Warrant required, knock on door optional?

Question

Supreme court decision today, are we closer to a totalitarian government?

Remember: This type of legislature can easily be used against non-criminals by a corrupt government...

Answer 1

This opinion has nothing to do with exigent circumstances or "knocking if they see a crime occuring through a window." This also has nothing to do with officer safety as there is a no-knock procedure availble already. The police in this case did not obtain a no-knock warrant (Michigan does not provide for it), nor did they argue exigent circumstances, which the dissent says they would have probably won on.

I think it is a very bad opinion. Law enforcement will not follow the law, if it is not enforced against them. The exclusionary rule was designed to do just that. It is a joke that the Supreme Court implies this could be remedied through civil suits and proffessionalism in police departments. I'm willing to bet most police departments are having meetings today or planning them, to get the word out they don't have to knock anymore.

And all you people with "nothing to hide" can be consoled by the fact that nothing was found while you are replacing your door frame and front door the police kicked in, and calming down your kids whose home was just invaded by guys with guns.

This is a direct result of Bush's recent appointments.

Answer 2

The argument was that any weapons, drugs, or other items will be found wether the police knock or not becuase they have a warrent so why give the crooks a 15 second headstart?

I agree with the Supreme Court, I never understood why they knocked on COPS anyway.

Answer 3

I don't quite see why a knock is necessary, but you must look at the opinion carefully. It does not say that police officers are allowed to not knock whenever they want, but that evidence obtained if they do not knock is still admissable, which is quite reasonable I'd say. They would have found it if they had knocked anyway. What they are saying is that it is up to individual law enforcement to discipline their officers if they violate the knock policy.

Answer 4

Wait a minute. Knocking in many situations tips off people that are some times carrying guns. This is for officer safety and if you don't get that tough you know what. Damn girl some times people have the "RIGHT TO LIVE" you know.

Answer 5

Get ready for alot of Dereliction of duty, @ malice producers/ It's wrong!! The Right and the Conservitives are tearing the Constitution of the United States to shread's It's sick /time to take America back

Answer 6

Yes, every piece of legislation like this passed moves us closer to a police state and an eventual dictatorship.

at one time we were secure in our homes against police intrusion without an advance warning, not any more.

Wake up,my fellow Americans. Those who are willing to give up their freedoms for security deserve neither freedom nor security.

Answer 7

Closer is a relative term. If you are in San Francisco and you drive to Oakland, are you closer to New York?

Answer 8

Look... If a cop comes to my house, looks in the window and sees me being beaten or raped... I WANT him to be able to come right on in. This reaffirment doesn't mean they can just walk right in whenever they want to. It means if there's violence going on, they don't have to just stand outside knocking on the door till someone lets them in.

Answer 9

May be, but if you have nothing to hide why worry about it. Let's get the crooks off the street.

Answer 10

Not if your the Gestapo or the KGB