Clodfelter v. Commonwealth

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• holding that evidence failed to prove the occupant of hotel room intentionally and knowingly possessed drugs that were present in his room but hidden from view
• noting that generally “[p]hysical possession giving the defendant ‘immediate and exclusive control’ is sufficient” to prove possession of an item (quoting Ritter v. Commonwealth, 210 Va. 732, 741 (1970))
• reversing conviction notwithstanding fact that defendant gave false identity to police who searched hotel room with valid search warrant
• reversing conviction notwithstanding fact that defendant gave false identity to police who searched hotel room with valid search warrant
• evidence that defendant’s knife, bracelet, and hairbrush were present in room in which contraband was found was insufficient to show that defendant constructively possessed drugs with knowledge of their character
• evidence insufficient where drugs were found in hotel rented by defendant under false name

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).