Cal: Victim and witness’s public social media pages subject to subpoena by defense (with a history of the SCA)

Murder defendants sought private and public Facebook pages of the victim and state’s witnesses for their defense. The court of appeals quashed, and the court remands. The public pages shall be produced because they are public by consent. There’s a history of the Stored Communications Act, and this case isn’t over. Facebook, Inc. v. Superior Court of San Francisco, 2018 Cal. LEXIS 3635 (May 24, 2018):
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PA: 9 month delay between issuance of SW for content of seized cell phone and actual search wasn’t unreasonable where nothing changed

Defendant’s cell phone was seized by consent and a search warrant was obtained for it. It took nine months for the search to occur. Because nothing changed between the seizure, the warrant, and the search, the ultimate search was not unreasonable. Commonwealth v. Knoble, 2018 PA Super 135 (May 24, 2018).

Defendant’s appeal waiver provision in the plea agreement waived his claim that the district court should have sua sponte suppressed evidence without a motion to suppress. United States v. Bass, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 13698 (8th Cir. May 24, 2018).*

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N.D.Ohio: Merely alleging the affiant never appeared before the issuing magistrate to sign it is nothing without proof to support it

Merely alleging the affiant never appeared before the issuing magistrate to sign it is nothing without proof to support it. The warrant says the affiant did. United States v. Oliver, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85865 (N.D. Ohio May 22, 2018).

Defendant consented to his blood draw, and he had no constitutional or statutory right to notice of a right to refuse. People v. Balov, 2018 Cal. App. LEXIS 469 (4th Dist. May 23, 2018).*

Defendant had child pornography on his phone of an 8 year old boy which a sibling saw and emailed it to himself. That became the basis for the search warrant for defendant’s phone. No motion to suppress would succeed, so defense counsel can’t be ineffective. United States v. Bise, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85922 (W.D. Ark. May 4, 2018).*

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The Marshall Project: Your Home is Your…Snitch?

The Marshall Project: Your Home is Your…Snitch? by Daniel Zwerdling:

When your appliances work as police informants.

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M.D.Fla.: No prejudice for IAC where alleged 4A violation produced nothing for trial

One of defendant’s 2255 claims involved a search of a gun safe that had nothing of evidentiary value in it. It didn’t matter at trial, was a “red herring,” and there could be no prejudice. Belitsky v. United States, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85236 (M.D. Fla. May 22, 2018).

“Because Lott committed a civil infraction, appeared more nervous than normal to a trained police officer, and then quickly admitted to marijuana in the car, the stop was not impermissibly extended.” United States v. Lott, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86238 (E.D. Ky. May 23, 2018).*

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LA5: Parole officers were stalking horses for police acting without RS

Defendant’s parole search was without reasonable suspicion. In addition, the parole officers were acting at the request of law enforcement officers acting on an unsubstantiated tip, and that’s unreasonable in this state. State v. Clay, 2018 La. App. LEXIS 1004 (La. App. 5 Cir. May 23, 2018).

Plaintiff’s claim of excessive force during arrest was Heck-barred. His body cavity search on arrest was reasonable based on probable cause. Price v. Galiu, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 13553 (9th Cir. May 23, 2018).*

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WA: Where ptf didn’t know he was being pursued, act of force to knock him from motorcycle doesn’t get qualified immunity

Where plaintiff showed he didn’t know he was being pursued by police while on his motorcycle, the officer’s act of opening his car door to knock him off his bike was a question for the jury, and the officer gets no qualified immunity. In all the cases relied on by the state, the plaintiff knew he was being pursued. Sluman v. State ex rel. Wash. State Patrol, 2018 Wash. App. LEXIS 1179 (May 21, 2018):
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D.Minn.: No right to being stopped at earliest time

There was reasonable suspicion for defendant’s stop, and it isn’t material that the officer chose to wait a few minutes before making the stop. United States v. Taariq, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85630 (D. Minn. May 22, 2018).

