MAN ACQUITTED IN TRIAL ON GUN, DRUG CHARGES

A 30-year-old man who had a gun and enough marijuana in his car for one
cigarette has been acquitted by a jury of drug and weapons charges. Jurors
found Leslie Dukes innocent of possession with intent to distribute
marijuana, and of illegally carrying a weapon while in possession of
marijuana, defense attorney Rodney Messina said Monday.

The two-day trial in state District Judge Bill Morvant's court ended
Thursday, Messina said.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Dukes and another man at 1041 America St., Apt.
3, on May 17, 2000, Messina said. The deputies had the America Street
apartment under surveillance after a confidential informant bought
marijuana there, he said.

Deputies found 180 grams of marijuana, a scale and an unloaded 9 mm clip at
the apartment, Messina said.

Dukes, 12400 Jefferson Highway, did not live at the apartment. Dukes was a
friend of the man who rented the apartment, Messina said.

When deputies searched Dukes' car, they found a 9 mm pistol and a small
amount of marijuana, Messina said.

Messina said Dukes testified that he smokes marijuana and carries the gun
for protection. Dukes said he didn't realize he had left the marijuana in
his car, where he keeps his pistol.

Dukes told the jury that he was not at the apartment to buy marijuana to
turn around and sell, as the deputies claimed, Messina said.

The jury voted 10 to 2 to acquit Dukes of the drug charge, and 12 to 0 to
acquit him on the gun charge, Messina said.

Prosecutor Darwin Miller said his office has a strong record of convictions
in the 19th Judicial District Court's Drug Court.

Miller said he presented this case the same way he's presented others in
the past that have resulted in convictions.

"Only those jurors know what took place during deliberations and why they
acquitted him," he said.

The drug charge carries from five years to 30 years in prison. The gun
charge carries five years to 10 years, Messina said.