» Right to Privacy

Mass. Appeals Ct Suppresses Evidence from Pretextual Vehicle Stop

In Commonwealth v. Lek, the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued a major decision earlier this month that curtails the ability of the police to make pretextual stops, find a reason to arrest the driver, and then search his car. Surprise! – Pretex… Read More
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Landmark Racial Profiling Decision from MA Supreme Judicial Court

Yesterday, September 17, 2020, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (highest court in MA) released a landmark decision that enables victims of racial profiling to hold police officers accountable in court by suppressing evidence obtained as a res… Read More
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State Police Roadblock coming to Bedford this week

DWI ROADBLOCK COMING According to patch.com, the New Hampshire State Police, Troop B have announced they will run a roadblock “DWI checkpoint”) in the Bedford area this week. Usually, “this week” means Friday or Saturday eveni… Read More
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4th Amendment Protects Unauthorized Driver of Rental Car

On May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that the 4th Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures protects the driver of a rental car, even if the driver was not listed as an authorized driver on the rental agr… Read More
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Rogue Cop-Bully in Utah Makes National Headlines

There is a rarely-used doctrine in constitutional law that says that a police officer violates a person’s constitutional rights if the officer’s conduct “shocks the conscience.” In other words, does something really, really ba… Read More
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Taxpayer-Funded DWI Roadblocks Come Up Empty

Waste of Taxpayer Dollars or Successful Deterrence? The Concord Monitor reported today that last week’s taxpayer-funded DWI Roadblock in Chichester, a joint effort between the State Police and Chichester Police, resulted in zero arrests. This c… Read More
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Victim of Over-Militarized Police Strikes Back

The Tragic Death of an Innocent Man Eurie A. Stamps was an innocent, 68-year old man living in a Framingham, Massachusetts home also occupied by suspected drug dealers. On January 5, 2011, he was in his pajamas, watching a basketball game on TV. A SW… Read More
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An End to Drunk Driving?

Could a new touch sensor device for installation in automobiles, championed by NHTSA officials, put an end to drunk driving? NHTSA Champions New BAC Sensing Technology Yesterday,a Washington Post article reported that federal officials have endorsed… Read More
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US Supreme Court Says No to Suspicionless Detentions

In an important decision today, a 6-3 majority of the United States Supreme Court held that a police officer must release a motorist after the officer has resolved the underlying purpose of the motor vehicle stop. Rodriguez v. United States (US Supre… Read More
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Concord, NH Police Dept Announces DWI ("Sobriety") Checkpoints July 2013

The Concord Police Department has issued a press release, announcing that the Concord Police Department and the “Merrimack County DUI Task Force” will conduct a “Sobriety Checkpoint” starting as soon as this Monday – … Read More
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