Guy Gets SWAT Team-ed for Not Securing His Wireless Connection

The Agitator ^ | 04/24/2011 | Radley Balko

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

You know where this is going. They got the wrong guy. Someone else had used Covert’s wireless connection to download child porn.

Law enforcement officials say the case is a cautionary tale.

It sure is. I can certainly think of some lessons we might draw. One might be: Maybe the cops should check to see if a suspect’s wireless network is secure, and therefore that they have the right guy, before they break into his home and point their guns at his head.

Another lesson: Maybe it’s not such a good idea to send the SWAT team after someone suspected of downloading—not even manufacturing—child porn in the first place. Are people who download kiddie porn known to be heavily armed?

As you might suspect, these aren’t the lessons the police drew from their violent, mistaken raid on Barry Covert. This is:

Their advice: Password-protect your wireless router.

Probably good advice, given that they don’t seem particularly concerned about their own mistakes in this case.

[GeronL]

I am for trials first, if that’s what you are asking

[Nate505]

Is the average kiddie porn downloader armed to the teeth? Why the hell is a swat team needed to arrest one?

[Titan Magroyne]

Ya gotta read this FRiend, including the comments posted at the hosting site. If your POS lying ex coulda...

[dfwgator]

What they ought to go after is some of the obscene SSID names that are out there. Kids can see these names when they try to search for a wireless connection.

[bvw]

Yes, that's what I would suggest, but even then trials today convict ham sandwiches because the (1) jurors are not respected, (2) the law is ornate, overlapping and inscrutable, and (3) the process of law in and before a trial hobbles the "whole truth" from being known.

[Immerito]

“”One of the agents runs up and basically throws him down the stairs, and he’s got the cuts and bruises to show for it,” said Covert, who said the homeowner plans no lawsuit. When he was allowed to get up, agents escorted him and watched as he used the bathroom and dressed. “

The homeowner SHOULD sue ICE.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110424/ap_on_hi_te/us_wi_fi_warning

[Bel Riose]

Most SWAT teams are a waste of money. You almost never hear about them going after actual violent, dangerous criminals these days.

Going after real criminals is too much like work! It might even be dangerous!!