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Judge: Security 'Pat-Downs" Of Buc Fans Unconstitutional
WKMG-TV ^ | 7-28-2006

Posted on 07/28/2006 7:24:33 PM PDT by Cagey

TAMPA, Fla. -- Security "pat-downs" of fans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers games are unconstitutional and unreasonable, a federal judge ruled Friday, throwing into question the practice at NFL games nationwide.

U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore issued an order siding with a Bucs season-ticket holder who had sued to stop the fan searches that began last season after the NFL implemented enhanced security measures.

High school civics teacher Gordon Johnson sued the Tampa Sports Authority, which operates the stadium, to stop officials from conducting the "suspicionless" searches. A state judge agreed with Johnston that the searches are likely unconstitutional and halted them.

The case was later moved to federal court, where the sports authority sought to have that order thrown out. Whittemore refused Friday, writing that the pat-downs "constitute unreasonable searches under the Florida Constitution and the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution."

Further, Whittemore said the Tampa Sports Authority failed to establish that the risks outweigh the need to protect the public from unreasonable searches.

Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, which sued on Johnston's behalf, said Whittemore's decision could turn out to be significant.

"It's obviously not going to govern what's happening around the country, but it's certainly going to be an influential precedent," Simon said. "Other courts may look at it."

Simon said he thinks the decision shows that courts are "pushing back" at governmental attempts to violate citizens' civil rights on the basis of a perceived threat of terrorism or crime.

Rick Zabak, an attorney for Tampa Sports Authority, said the decision will be appealed.

"We're disappointed, and we respectfully disagree with the judge's conclusions," Zabak said.

Calls to an NFL spokesman were not immediately returned Friday. In a previous statement, the NFL said "these limited screenings are reasonable and important to the protection of our fans."

Another NFL pat-down case made it into federal court last week when the Chicago Park District sued in federal court to challenge the planned searches by police at Chicago Bears games.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: 4a; 4thamendment; ada; bootlickers; bootlicking; bumpfrisk; disabilities; disabledamericans; falsesecurity; fourthamendment; freedom; frisk; goodcitizen; govwatch; handsoffmister; infringe; infringements; liberty; papersplease; prejudice; privacy; sacrificeliberty; search; searchandseizure; searchseizure; security; theft; wot
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To: olderwiser; Cagey; Blue Jays
Maybe the Constitition is a suicide pact after all. The judge seems to think so...

Or just maybe the Judge may have remembered Jefferson's challenge to the Colonial Virginia assembly "it is better to live free men than to die slaves."

I, for one, am tired of dying the slow death of a thousand tiny cuts to "live" as a slave to "security".

61 posted on 07/28/2006 9:04:01 PM PDT by lightman (The Office of the Keys should be exercised as some ministry needs to be exorcised.)
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To: Cagey

Perhaps the judge does not attend sporting events, so has no reason to worry about his personal safety because of this decision?


62 posted on 07/28/2006 9:06:28 PM PDT by Rocky (Air America: Robbing the poor to feed the Left)
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To: lightman

Or maybe when Jefferson said, "oh what the hell, let everyone do wahatever they want and let's just let it all hang out!" No wait, he didn't say that. And he didn't mean by freedom, that we be made powerless to protect ourselves against a ruthless, depraved enemy that has already demonstrated willingness to use our freedoms against us.

There were plenty of freedoms curbed during World War Two. I believe Jefferson would've approved.


63 posted on 07/28/2006 9:08:25 PM PDT by olderwiser
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To: Sloth

Easily fixed then. The NFL mandated the searches, the Bucs hire a private firm to do the searches.

Johnson can go piss up a rope.


64 posted on 07/28/2006 9:08:34 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Rabid ethnicist.)
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To: olderwiser
Hi olderwiser-

"Only ordered liberty, which requires prudent attention to safety"

~ Blue Jays ~

65 posted on 07/28/2006 9:08:52 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: Blue Jays

Let me guess--you're the gentleman in the chair.


66 posted on 07/28/2006 9:10:12 PM PDT by olderwiser
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To: Blue Jays

You know so much about security, maybe you can divine who supplied the chair to that guy before he came into a venue?