Plaintiff inmate’s claim that his cell search was retaliatorily initiated by a law enforcement officer by calling the prison because plaintiff complained about the officer fails for a lack of any factual basis. Also, the timing doesn’t even make sense. Cannon v. Newport, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 13171 (7th Cir. May 21, 2018).*

Defense counsel wasn’t ineffective for not challenging the entry into defendant’s computer when it was on a peer-to-peer network and open to the public. Read v. United States, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84714 (M.D. Fla. May 21, 2018).*

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NYTimes: Calling Your Lawyer’s Cell From Jail? What You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You.

NYTimes: Calling Your Lawyer’s Cell From Jail? What You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You. by Richard A. Oppel Jr.:

Most people assume that a conversation with their lawyer will remain confidential. But if the conversation takes place on the phone from the New Orleans jail, it might be used as evidence of a crime.

The Guardian: ‘Plainly unconstitutional’: New Orleans jail records inmates’ calls to lawyers by Jamiles Lartey:

Prosecutors in the city can and do listen in to conversations that elsewhere are seen as subject to attorney-client privilege.

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OR: Def adequately pled 4A and argued substance to preserve issue for appeal

Defendant preserved her Fourth Amendment claim by citing it in the motion and by arguing at the hearing the stop was impermissibly extended. “Although the question is close, we agree with defendant that her Fourth Amendment argument is adequately preserved for appeal because she alerted the trial court and the state to her contention that the stop was impermissibly extended when McGriff stopped processing the citation during the dog sniff.” State v. Rosales, 291 Ore. App. 762, 2018 Ore. App. LEXIS 590 (May 16, 2018).

The officer had reasonable suspicion to continue the stop and used the drug dog. “In this case, the following articulable facts gave Officer Wood reasonable suspicion that criminal activity was afoot. Defendant gave inconsistent, odd answers to Officer Wood’s questions that were atypical of his encounters with the general public when issuing tickets. Defendant gave multiple, inconsistent reasons for the purpose of his trip to Albuquerque from Phoenix, a known drug source city. It was suspicious that Defendant would mention his business, but when asked if he was coming for work, he said he was just driving around, even though Albuquerque is a long way to come from Phoenix to merely drive around. Adding to Officer Wood’s reasonable suspicion was the fact that Defendant gave a new answer for why he was in town — to see a lady, and that he was driving all the way to Albuquerque to meet her, but he did not know where and had to call her. See United States v. Karam, 496 F.3d 1157, 1164-65 (10th Cir. 2007) (‘[C]onfusion about details is often an indication that a story is being fabricated on the spot….’). Defendant’s latter story was consistent with drug smugglers who often have to call to meet up with their contacts. It was additionally unusual that Defendant left his credit cards at home for a long out-of-state trip.” United States v. Mercado-Gracia, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84792 (D. N.M. May 21, 2018).*

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W.D.Wash.: Motel 6’s own policy of giving ICE & DHS its customer names doesn’t bring it within Patel

Motel 6 in Washington state was providing guest registry information to ICE and DHS, and the state sued them in state court. It was removed to federal court. The case is remanded. Because Motel 6 was providing it voluntarily, Patel doesn’t apply. Remanded to state court for proceedings under state law. Washington v. Motel 6 Operating LP, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84134 (W.D. Wash. May 18, 2018).

