The U.S. Supreme Court will hear two arguments today that will help them decide if police can search a your cellphone without a warrant.
One of the cases involves Brima Wurie, who had her LG phone searched after she was arrested on a drug charge. When her phone started ringing inside the police station, cops decided to go through her pictures and text messages. Because of that, they were able to locate a house where other drugs and firearms were found. Yet, it raises Fourth Amendment questions: the amendment protects American citizens from unreasonable searches of their “persons, houses, papers and effects,” though an exception is that cops can search suspects right after their arrest to find weapons and prevent the suspect from destroying evidence. Police can search your wallet and other documents that you might have in your pockets, but the Supreme Court has to decide if cellphones should be treated similarly, though most devices contain sensitive data (like nude photos, bank information, and personal messages.)
The Supreme Court’s decision could come in a few months.
*compliments of complex.com
