sailingaway
03-26-2013, 10:36 PM
NEW YORK -- A lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration over its airport security procedures is heading to a court hearing next week, following a Friday order in the case that could give the government extra headaches.
Two Harvard law students brought the suit in 2010, arguing that their Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches was being violated by "nude body scanners" and "enhanced pat-downs." A federal district court threw out their case, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit will hear their appeal on April 4.
In a twist, the 1st Circuit on Friday also granted a request from a group called Freedom To Travel USA to make its own appearance during the oral arguments. The group would like the courts to conduct a fact-finding mission on the intrusiveness of the TSA's search techniques before the 1st Circuit rules directly on their constitutionality. If the appeals court agrees, it could begin to peel back some of the secrecy surrounding screening.
"The scanners and patdowns have not been tested in the court of law," said Freedom To Travel USA co-founder Jeff Pierce. "What we're looking for is a fair test in a court of law."
The two Harvard students who launched the case, Jeffrey Redfern and Anant Pradhan, referred The Huffington Post's inquiries to Freedom To Travel USA.
Co-founders of the advocacy group say it is an effort by ordinary citizens to dig up more information on the TSA's screening programs. In addition to Pierce, a businessman, the group was launched by Renee Beeker, a nonprofit executive, and Wendy Thomson, a retired management consultant.
"We have the oddest coalition, all the way from A to Z," said Thomson, claiming both Occupy arrestees and "very, very conservative people" as supporters.
more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/tsa-airport-screening-lawsuit_n_2958450.html
Two Harvard law students brought the suit in 2010, arguing that their Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches was being violated by "nude body scanners" and "enhanced pat-downs." A federal district court threw out their case, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit will hear their appeal on April 4.
In a twist, the 1st Circuit on Friday also granted a request from a group called Freedom To Travel USA to make its own appearance during the oral arguments. The group would like the courts to conduct a fact-finding mission on the intrusiveness of the TSA's search techniques before the 1st Circuit rules directly on their constitutionality. If the appeals court agrees, it could begin to peel back some of the secrecy surrounding screening.
"The scanners and patdowns have not been tested in the court of law," said Freedom To Travel USA co-founder Jeff Pierce. "What we're looking for is a fair test in a court of law."
The two Harvard students who launched the case, Jeffrey Redfern and Anant Pradhan, referred The Huffington Post's inquiries to Freedom To Travel USA.
Co-founders of the advocacy group say it is an effort by ordinary citizens to dig up more information on the TSA's screening programs. In addition to Pierce, a businessman, the group was launched by Renee Beeker, a nonprofit executive, and Wendy Thomson, a retired management consultant.
"We have the oddest coalition, all the way from A to Z," said Thomson, claiming both Occupy arrestees and "very, very conservative people" as supporters.
more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/tsa-airport-screening-lawsuit_n_2958450.html