Police Using Skype To Get Warrants While At A Crime Scene
from the virtual-courtroom dept
In this digital and connected age, many folks have discovered that the concept of a physical office is more and more outdated. Many of us can (and often do) work from anywhere. Apparently, a court in Florida is working under the same basic thought process as well. Copycense points us to the news that a judge in South Florida is working with police to let them use email and Skype while still at a crime scene to get a warrant. As one of the police officers noted: "It's like a virtual office and courtroom." So will other court functions start taking place this way soon as well? Who needs to sit around a courtroom for a trial when everyone can just login via Skype? Of course, you could (quite reasonably) argue that this is really no different than just using a phone to do the same thing...
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Filed Under: crime scene, email, skype, warrants
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Cop: "Shit, my blackberry just died, you'll have to take my word for it, the judge just approved it on the interwebs"
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Re: Warrants
> they have to produce it if requested no?
Probably not. This would be no different than the telephonic warrants that have been standard practice for decades. The suspect is told he/she will be provided with a copy of the warrant within 24 hours and if the police fail to do so, the warrant becomes invalid and the fruits of the search inadmissible.
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Re: Re: Warrants
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Accused: You don't have the authority
Officer: I AM the law!
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I AM...
Judge... Jury... Executioner... Coming soon to a (former) United States near you.
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Re: I AM...
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Re: I AM...
> soon to a (former) United States near you.
How in the hell does being able to secure a warrant at the scene equate to "judge, jury, executioner"? It's still a warrant, subject to all the standard requirements of proof and probable cause.
The cops aren't acting as judges. They're *talking* with a judge over Skype, who examines their probable cause the same way he would if they were standing in front of him in his chambers. The cops aren't deciding innocent or guilt on the scene, so they're not acting as juries and they sure aren't executing sentence at the scene, either.
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Re: Re: I AM...
All three of those things will be in a different place at a different time, and the latter is only if you are convicted of a very heinous crime (though I am totally against the death penalty).
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OMG.. I wouldn't have to wear pants then..
WOOT!
Seriously though, these sorts of trials have been going on for a while worldwide. Mobile LEO Office's are becoming quite ubiquitous and very high-tech.
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Who needs to sit around a courtroom for a trial when everyone can just login via Skype?
This makes sense.
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Re: Who needs to sit around a courtroom for a trial when everyone can just login via Skype?
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