[Velveeta]

The FBI had Scott's home under video surveillance, from a neighbor's house. I assume this began after Laci became "missing", perhaps it began on Christmas?

Do you need a warrant to do video surveillance?

[Devil_Anse]

If the video surveillance was not picking up sounds such as conversations, and if they were just filming what could be seen by persons outside the house anyway, no.

In the above case, the videocam would just be basically a mechanization of the old law enforcement technique of "putting a man on him". That is, "tailing" him.

It all comes down to whether Scott could reasonably expect privacy in whatever areas they were videotaping.

If the videotape was also picking up sounds, including conversations, then that would be more like a wiretap and I think they would need a warrant.

The federal circuit courts disagree, to an extent, on how intrusive videotaping is. So this is not an entirely settled area of law.