Tag Archives: 4th Amendment

Jan 23

Supreme Court Strikes A Big Blow To Government Intrusion, But Privacy Concerns Remain

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There’s little doubt that Antoine Jones, a Washington nightclub owner was actually trafficking cocaine when a joint FBI-Washington D.C. police team attached a GPS tracking device to his Jeep. They knew that he had stashed his ill-gotten goods somewhere other than his home. Sure enough, after following Jones to another home, cops discovered nearly 100 kilograms of the illegal narcotic, along with about $850,000 in cash. Jones was later convicted of cocaine trafficking and sentenced to no less than life in prison.

Read the rest at Big Government

Justice Breyer warns of Orwellian totalitarian government

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I agree with Justice Breyer.

via The Hill:

A Supreme Court justice on Tuesday expressed major concerns that the government would engage in round-the-clock surveillance reminiscent of the totalitarian world of the George Orwell novel 1984 if the court ruled in the government’s favor.

The court heard oral arguments in the Jones case, in which the outcome will determine whether warrantless GPS tracking by law enforcement is an invasion of Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure.

Justice Stephen Breyer questioned what a democratic society would look like if people believed the government was tracking them for days at a time.

“If you win this case, then there is nothing to prevent the police or the government from monitoring 24 hours a day the public movement of every citizen of the United States,” Breyer said.

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Oct 29

When Government Knows No Limitation: New DOJ Rules Allow More Intrusive Searches

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I was once told by someone involved in a federal investigation not to let any identified federal law enforcement officer into your house without: a) a warrant and b) your lawyer present. At the time, this notion seemed a bit less than cooperative. Shouldn’t law-abiding citizens be able to live their lives free from the fear that our own government would underhandedly manipulate our rights in their pursuit of an investigation? After all, the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution enumerates a limitation on the federal government, one that prevents “unreasonable search and seizure.” Today, this enumerated protection is being ignored by – of all institutions – the U.S. Justice Department, under the darkened shadow of Attorney General Eric Holder.

Read the rest at Big Government

Apr 20

Michigan does the Stasi proud!

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4th Amendment? Nope. Does not apply in the State of Michigan (I’m just sure that it’s a “public safety” issue). Ever been stopped by a cop in Michigan for anything? You might want to read this:

The Michigan State Police have started using handheld machines called “extraction devices” to download personal information from motorists they pull over, even if they’re not suspected of any crime. Naturally, the ACLU has a problem with this.

The devices, sold by a company called Cellebrite, can download text messages, photos, video, and even GPS data from most brands of cell phones. The handheld machines have various interfaces to work with different models and can even bypass security passwords and access some information.

Oh come on now. I’m sure it’s just a “public safety” issue, it’ll be alright. The constitution doesn’t matter as long as the government is looking out for the public good and the common welfare, right Lefty?