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Madigan expands police powers

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• Illinois

I can imagine what more libertarian bloggers are gonna say about this, and I’ll probably agree with much of it.

The Supreme Court gave police broader search powers Monday during traffic stops, ruling in an Illinois case that drug-sniffing dogs can be used to check out motorists even if officers have no reason to suspect they might be carrying narcotics.

In a 6-2 decision, the court sided with Illinois police who stopped Roy Caballes in 1998 along Interstate 80 for driving 6 miles over the speed limit. Although Caballes lawfully produced his driver’s license, troopers brought over a drug dog after Caballes seemed nervous.

The dog sniffed out $250,000 worth of marijuana in Caballes’ trunk. The Las Vegas resident was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but his conviction was overturned when the Illinois Supreme Court ruled the troopers improperly broadened an ordinary traffic stop.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, despite having limited trial experience, personally argued the case before the Supreme Court.

I think one of the morals here is if you’ve got a quarter million dollars of weed in your trunk, drive the friggin’ speed limit.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 24, 05 @ 3:31 pm

Comments

1. And don’t pass a cop…

   Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 24, 05 @ 4:07 pm

2. And keep some bacon under the hood.

   Comment by So-Called Austin Mayor Monday, Jan 24, 05 @ 4:59 pm

3. One small reason why Blago is still a better choice than Lisa.

   Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 24, 05 @ 6:00 pm

4. You mean to tell me that a tropper pulled someone over for 6 miles over the speed limit on I-80, just happened to have a drug dog with him and made this serendipitous bust. C’mon. Someone dropped a dime on that man.

   Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 25, 05 @ 9:22 am

5. distracted:inverting cycling loosen,suffocate enjoins recalibrated speculations Jason:

   Comment by education loan stafford loan deferment Tuesday, May 30, 06 @ 12:23 pm

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