NYCLU: 1M bag searches illegal, ineffective

[DoYouEverWonder]

May 1, 2006

The New York Civil Liberties Union's fight against subway bag searches will resume Monday in federal appeals court.

The group is appealing a judge's ruling last year that the random searches, which are still being done, are constitutional and an effective counterterrorism tool.

NYCLU lawyers are expected to argue before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan that the random searching of people's bags by police as they enter the subway violates the Fourth Amendment right against "unreasonable searches and seizures."

Moreover, the NYCLU maintains that the searches are not even an effective terrorist deterrent and need to be halted.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-court0501,0,486389.story?coll=ny-nycnews-headlines


These bag searches may not be an effective terrorist deterrent, but they sure are an effective tourist deterrent.

[rodeodance]

1. the Nat. Security card will be played.

[ixion]

2. obviously the tourist industry has not paid proper homage to BushCo

I'd say it's getting hit across the board as a result of national (in)security.

[NYC Liberal]

3. Honestly, I've NEVER seen them searching anyone's bags

That's just me, but the tables they have set up to do it are always empty with nobody there...or if there are cops they're never doing anything.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. I was up there

last summer right after the London bombing. Times Square was wall to wall cops and cop cars that day. Didn't look like anyone was actually 'doing' anything.

Even in the subway, one bunch of cops was so busy chit chatting, that it took some effort to get their attention to ask for directions.

The whole thing was a crock of smelly stuff.