-3726 (7th Cir. 2015)
Annotate this CaseChicago Officers Coglianese and Bachler were on patrol when they observed Shields’s SUV partially blocking a crosswalk, in violation of an ordinance. The officers approached Shields, who was sitting in the SUV. Shields voluntarily exited the SUV and, at the officer’s request, walked toward the rear of the vehicle. He did not stop, but fled down the street. Coglianese gave chase and saw Shields pull a firearm out of his pocket. Coglianese caught Shields and pushed him to the ground. The officers placed Shields in handcuffs, rolled him over, and discovered a loaded six-shot .22-caliber revolver on the ground. The officers placed Shields in the police vehicle, and read Shields his Miranda rights. Coglianese asked, “Why are you running with a gun?” Shields responded, “I shouldn’t have had that weapon on me.” He was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1) and 924(e)(1). The court denied a motion to suppress, a motion to dismiss on the ground that the statute violated the Second Amendment, and requests for continuance. After his conviction, the court imposed the 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, rejecting: claims of failure to prove prior convictions; a challenge to denial of the motion to suppress; a Brady claim concerning background on Coglianese; denial of a continuance; and a challenge to sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
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