17 Dec
2003
17 Dec
'03
11:17 p.m.
Stig writes:
It should be noted that although it is illegal for the cops/feds/spooks to tap phone lines without a warrant, only illegally-obtained voice communications are inadmissible in court. This means that fax and modem communications can be illegally intercepted and STILL used in court against you.
The same is true of e-mail over the Internet--there is no statutory exclusionary rule that would prvent its admissibility in court. It is at least theoretically possible, however, to exclude illegally seized communications of these sorts using a "pure 4th Amendment" (nonstatutory) exclusionary rule. Don't hold your breath, though. --Mike