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Constitutionally protected materials
http://www.dailyherald.com/mchenry/main_story.asp?intID=3806657 | March 20, 2004 | Charles Keeshan

Posted on 03/20/2004 6:48:44 AM PST by Thebaddog

A McHenry County judge Friday refused to reverse her earlier ruling that an October 2000 police raid on an adult business owner's office and home was unconstitutional.

Judge Sharon Prather rejected claims by McHenry County prosecutors that she could alter her decision so that evidence of suspect child pornography found in the raid could be used in court while other materials seized would be barred.

"I don't know in this particular case how you can divide the two," Prather said.

In January, the judge ruled that police failed to follow necessary legal proceedings for seizing Constitutionally protected materials during a raid involving former Greenwood resident Michael A. Jones.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: billofrights; childpornography; exclusionaryrule; legalbeagle
the judge ruled that police failed to follow necessary legal proceedings for seizing Constitutionally protected materials

This is the first I've heard of rights for material. Whadda country!

1 posted on 03/20/2004 6:48:45 AM PST by Thebaddog
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To: Thebaddog
Follow the reverse thread of this argument. If seized by other than by the strictly enforced guidelines for proper search and seizure, materials such as child pornography, held to be a heinous crime elsewhere in the entire jurisdiction of Illinois and US courts, becomes Constitutionally protected material. Therefore, it becomes a privacy issue to have child pornography in one's possession.

I see an internal contradiction here.
2 posted on 03/20/2004 6:57:54 AM PST by alloysteel
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To: alloysteel
I hear of a good case for TAR & FEATHERS for judges and lawyers!

and that is because I'm in a good mood this morning....otherwise
3 posted on 03/20/2004 7:14:18 AM PST by steplock (http://www.gohotsprings.com)
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To: alloysteel
"I see an internal contradiction here."

There is no "privacy issue" involved. The issue is unlawful search and seizure, which has ALWAYS invalidated ANY evidence found in such illegal search, including crimes far more serious than child pornography.

4 posted on 03/20/2004 7:15:14 AM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel)
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To: Thebaddog
"...This is the first I've heard of rights for material. Whadda country..."
- - -
Perhaps you should read this...
U.S. Constitution; Fourth Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

5 posted on 03/20/2004 7:22:55 AM PST by DefCon
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To: Wonder Warthog
There has been a continuing redefinition of what constitutes "unlawful" search and seizure. In this example, "lawful" is defined much more by case law than by statute. Until the "Miranda" decision, criminals could be hauled off and detained for as long as was needed to obtain the necessary warrants and carry out adequate search. There was also a "hot pursuit" principle that incidental to other primary criminal activity, further evidence of illegal or unlawful activity could also be seized. In many situations, delay of even a few minutes could spell the difference in whether evidence could be recovered, or it may be so compromised as to be useless. Like flushing hard drugs down the toilet. Or even a waste paper basket fire.
6 posted on 03/20/2004 7:40:51 AM PST by alloysteel
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To: alloysteel
"Follow the reverse thread of this argument. If seized by other than by the strictly enforced guidelines for proper search and seizure, materials such as child pornography, held to be a heinous crime elsewhere in the entire jurisdiction of Illinois and US courts, becomes Constitutionally protected material. Therefore, it becomes a privacy issue to have child pornography in one's possession."

I don't think that's what the judge is getting at here.

Here's what I think she's saying: The raid seizing material protected under the first amendment (porn) was unconstitutional, because the victim of the raid had a right to have such things per the first amendment. Because the raid was illegal, under the "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine, all evidence found during an illegal raid is not admissible against the person whose rights were violated during the raid.

The adult porn really isn't the issue, here. And while I agree kiddie porn is disgusting and heinous (and for which I think the death penalty would be appropriate), the "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine is what keeps police and prosecutors from conducting illegal searches whenever they feel like it, and hauling you into court based on whatever they happen to find in your home, even when they never had probable cause to conduct a search in the first place.

Don't be distracted by the kiddie porn issue; this is really about the right to be free from unreasonable searches, and not about the "right" to victimize kids. Unfortunately, with our system, sometimes not every guilty person is punished, but it means that we are freer because of it.

Personally, I think this judge should be commended for her stance on the Constitutional rights of the victim of this illegal search, and not slammed for it like some on this thread are doing. The "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine is not a "loophole," it is an important Constitutional safeguard.
7 posted on 03/20/2004 7:41:33 AM PST by Henrietta
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To: alloysteel
Follow the reverse thread of this argument. If seized by other than by the strictly enforced guidelines for proper search and seizure, materials such as child pornography, held to be a heinous crime elsewhere in the entire jurisdiction of Illinois and US courts, becomes Constitutionally protected material. Therefore, it becomes a privacy issue to have child pornography in one's possession.

Unfortunately, there's no contradiction.

When you add up the right to "privacy" discovered in Roe, combined with the discovery that laws burdening immoral conduct are "irrational" in Romer, mixed with the "defining for oneself the meaning of life" right from Casey, and then you add in the verdict that the law cannot be used to define morality and that laws based in morality constitute an equal protection violation from Lawrence, you really are left with an inability to legislate or punish on any important subject.

The sum of the four decisions I cited above really does eliminate the law altogether, as we have understood it since Sinai.

8 posted on 03/20/2004 7:43:43 AM PST by Jim Noble (Now you go feed those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia!)
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To: Thebaddog

Fourth Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."


9 posted on 03/20/2004 7:43:58 AM PST by vannrox (The Preamble to the Bill of Rights - without it, our Bill of Rights is meaningless!)
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To: DefCon
Stop it! you start getting the people to read the clear, concise words of the Constitution and by gum, they might realize that their rights are being eroded every day.
They might even start pitching a beef about it. We can't have that.

Thank you Judge Sharon Prather.
10 posted on 03/20/2004 2:17:20 PM PST by stylin19a (Is it vietnam yet ?)
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