No-Knock Warrants

No-Knock Warrants

Cory Maye to receive new trial

Wed, 11/18/2009 - 12:15pm | posted by Jason Pye

Great news broke yesterday. Cory Maye, who was convicted for the murder of Prentiss Police Officer Ron Jones during a botched drug raid, will receive a new trail.

For a detailed background on this case, you check out the work Radley Balko has done on Maye’s case over at Reason or watch Mississippi Drug War Blues, a video put together by Reason TV.

The short version of the story is that Maye was asleep in the living room of the home on December 26, 2001 and was awaked by noise outside. He lived in a duplex next a known drug dealer, who was actually named in the warrent obtained by police.

Maye grabbed a gun and went into his daughters room to protect her from what he thought was an intruder, contending that his actions were in self-defense. Upon entering the room, Officer Jones was shot three times. One of the rounds hit Jones below his bulletproof vest, and he died from internal bleeding.

According to Maye, it was a no-knock raid, meaning the police did not announce. He says he didn’t know the intruder was a police officer until after he had fired his weapon. The other officers involved say they announced before entering the home.

After receiving poor legal counsel, Maye was convicted and sentenced to death in 2004. His sentence has since been reduced to life without parole. His legal team, which includes Orin Kerr, petitioned the court for a new hearing earlier this year.