Closer to a Police State: Supreme Court Says Police Can Burst Into Your Home Without Warning

In a 5 to 4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that police need not "properly announce their arrival" so long as they have a warrant.(1) This ruling is extremely dangerous because it puts homeowners at a disadvantage. When someone violently bursts into your home without warning, if your first impulse isn't to shoot them, then you probably shouldn't have children. In the past, this wasn't a problem because the good guys aren't allowed to just burst into your home, are they? It seems that they are now.

Now, when someone invades your home, you legally should hold your fire, because it might be the police. This comes at a time when "MS-13 [a notorious Central American criminal organization] -- the focus of a nationwide crackdown by FBI and federal immigration agents -- has become known. . for home invasion robberies. . . [apparently employing extremely well-honed paramilitary tactics and using military-grade weaponry]."(2)

Personally, I think we should start passing state laws requiring police to announce their presence when entering a private residence.

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(1) Holland, Gina. "Supreme Court upholds unannounced police entry" (AP), The Boston Globe, News, Nation, Washington, 2006 June 16, paragraph 2, http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/16/supreme_court_upholds_unannounced_police_entry/ (last accessed on 2006 June 16)
(2) Johnson, Kevin. "MS-13 gang growing extremely dangerous, FBI says," USA Today, 2006 January 05, http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-05-gang-grows_x.htm (last accessed on 2006 March 27)


Subject matter: Constitution Law Police State Supreme Court

Technorati Tags: News Politics Law Supreme Court Crime Constitution Police Search and Seizure Police State Police Home Invasion MS-13 Mara Salvatrucha

posted by The Sovereign Editor | 5:41 AM

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