Tampa native Derek Bell was arrested yesterday in Tampa on four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested in 2006 on a cocain possession charge but adjudication was withheld. None of the media reports I've read stated whether the law enforcement officials found the paraphernalia after stopping Derek for an earlier failure to appear warrant. If that's the case, the police could've searched his car without first seeking a warrant. On the other hand, if Bell gave his consent (which most people inexplicably do) for the car search, he unnecessarily forfeited his civil rights. This may jeopardize his future freedom as well as his earlier withhold of adjudication on the cocaine charge.
These are not good days for Derek Bell.
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