The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Conference Center > Law and Civil Rights

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 20, 2013, 12:25 AM   #1
rc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 1,742
Door To Door Searches and Civil Rights?

I understand why police did door to door searches in Bostom but was this police action constitutional?
rc is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 12:32 AM   #2
armoredman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,295
From what very little information I have read, not a chance, IF it went down as described, with cops bursting into homes and tearing through, searching every room. I don't know what MA law says, but in my state, those officers would be facing huge penalties both personal and departmental.
armoredman is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 12:41 AM   #3
maestro pistolero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 16, 2007
Posts: 2,153
They were knocking and asking, as I understand it. I doubt they had many refusals.
maestro pistolero is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 07:21 AM   #4
geetarman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,157
Considering the situation, I think the police did the right thing. I have heard no reports of breaking down doors and forced entry.
__________________
Geetarman

Carpe Cerveza
geetarman is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 07:31 AM   #5
Spats McGee
Staff
 
Join Date: July 28, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 8,817
I've not had a chance to review many police reports, but I haven't read anything that would indicate that the "door to door searches" were anything but consensual.

If someone has a news story from a reliable source that spells it out, please post a link. Otherwise, it's still just all speculation.
__________________
I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.
Spats McGee is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 08:17 AM   #6
shortwave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 17, 2007
Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO
Posts: 5,970
Door to door grid search's by LE are nothing new when looking for criminals. Especially in this set of circumstance's.

With respect, instead of focusing on the job LE did in this situation(which IMO was exemplary) don't you feel our attention would be better focused on the constitutionality of the restrictive gun laws in Mass.




I know had I been a resident in that area ( especially if I had my family living with me) while these two terrorist were at large I would not want the government dictating to me what kind of gun , how many rounds of ammo or how big of magazine/clip I was aloud to have to defend my family in case the terrorist came calling to my home for a place of refuge.

Too, since this same terrorist situation could happen anywhere in the U.S. in the future, I hope our gov'n. is considering this whilst they are so feverishly working and have promised further disarmament of the law abiding American people.
shortwave is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 08:26 AM   #7
cvc944
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 17, 2013
Location: Lenhartsville, PA
Posts: 164
I thought about how I would feel. I quickly decided I wouldn't like it, but would agree to the search nonetheless. I never thought this monster would be found in a boat in a driveway. I thought he would be found in a house with a hostage. Someone who would drop an exploding bag of death at the feet of an 8 year old child really, really needs to be found, regardless of method or etiquette.
cvc944 is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 08:36 AM   #8
shortwave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 17, 2007
Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO
Posts: 5,970
Quote:
I thought he would be found in a house with a hostage.
My thoughts as well cvc944....and I was praying that if he did go to a house for refuge /hostages that he was met by someone at the house smart enough to be armed and would have the opportunity to fend the terrorist off.
shortwave is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 09:07 AM   #9
Double Naught Spy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2001
Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX
Posts: 12,714
Quote:
From what very little information I have read, not a chance,
Okay, you are going to have to provide some citations, because like Spats noted, I haven't seen anything where anyone has indicated to the contrary. So you have seen the information that is contrary, please share.
__________________
"If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011
My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange
Double Naught Spy is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 09:17 AM   #10
Qtiphky
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2008
Location: Upper Michigan, above the Mackinac Bridge
Posts: 568
My thoughts exactly Shortwave. How many of those people didn't have/weren't allowed to have guns to defend themselves? Dictated by draconian laws. I hope all this nonsense about guns goes away, but unfortunatley it won't and we will need to remain vigilant, literally at every corner from now on.
Qtiphky is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 09:17 AM   #11
Salmoneye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 31, 2011
Location: Vermont
Posts: 2,076
If a LEO can not take my word that there is no one in my house that should not be there and that I am not harboring a criminal, then they can stand on the stoop till they have a warrant describing their probable cause, and exactly what they are searching for...

I also firmly believe that by declaring de facto 'martial law' by not allowing citizens out and about, the police made their job that much harder by denying themselves the benefit of an extra couple hundred thousand eyes and ears on the streets...

The police did not locate this schmuck...A vigilant citizen that knew his own back yard like the back of his hand did...
Salmoneye is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 09:43 AM   #12
Webleymkv
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 10,435
Perhaps Frank or Spats could enlighten us, but I would think that an argument could be made that this particular situation constituted exigent circumstances and thus justified searches without warrants even is some were performed without consent.

As to MA gun laws, that is a very valid point. I know that I certainly wouldn't have the warm and fuzzies from knowing that there is an armed, dangerous suspected terrorist on the loose in my neighborhood and that I could neither leave nor have the adequate means to defend myself from said threat.
Webleymkv is offline  
Old April 20, 2013, 10:25 AM   #13
Spats McGee
Staff
 
Join Date: July 28, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 8,817
I'll be happy to expound on that, when we get something more than speculation. When that happens, let's just open a new thread.
__________________
I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.
Spats McGee is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:37 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.08882 seconds with 10 queries