The alleged shortcomings in the CI’s credibility were presented to the issuing state court judge, and that judge determined there still was a substantial basis for finding probable cause. Considering the deference that a search warrant gets in a motion to suppress, this court agrees. United States v. Reed, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84863 (D. Minn. May 21, 2018).*

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KOAT-Albuquerque: Border patrol agent stops two people after they spoke Spanish in Montana

KOAT-Albuquerque: Border patrol agent stops two people after they spoke Spanish in Montana by David Taube:
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Wired: A Location-Sharing Disaster Shows How Exposed You Really Are

Wired: A Location-Sharing Disaster Shows How Exposed You Really Are by Brian Barrett:
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W.D.Tex.: Stop for jaywalking in high crime area didn’t provide RS to detain to ask about drugs; removing key fob from pocket was 4A violation

Reasonable suspicion for jaywalking didn’t permit questioning about drugs just because defendant was in a high crime area. The use of defendant’s key fob in his pocket violated the Fourth Amendment, following United States v. Craddock, 841 F.3d 756, 760 (8th Cir. 2016). United States v. Fennell, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83857 (W.D. Tex. May 17, 2018):
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S.D.N.Y.: Defense counsel’s affidavit of an alleged Franks violation was speculative

Defense counsel’s conclusion that a video at issue was the same one on a cell phone is speculative at best. “The Court concludes that the detective’s statement that the phone in the surveillance footage appears to be the same as the Subject Device does not justify a Franks hearing. First, there is not sufficient evidence that the detective’s opinion was actually inaccurate. There is nothing in defense counsel’s affidavit, which he submitted in support of this motion, to indicate that the cell phone in the video is not the Subject Device, or that he has personal knowledge of whether the two phones are in fact the same. See United States v. Caruso, 684 F. Supp. 84, 87 (S.D.N.Y. 1988) (denying Franks hearing where motion was based on affidavit of defense counsel, who did not have personal knowledge of the underlying facts). Defense counsel’s statement that the ‘nature of the footage renders it impossible to determine’ … anything about the device is insufficient, by itself, to warrant a Franks hearing.” United States v. Mathews, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84151 (S.D. N.Y. May 18, 2018).*

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W.D.Okla.: Facebook warrant for all content not overbroad; didn’t have to limit to communications and messages

The search warrant for defendant’s Facebook was not overbroad, and it didn’t have to be limited to communications and messages. It could be for the entirety of the account for the relevant period. United States v. Varnell, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84122 (W.D. Okla. May 18, 2018)
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TN: Entry onto curtilage for trash pull violated 4A

Officers violated the curtilage by entering defendant’s property to do a trash pull. Removing that information from the affidavit for the search warrant leaves it without probable cause. The CI information that started the investigation alone isn’t enough to show probable cause. State v. Weatherly, 2018 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 385 (May 18, 2018):
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KY: The objective evidence showed voluntary consent on totality; trial court erred in finding no consent

Defendant had a head injury and couldn’t remember the accident. Still, she was lucid when the officer talked to her, and she objectively consented on the objective facts. Her subjective belief wasn’t important. The trial court clearly erred in finding lack of consent. Commonwealth v. Brown, 2018 Ky. App. LEXIS 143 (May 18, 2018):
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KS: Car search had PC, so trial court erred in suppressing

The trial court erred in suppressing the search of the car. There was probable cause for a search for drugs, and that allowed the officer to search anywhere drugs would be found. State v. Knight, 2018 Kan. App. LEXIS 28 (May 18, 2018).*

The trial court denied suppression based on an in camera review of the affidavit for search warrant, which New York does for CI statements. Defense counsel didn’t seek to look at it himself. The state courts held that to not be ineffective assistance of counsel. That’s unreasonable for Strickland purposes under § 2254(d). Boyland v. Artus, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 12776 (2d Cir. May 17, 2018).*

Defendant’s 2255 alleged Fourth Amendment violations and was dismissed. He alleged separately in a successor that the affidavit in support of the search warrant was based on falsified information. Dismissed as a successor petition. United States v. White, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83171 (W.D. Va. May 17, 2018).*

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The Atlantic: The Coming Wave of Murders Solved by Genealogy

The Atlantic: The Coming Wave of Murders Solved by Genealogy by Sarah Zhang:

The same DNA analysis used to find the alleged Golden State Killer has led to the arrest of a second alleged murderer. It’ll likely lead to more.

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