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Edited on Mon Jun-21-04 08:16 PM by Race4Peace
Associated Press Monday, June 21, 2004
It's a decision that allows police to arrest and punish people who don't reveal their identities.
In a five-to-four decision, the Supreme Court has ruled people don't have a constitutional right to refuse to tell police their name.
Privacy advocates have argued such a ruling could let the government force people who have done nothing wrong to submit to fingerprinting or give up more personal information.
Police had argued that ID requests are a normal part of their work, including efforts to get information on terrorists.
The ruling upholds a Nevada rancher's misdemeanor conviction. He was arrested after he told a law officer he didn't have to reveal his name or show an ID. The dissenting justices say the rancher acted "well within" his rights.
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