In First, U.S. Judge Throws Out Cell Phone 'Stingray' Evidence
Source: Reuters
For the first time, a federal judge has suppressed evidence obtained without a warrant by U.S. law enforcement using a stingray, a surveillance device that can trick suspects' cell phones into revealing their locations.
U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan on Tuesday ruled that defendant Raymond Lambis' rights were violated when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration used such a device without a warrant to find his Washington Heights apartment.
The DEA had used a stingray to identify Lambis' apartment as the most likely location of a cell phone identified during a drug-trafficking probe. Pauley said doing so constituted an unreasonable search.
"Absent a search warrant, the government may not turn a citizen's cell phone into a tracking device," Pauley wrote.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-crime-stingray-idUSKCN0ZS2VI
Rex
(65,616 posts)lapfog_1
(29,166 posts)cstanleytech
(26,080 posts)do was get a warrant.
24601
(3,940 posts)probable cause is required. When those conditions are met, a stingray is no more unreasonable or intrusive than presenting a warrant at your front door and going through all your stuff at home.
But do I believe DEA plays fast & loose with the rules - a different subject but I do believe that.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)When wookie von wookerton calls his friend "Hey brah, meet me under sign H-4 and we'll smoke a bowl", then they can have the SWAT team all ready to arrest him and his buddy for smoking pot.
Your tax dollars at work.
uawchild
(2,208 posts)That just has to be an illegal wire tap.