E.D.Va.: “Courts have been clear that police need not corroborate information given by known informants.”

“Courts have been clear that police need not corroborate information given by known informants. Like the CI in Harris, the CI in this case was known to provide reliable information that led to arrests. Thus, police corroboration was unnecessary. But the police, as in Perkins, did confirm important aspects of the tip before stopping Defendant.” United States v. Chappell, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134820 (E.D. Va. September 23, 2014).*

The government has had defendant’s cell phone for two years and hasn’t gotten the password to open it, but has text messages [some how]. The government wants to show it to the jury whether it’s opened or not, so the motion to return is denied. United States v. Robles, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135876 (C.D. Cal. September 22, 2014).*

Defendant’s computer was with a computer technician for repair. The tech called the police describing search terms he found and the police didn’t think that qualified as child pornography. On his own, then, the tech searched the computer and found videos that he considered child porn, and he called the police again. They took possession of the computer and applied for a search warrant which was valid. The search of the videos wasn’t instigated by the police. United States v. Tapley, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134800 (D. Me. September 24, 2014).*