Federal Judge Rules Patriot Act Search, Surveillance Provisions Unconstitutional

A US district judge ruled Wednesday that two provisions of the USA Patriot Act that deal with physical search and electronic eavesdropping are unconstitutional. Brandon Mayfield, the Oregon attorney arrested and detained for two weeks in May 2004 after the FBI mistakenly concluded that his fingerprints matched those found on a bag containing detonators used in the 2004 Madrid train bombings, challenged the USA Patriot Act provisions which amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and allowed investigators to search his home and office. The judge Wednesday held that the search had violated Mayfield's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

Federal Judge Rules Patriot Act Search, Surveillance Provisions Unconstitutional jurist.law.pitt.edu Thu, Sep 27, 2007