Write your Reps and Senators! Protest No-Knock warrants!

[enjerth]

Botched Raid Terrorizes Minn. Family

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h...OMbPgD8TK40E01

This kind of police action is unconstitutional and a deadly threat to innocent civilians.

Write your Representatives and Senators. Object to this kind of police action.

All across America, it's lawful to fire upon intruders in your own home if you believe there is a deadly threat. How can it be lawful, then, for these intruders to fire upon you? Either it isn't lawful, and police raids that erupt in gunfire are unlawfully executed raids, or the law contradicts itself by making such firefights legal for all parties to engage in.

How many innocent civilians have to be killed before the government reconsiders it's dangerous no-knock police raid policy?

I reserve the right to shoot first and ask questions later of any unannounced intruder, even if he is wearing a SWAT hat or shirt. How hard would it be for criminals to counterfeit black clothes with white print?

I understand this no-knock policy is derived out of a desire to catch criminals before they can dispose of evidence. That is understandable, but there's a big problem there. You're classifying people as criminals before they've been tried and convicted in a court of law.

Furthermore, the fourth amendment to the constitution states:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." An anonymous tip does not provide the lawful requirements for granting a warrant.

Should my neighbor be able to have the power to execute a hit upon me and my family by an anonymous tip?

[enjerth]

First they came for the drug dealers. Then they came for the drug users.

Who's next to get raided on this no-knock policy? Digital pirates?

[erikm]

With things like this you start to think ugly thoughts.

I doubt it would be entirely legal, but you'd almost want to build your home from decent materials (concrete with brick facing) with decent burglar protection (armored roller blinds over the windows; wood-laminated armor-steel doors) and anti-intruder defenses (entryway mousetrap room covered by claymore mines). All tastefully furnished.

Anyone managing to make it inside uninvited at night could legitimately be considered a level 1 threat.

Cheers,
ErikM

[enjerth]

I'm talking about simple home defense. Is it not legal for someone to fire on intruders who may pose danger?

I'm not expecting, nor taking unusual measures to defend myself against a home invasion. I'm just pointing out that from my point of view, it would be lawful for me to open fire on an intruder in a police uniform. If it's lawful for the intruder to fire back, then the law is a total mess, taking both sides in a firefight.

Someone has to lose the right to open fire. And it had better not be the person who believes they are protecting themselves or their family! Either that or the police have to lose the right to invade someone's property without first presenting the warrant. If the police present a warrant first, then it's all cool with me.

The situation just gets extremely dangerous when anonymous tips lead to no-knock warrants, as we have seen time and time again. An oath or affirmation is intended to provide accountability, should such information be discovered false. An anonymous tip is void of any accountability.

[enjerth]

bump

[EvilEngineer]

I'm curious what is the legality of an automated defense system with lethal counter measures for invaders. I mean if they don't knock they are intruders in all sense of the matter, with no authorization of the owner to enter and no notification to turn off the system... they would literally be walking into a death trap.

[apc3161]

From the article, "No one was hurt in the raid Sunday, conducted by a task force that fights drugs and gangs."

But seriously this war on Drugs is f'ing ridiculous.

[enjerth]

From the article, "No one was hurt in the raid Sunday, conducted by a task force that fights drugs and gangs."

But seriously this war on Drugs is f'ing ridiculous.

Also, from the article, One of the biggest botched raids in recent years happened in Atlanta in 2006, when police killed a 92-year-old woman in a hail of nearly 40 bullets after she fired a shot at what she thought were intruders. Police had gone to her house on a drug raid, but no drugs were found.

Slight twisting of facts here. She didn't just THINK they were intruders, they really WERE intruders!

[amy31416]

I read about this on another forum that I'm on, it is outrageous. Thank god nobody got hurt. I would sue the F out of them.

If this ever happened in a rich neighborhood, they'd be thrown in jail.