idb
Gold Member
- Dec 26, 2010
- 14,971
- 2,577
I have to side with the owner of the house. If the cops want to enter, they need a search warrant.
Not per the exigent circumstances exception, which was clearly in play during the search; theres no way to reasonably expect law enforcement to obtain a warrant under such conditions.
Moreover, law enforcement wasnt requesting to enter the home to search for incriminating evidence against the homeowner, but to search for the suspect.
Last, any property owner who believes his civil liberties were violated is free to file suit in court.
Exigent circumstances expired within an hour of the kid giving the police the slip when he left the hijacked SUV. Without a blood hound tracking a scent to a particular structure the police would need a warrant to enter an occupied structure and forcibly remove the occupants. I sincerely hope some one does sue and force a court decision on this abuse of power.
I wonder what the reaction would have been if Obama, sitting up in bed watching the whole thing on TV live while eating crisps, had called off the hunt for the suspects because they didn't have a warrant...or a bloodhound?