Monthly Archives: January 2024

GA: ER GSW patient had no REP in his clothing removed by staff and then given to police

Defendant came to an ER for treatment for a gunshot wound. The medical staff bagged his clothing after getting it off him, and then gave it to the police who requested it. He had no reasonable expectation of privacy in … Continue reading

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D.Nev.: No standing where alleged Turo car rental couldn’t be shown by driver

The court finds defendant lacked standing in a car he claims to have rented through Turo from the owner. The innocent driver of car stolen by someone else could have standing, but he doesn’t even get there. The rental couldn’t … Continue reading

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CA8: Failure to mention CI’s convictions or payments for information wasn’t material

The warrant affiant’s failure to mention the CI was paid or had convictions wasn’t material to change the outcome of the probable cause determination. With CIs, things like that can be assumed. United States v. Riaski, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS … Continue reading

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Law Review: On Warrants & Waiting: Electronic Warrants & The Fourth Amendment

Tracy Hresko Pearl, On Warrants & Waiting: Electronic Warrants & The Fourth Amendment, 99 Ind. L. J., Issue 1, Article 1 (Winter 2023):

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Fast Company: Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping—and doling out harsh punishments

Fast Company: Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping—and doling out harsh punishments (“Sensors marketed as fighting COVID-19 are actually being used to monitor students and then threaten them with suspension—or even criminal charges.”). Is there a reasonable … Continue reading

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KS: Search of def’s purse when she was passed out likely from ODing was reasonable

The emergency aid exception justified the search of defendant’s purse. She was passed out on a convenience store bathroom floor with drug paraphernalia around her. It was reasonable to look in her purse to see what drug it might have … Continue reading

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WV: “Mobile cellular phones” particular enough

“The first warrant authorized the seizure of ‘mobile cellular phones,’ clearly imparting sufficient particularity to allow the officer to know that petitioner’s phone was to be seized. Where the warrant clearly authorized seizure of the phone, there can be no … Continue reading

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CA8: Affiant officer’s belief that criminals brag about crimes on social media allows cell phone search in a gun case

“We conclude the affidavit adequately established probable cause that Ivey’s cell phone would contain evidence of a firearms offense. Officers found the phone in Ivey’s possession while he was located in a vehicle with a gun under his seat. The … Continue reading

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N.D.Cal.: Failure to pursue alleged traffic violation made stop unreasonable

Defendant was stopped ostensibly for a traffic violation, and he was handcuffed and the officers literally did nothing to investigate that–they didn’t even ask for his license and registration. Despite the fact Whren says pretext doesn’t matter, that lack of … Continue reading

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Cal.4: No REP from images caught by streetlight camera

Defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy from images taken on a street light camera where he parked his vehicle. Carpenter just doesn’t apply. Moreover, a store surveillance camera had him there, too. People v. Cartwright, 2024 Cal. App. LEXIS … Continue reading

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CA3: Nexus doesn’t require positive evidence; inference will do

Nexus doesn’t require positive evidence defendant has drugs at home; an inference suffices. United States v. Green, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 1737 (3d Cir. Jan. 25, 2024). “Kirik’s particularity challenges are unavailing. With respect to Kirik’s challenge to the articulation … Continue reading

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D.R.I.: SW required for a short term CSLI Tower Dump

Finding short term CSLI obtained by a cell phone tower dump also protected by the Fourth Amendment, the court holds, disagreeing with other courts, that a warrant was required, but the good faith exception applies. An long, interesting opinion. “The … Continue reading

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MSNBC: Opinion: A hospitalized baby, a terrified mother: A botched police raid in Ohio is the tip of the iceberg

MSNBC: Opinion: A hospitalized baby, a terrified mother: A botched police raid in Ohio is the tip of the iceberg by Radley Balko (“Until judges start taking seriously their responsibility to protect the Fourth Amendment, expect to see more innocent … Continue reading

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D.Del.: Claiming a state administrative subpoena creates a “Fourth Amendment defense” is frivolous; removal denied, attorneys fees imposed

The Delaware DOJ sought records in an administrative proceeding against the defendant, and the defendant claimed the subpoena violated the Fourth Amendment and attempted to remove the whole case to federal court because that was a federal defense. This is … Continue reading

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IA: RS: “cries of ‘please help me, don’t hurt me’ could lead an officer to infer that an assault is taking place”

Caller’s “cries of ‘please help me, don’t hurt me’ could lead an officer to infer that an assault is taking place.” That was reasonable suspicion. State v. Sinclair, 2024 Iowa App. LEXIS 74 (Ct. App. Jan. 24, 2024). “Cordova argues … Continue reading

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CA5 (en banc): Arrest of “citizen journalist” under a statute never declared unconstitutional was with QI

“Villarreal fails to satisfy her burden on either [qualified immunity] prong. This is not a case about a ‘citizen journalist just asking questions.’ That clever but misleading phrase cannot relieve this court of our obligation to evaluate Villarreal’s conduct against … Continue reading

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CA2: Reason to believe ptf was inside justified entry with arrest warrant under Payton

Officers had an arrest warrant for plaintiff, and that gave them the ability to enter his home to look for him under Payton when they had a reasonable belief he was inside. United States v. Johnson, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS … Continue reading

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CNN: Amazon’s Ring to shutter video-sharing program popular with police

CNN: Amazon’s Ring to shutter video-sharing program popular with police by Brian Fung [“shutter” isn’t quite correct, is it?:] (“ Amazon’s Ring will no longer let police and other government agencies request doorbell camera footage from within the company’s Neighbors … Continue reading

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CA5: This circuit’s “moment of threat” doctrine for excessive force should be re-examined as contrary to Garner

The “moment of threat” doctrine of excessive force cases in this circuit seems contrary to Tennessee v. Garner, and it should be revisited by the whole court. Barnes v. Felix, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 1530 (5th Cir. Jan. 23, 2024):

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WI: Drug dog “instinct exception” not applicable here, even if it is ever adopted

The court declines to adopt, at least for now, a drug dog’s “instinct exception” for the dog entering defendant’s car. Other courts have adopted that exception, but factually it doesn’t even apply here because the court finds the dog was … Continue reading

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