Posted on 04/07/2006 12:28:35 PM PDT by JTN
Sometime this spring, the Supreme Court will hand down its decision in the case of Hudson v. Michigan. At issue is whether or not police who used an illegal "no-knock" raid to enter a defendant's home can use the drugs they seized inside against the defendant at trial. To understand the importance of this case, some background is in order.
As the name indicates, a "no-knock" raid occurs when police forcibly enter a private residence without first knocking and announcing that they're the police. The tactic is appropriate in a few limited situations, such as when hostages or fugitives are involved, or where the suspect poses an immediate threat to community safety. But increasingly, this highly confrontational tactic is being used in less volatile situations, most commonly to serve routine search warrants for illegal drugs.
These raids are often launched on tips from notoriously unreliable confidential informants. Rubber-stamp judges, dicey informants, and aggressive policing have thus given rise to the countless examples of "wrong door" raids we read about in the news. In fact, there's a disturbingly long list of completely innocent people who've been killed in "wrong door" raids, including New York City worker Alberta Spruill, Boston minister Accelyne Williams, and a Mexican immigrant in Denver named Ismael Mena.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Obviously, he ate three of them.
I have read stories like this before and one time an innocent citizen is killed or wounded by SWAT is one time too many. I think that most departments should not have SWAT teams in the first place but do only because of the extra funding and goodies that Uncle Sugar provides them for it.
I agree completely. Police are paid to do things which may be dangerous and should not act toward citizens as a military unit does towards the "enemy".
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- and - " a 6 month old dachshund."
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Stuff happens. What if - someone had been lying on the floor (alone at home) with a debilitating medical emergency? They might want help then.
Join a ride-along program, many police departments have them.
All police departments have them. Some of us just don't like the involuntary nature and the handcuffs.
Laugh!
We were standing about 12 feet from my cannabis stash, when I started a conversation about her work.
She said - about her work - that "it's fun to bust in on people in the small hours of the morning, shaking them out of bed, searching and if contraband is found - arresting them".
I was thinking, yea - wouldn't it be "fun" to come back here at three in the morning and do me like that. /Not for me - I don't need any hassles in my castle.
Ping as needed.
If thats the case then I feel sorry for your town. If the officer was at your house alone on an 911 open line call the that is bad SOP. Then again you said it was a small town and it may have to be that way I suppose.
I can't think of anytime I've ever booted a door without having more info than there was an open line. If by chance the officer came into your home because there was concern about your welfare, I'm hoping that before they came in they would have announced loudly and often that they were with the police and why they were there. You've eluded to the reasons why there is protocol for the police to properly handle those situations.
There may not have been any history of domestics or other issues but what if it were a medical emergency and for some reason and nobody could communicate with the dispatchers or come to the door to greet the first responder? The cops get sent first to tell the fire department that the coast is clear.
Better tidy up that backyard barbecue invitation list there, sport:)
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Well - no -
I have a dream - that some day cannabis use will be viewed as what it is - an almost harmless activity that shouldn't prevent social functions between police and cannabis users.
Our brief discussions with Horatio Gates has left me feeling that our society would be much better off without the wedge driven into it because a war has been waged against persons who choose to use cannabis. I really would like to try a mug of Horatio's home brew and a few hits of good domestically produced cannabis. A great time would be had by all.
Oh - that female drug enforcement cousin of my wife's - She has asked for and gotten two dates with friends of mine. On one of those dates, she and he went out drinking and got a bit naughty.
No offense, but one date with the psycho-b*tch from hell can certainly be fun. But this one carries a GUN, has arrest powers, and an army to help her cover up consequences and incidents.
Extreme caution is advised.
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Yeah- She was telling me about how my friend was allegedly taking advantage of her inebriated condition by having his hand down her brazier. Well - when I saw my friend again - I asked to hear his side of the matter and he said everything was cool till he unsnapped her pants.
That's when I high-fived my friend.
Whew! Close call. That whole sexual incident remorse thing gets a little different when the possibility exists for .40 caliber punctuation.
(pointing and laughing at that comment.)
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