Jump to content

State OK's use of secret GPS tracking devices (in cars)


ImUrOBGYN

Recommended Posts

For the first time, the state's (Maryland) highest court ruled today that the state Declaration of Rights allows police to break into a suspect’s car to secretly install GPS tracking devices, provided they have a warrant before they act.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/09/states_top_cour.html

 

Discuss, please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a bit wary of the "secretly breaking in" to someone's car, but that's already in effect now. My friend was parked in a subdivision on the street, which is legal there, and his car was unlocked. The police thought the car was suspicious so they entered the car, popped the hood, and disconnected the battery. All of this is completely legal in Ohio in the name of an investigation of suspicious activity, even w/o a warrant.

 

With a warrant, I have no problem with the authorities placing a tracking device in a car. "Secretly breaking in", however, is a pretty clear violation of 4th amendment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tbutera2112
yeah not to sure i like this. if they install a gps in a car and don't get the results they were hoping for are you ever told that they did it

 

i would assume there would be a time limit that its allowed to be on there? hell idk...i would hope so atleast

 

 

as for secretly breaking in...i would also hope its attached on the underbody somewhere...i dont think they should be breaking into anything...but with a warrant, i guess they can do whatever...they break into peoples houses all the time with a no-knock warrant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They already got the cell phone companies. The gov't is allowed to remotely activate the microphone on your cellphone to listen to your lovely voice... even when the phone is turned off. No joke. I'd search for the articles/evidence but I'm too lazy.

 

Big Brother inches closer to reality every single day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They already got the cell phone companies. The gov't is allowed to remotely activate the microphone on your cellphone to listen to your lovely voice... even when the phone is turned off. No joke. I'd search for the articles/evidence but I'm too lazy.

 

Big Brother inches closer to reality every single day.

 

 

 

:lol: please tell your not serious? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the first time, the state's (Maryland) highest court ruled today that the state Declaration of Rights allows police to break into a suspect’s car to secretly install GPS tracking devices, provided they have a warrant before they act. Discuss, please.

 

They would be bored following me and most every other law abiding citizen so I really don't care. If "Big Brother" has listened to my cell conversations, I want my tax dollars back for the huge waste of resources that's been too. Doing the GPS thing isn't much different than a phone tap. So long as there's a warrant.....

 

The way I see it, if you're a "Suspect" and actually innocent, then who gives a shit. I don't see a whole lot of efforts out there to interfere on my rights on a daily basis. Now, perhaps if I actually had something to hide in terms of where I was going such as after I killed my wife or used some funny-money, then I might care.

 

Taken from the article:

In 2004 while sitting in his minivan, Connolly sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer in Harwich. On Aug. 31, 2004, State Police installed the GPS device inside Connolly’s van while it was parked at his apartment complex.

 

When he returned form New York – where police learned he obtained his cocaine – State Police stopped him on Route 6 and seized the van. Inside, they found a ball of cocaine weighing 124 grams.

 

Connolly was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in state prison by Barnstable Superior Court Judge Gary Nickerson.

 

I don't care one bit about Mr. Connolly. I think the acts shown here proved it a well used tactic. BTW, I'm about to go to Kroger's if anyone wants to right that down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, let's just all put on tinfoil hats. What with the government secretly activating the mic on my cell phone with the power off and "taking over" general motors to use OnStar to listen in on me. Because those theories are very plausible!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tbutera2112
Well, let's just all put on tinfoil hats. What with the government secretly activating the mic on my cell phone with the power off and "taking over" general motors to use OnStar to listen in on me. Because those theories are very plausible!

 

hope you dont have cable tv, they got to the cable companies and activated your speakers in your tv to listen in on you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't be easier to go to cell phone companies?

 

Depends on what they are trying to do. Tracking is different than tapping obvoiusly. With a cell phone you only get a proximity of where the suspect is (and only if they have the phone on them). With a subpoena you can get the detail records from a cellular provider that will tell you which tower and which transponder they last connected too but again if that tower has a 5-6 mile coverage area you have no idea where they are in that range. The use of this in court is sketchy because you can tell where someone wasn't by that information (given you can prove they had the phone on them) but you can't prove where they were. I helped on the Darius Lewis case recently for this very reason.

 

GPS tracking doesn't require the cops to break into your car at all. It can easily be attached to the subframe of your vehicle and secured. They require no external power and can run up to 3 weeks with 2 AA batteries. Depending on how much data you want you can have it log every minute of the day with coordinates and timelogs then that data gets imported into a program that uses google maps (or similar) to show the travel logs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They already got the cell phone companies. The gov't is allowed to remotely activate the microphone on your cellphone to listen to your lovely voice... even when the phone is turned off. No joke. I'd search for the articles/evidence but I'm too lazy.

 

Big Brother inches closer to reality every single day.

 

Wow oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...