Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?”
A spokesperson for the Charlotte Douglas International Airport has revealed that workers at the airport frequently search cars that travelers leave at valet parking. The revelation came as similar reports have surfaced at other airports across the country, with many people expressing outrage at the warrantless invasions of privacy.
According to the aviation director at Charlotte Douglas, any vehicle that is dropped off at the airport’s curbside is subject to being searched. The airport admitted this is something it has been doing for the past year-and-a-half. The airport says that this is part of the facility’s security plan and has been approved of by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Airport officials admit that no signs are currently posted alerting passengers to the possibility that their cars may be searched, but say that are now planning on installing such signs.
Security experts say they searches are justified because of how close valeted cars are to the airports themselves. These people claim that because valeted cars are considered dangerously close to the airport that they ought to be searched for potentially deadly devices including bombs that could put other travelers in danger.
The problem with this rationale is that these searches may be a violation of individuals’ Fourth Amendment rights. Not only is the car’s interior being searched, but valets are being told to go through the trunks of the unattended cars as well. Even more alarming is that if a valet attendant finds something illegal but not dangerous, like drugs, the attendant is under orders to alert the police.
After receiving repeated complaints, police say they launched an investigation into the matter and shortly thereafter spotted a man, Robert Morgan, picking up the woman in the parking lot of the church. Authorities say that 22-year-old Jessica Blackmon got into Morgan’s car and then drove to a convenience store and finally to a private residence in the area.
The arrest took place this past weekend when 29-year-old Danny Hemby was arrested by officers with the NCWRC. Officials say that they have filed eight criminal charges against Hemby, including two counts of selling a reptile on the federal endangered species list; two counts of owning and using venomous reptiles; possession of a reptile of special concern; sale of a reptile of special concern; unlawful possession of a reptile without a permit and finally, commercial taking certain reptiles.
According to authorities, Delcid-Almedare was arrested after fellow shoppers at a North Carolina flea market said they saw her lock her dog in the trunk of her car. One eyewitness said that he saw Delcid-Almedare walking her dog at the Barnyard Flea Market along Highway 51 near the state line when he then watched as the woman closed the dog in her vehicle’s trunk.
Police say that Pace forced his way in the museum through an exterior door. A fire alarm was then activated inside the Nature Research Center shortly after 3:30 in the morning. Security camera footage shows Pace, wearing a white jacket and dark clothing, using a nearby fire extinguisher to bust down the door to the museum.
Police say their crime unraveled when officers with a cybercrime unit in Fairfax County, Virginia noticed a video several weeks ago that had been posted online showing the two engaging in sex acts with several dogs. The couple is accused of making the video at home and then sharing it through a website devoted to such acts.
According to officials with the state, the law is clear that local sheriffs do not have the legal right to deny any Iowan the right to carry a gun based on a physical disability. The news has some blind gun owners rejoicing including one man, Michael Barber, who told reporters at an Iowa gun store that he was thrilled with the news. Barber said, “When you shoot a gun, you take it out and point and shoot, and I don’t necessarily think eyesight is necessary.”
The SBI says that its agents are focusing on doctors, nurses and pharmacists as well as other health care workers that might be involved in diverting prescription drugs from patients who desperately need the medicine. According to authorities, painkillers are the most often stolen drugs and the central focus for ongoing law enforcement efforts.
Police in Whiteville, NC say that received a call over the weekend about a domestic dispute in Mary Gowans’ home. When they arrived they found a chaotic scene with multiple people screaming. Police say that Gowans had forced her 15-year-old son to strip down to his underwear when she then attacked him with a belt, causing severe injuries and large lacerations across his body. Gowans then ordered her 12-year-old son to take over and continue beating the older boy due to his sexual orientation.
A recent piece in the journal Criminal Justice Ethics deals with a related theme, how the current criminal justice system financially incentives wrongful convictions. Specifically, the article noted how crime labs in many states are actually funded through court fees, something that the authors say act as a channel for bias to enter the crime lab analysis.