You're just the guy I'd want at the head of my operation.


67 posted on 07/28/2006 9:12:38 PM PDT by olderwiser
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To: highlander_UW
Fine, then everyone stop going to Bucs games because this bozo has caused it to be too dangerous.

How so??? Don't you go to the grocery store, movie theater, etc. without being patted down? I went to every Mavs game last year, was never patted down, and never felt in danger (other than walking to the train station in downtown Dallas).

68 posted on 07/28/2006 9:13:24 PM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (Man Law: You Poke It, You Own It)
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To: olderwiser
Nice try. LOL!
69 posted on 07/28/2006 9:13:47 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: Cagey

No problem. Allow ticket holders to refuse the search, refuse entry to said ticket holders. No rights violated


70 posted on 07/28/2006 9:17:19 PM PDT by Figment
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To: olderwiser
Hi olderwiser-

Those kind of motorized chairs are widely available on the market. There was a story in the The Wall Street Journal recently about their increasing number of sales. Thank you for your kind employment offer, but I'm happily with another company at this time.

~ Blue Jays ~

71 posted on 07/28/2006 9:19:07 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: VeniVidiVici
The NFL mandated the searches, the Bucs hire a private firm to do the searches.

As long as they do it in their own private stadiums, it works for me.

72 posted on 07/28/2006 9:19:49 PM PDT by Sloth (Politicians have NO incentive to please those whose votes are already secure.)
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To: Blue Jays

Ummm you buy a ticket it comes with conditions. You want to drink the water you bought at wally world, drink it at home.You pay 50+$ for a ticket don't expect bargain basement prices for concessions. Did your buddy's family not notice that there are FREE water fountains?


73 posted on 07/28/2006 9:23:51 PM PDT by Figment
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To: sharkhawk

"- Almost every concert I have been to in the past 25 years pats down people to ensure nobody is bringing in contraband."

makes me wonder how good a job they've done at Dead concerts.


74 posted on 07/28/2006 9:23:54 PM PDT by stylin19a
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To: Blue Jays

"So what happens when a businessperson attending an event is told they'll have to surrender their expensive Montblanc Meisterstuck fountainpen because it could be used as a dagger?"


He can take it back to the car


75 posted on 07/28/2006 9:27:20 PM PDT by Figment
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To: Blue Jays
I wouldn't hesitate to toss the bastard under the bus. I don't see how a search of this kind has any constitutional implications, seeing how a Tampa Bay Bucs football game is not a "public institution" at which spectators are covered by legal protections of this kind.

Stadiums and venues are using this as "smoke and mirrors" to get a look at your stuff to see if you're bringing your own Poland Spring to a summer ballgame rather than buying their $6.00 bottle.

It doesn't matter what the real reason for these searches is. If you don't like being searched, then stay home (like I do).

76 posted on 07/28/2006 9:27:26 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
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To: Blue Jays

Uh-huh. And my point was that a chair like that might be rigged by a third party, unknown to the disabled or indigent person who might be sitting in it.

Look. Plenty of grannies are scanned on their way onto airplanes. I'm all for profiling for terrorists. On the hand, let's not assume every time we see an "unlikely candidate" undergoing a security check, the pros automatically have their heads up their butts.


77 posted on 07/28/2006 9:27:42 PM PDT by olderwiser
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To: lightman
Hi lightman-

It is unreal what some people (especially FReepers) will endure! When the movie theaters in my area started checking bags, I would simply hand them my ticket and breeze past with a cheerful and smiling, "No thank you!" when they asked to peer in my bag. The use of metal detectors really gets under my skin and now a little 2-inch penknife is enough to prevent entry into many museums.

It seems many people have an inability to see what is down the road, even when given your excellent one thousand tiny cuts example. We are in 100% agreement on the topic.

~ Blue Jays ~

78 posted on 07/28/2006 9:28:27 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: Blue Jays
We can't have malls, retailers, sporting venues, concert halls, theaters, and restaurants just randomly deciding what they think is permitted and what isn't permitted.

Why not?

79 posted on 07/28/2006 9:30:04 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
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To: Cagey

"Search me, big boy..."

80 posted on 07/28/2006 9:30:27 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (404 Page Error Found)
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