Judge says outdoor urinating no reason for search

Bay City Times ^ | May 7 2004 | Crystal Harmon

[msuMD]

If a man relieves his bladder in the deep woods in the dark of night, when he thinks there's no one around, is it still indecent exposure? And does it give law officers a reason to search his car?

No, a federal judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson has thrown out evidence in a federal case against Donald Whitmore, 50, of Mio.

The judge ruled that a forest ranger did not have just cause to search the vehicle Whitmore was driving even though she "observed the defendant answering an urgent call of nature, alfresco."

[wardaddy]

yep.....trash is building up.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Hey... be of good cheer. I recently swayed a wayward "citizens don't need to carry concealed weapons" police officer over to the fold the other day.

Soon I'll have him buying one of your books.

[maxwell]

Once, back in my wilder days, I was riding around with a bunch of yahoos in rural Texas. We stopped at a convenience store for more liquid refreshments, not knowing that the store had been robbed minutes before.

It was pitch black out so one old cowboy wandered out into the lot behind the store to drain his lizard. Suddenly there were six cop cars surrounding him with six searchlights illuminating his activities and six cops with shotguns across the hood. He was left standing there with his hands in the air and his pride dangling in the breeze.

There was absolute silence while both sides tried to figure out just what the heck was going on. Suddenly there was a plaintive drawl that you could hear for blocks, "Gaaawwd, you folks take pissin' SERIOUS!

ROTFLMFAO!

[Bon mots]

Jackbooted feminazi.

Why do we give these people guns and badges?
This has only been getting worse these days.

[tenthirteen]

Maybe someday no one will have guns and badges, and anybody can do anything they like. Maybe there will be no rules, regs, laws and guidelines.

Maybe then you, and others will be happy about all that.

Just maybe.

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL!

[devolve]

How highs the water Momma?

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! I though it went something like:

• cold.

• deep !

[devolve]

6' high 'n risin'

[Major_Risktaker]

Jackbooted feminazi.

Why do we give these people guns and badges? This has only been getting worse these days.

U.S. Forest Service Officer Brandy Hill

Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Parker

_________________________________________

I agree!

I am pleased these women were not in this picture.

These guys all carried guns and used the trees.

Women in the news.

[Travis McGee]

Did you see that in "Dumb and Dumber?"

[Travis McGee]

You do good work Cap'n!

[B4Ranch]

I could tell about a time about a cop and a bottle that didn't have beer in it. He had just poured it out and some splashed on his trousers when the wiseass driver said "Officer, you need to smell the bottle and verify it's alcohol content."

The driver passed all field tests and volunteered to go in for urine/blood testing which the officer refused. A week later the officer even shaved off his mustache because of the harrassment he was receiving from fellow officers.

[B4Ranch]

#33.....I'm goin braindead tonight.

[Drammach]

Say what?! Does that mean that I should have no expectation of privacy while visiting my parents at their house? (Meaning, a cop can search me while there?)

Yepper.. That's what it means.. These prosecutors just interpreted it wrongly in this case, but your interpretation is, indeed, correct..

If authorities suspect someone (say, You) of participating in an illegal activity, (say, drug trafficking) and you are observed entering a 3rd party's residence, (say, your parent's home) they are authorized to enter and search the residence, and any / all occupants under "probable cause"...
( I believe this was an East Coast Federal Court's decision, but as a prior judgement, it stands up in court nationally.)

[isom35]

stories like this really p*ss me off.........

[Travis McGee]

That story really stinks.

;^)

[Joe Brower]

Well that's a relief.

[af_vet_1981]

Driving while intoxicated with a loaded weapon in the front seat ...