Court

Drugs including marijuana and one-half full bottle of the prescription Promethazine, a cough syrup containing a narcotic, were found in the BMW that Brandon Munden, 26, was driving in Waldo when he was stopped for an expired tag on March 13, 2022.

When arrested and searched, Munden was also found to have $3,427 cash in his pockets.

Munden has not been sentenced and is awaiting a ruling from Circuit Court of Columbia County Judge David Talley about whether the traffic stop handled by Magnolia Police Department was done in a timely matter. That is what Munden’s defense is claiming, explained Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Rainwater.

“They are challenging the stop because they are saying it was too long, so it was not a legal stop,” Rainwater said in Columbia County Circuit Court.

When Magnolia Police Officer Jordan Hanson made the stop in Waldo near patrolling the area of West McKissack near the Dairy Treat just over a year ago, he originally stopped the black BMW Munden was driving because its tags were expired, according to a probable cause affidavit.

However, because of the smell of marijuana was detected in the car, Hanson checked the identifications of the other passengers.

Two of the three passengers had gang affiliations, so Hanson called for assistance. During the questioning of Hanson in court on March 16, Attorney Randee Molsbee questioned the officer about his reasoning for calling for backup when Hanson’s record was clear. She asked if it was normal for him to check everyone’s record in the vehicle.

“For his safety, he has to identify them,” Rainwater said.

The affidavit reads that Keith Williams, 22, was sitting behind Munden,

Christopher Jones, 23, was sitting in the front passenger seat and a 15-year-old juvenile was sitting in the passenger side back seat.

According to the affidavit, during the search of the vehicle, Hanson located two empty bottles and one half-full bottle of prescription Promethazine in the glove box. All three bottles had their labels partially peeled off to obscure the name of the prescriber.

Munden was asked by officers if he had knowledge of Promethazine and he said he did not and was charged with possession of a Schedule V Controlled Substance (Promethazine).

According to the National Institutes of Health, drinking promethazine-‐codeine cough syrup mixed with soda (a combination called syrup, sizzurp, purple drank, barre, or lean) was referenced frequently in some popular music beginning in the late 1990s and has become increasingly popular among youth in several areas of the country.

When Hanson performed a pat-down of Keith Williams, the odor of marijuana became stronger, according to the affidavit. Hanson then advised Williams he knew he likely had marijuana stuffed in the crotch area of his pants.

Williams then produced a plastic baggy of a green leafy substance consistent with marijuana from the crotch area of his pants. Williams was also placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance.

Rainwater said it is unclear when Talley will issue a ruling on if the stop involving Munden took too long.

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