Alaska State Troopers

[Shagbark Hickory]

LAst week there was an episode of this show on TV.

The trooper went to a suspected grow house/drug lab house without a warrant and knocked on the door.
The man inside the home came right outside the front door.
The trooper told the man that he didn't have a warrant and couldn't search but if there was anything the man wanted to tell him, it would be viewed positively for him cooperating.

Unless I missed it or it was edited out, he didn't say that he had any drugs inside but did not consent for the trooper to come in and search.

As he started to go back inside, the trooper said (I'm paraphrasing) "I can't let you go back in there. I suspect that you have contraband inside and while I'm waiting to get a warrant to search, you could be flushing it all down the toilet or destroying the evidence."

He didn't arrest the man but didn't let him inside either.

This sounds kind like a trap to me. What do you say?

If he never walked out the front door, then what could the cop do? Make him come out side until there was a warrant to search the house?

[Ian David]

1. That's when you say, "Am I under arrest? No? Then I'm free to go."

I don't think they can keep you from going anywhere-- including back into your home-- unless you're under arrest.

I don't think they can keep you out of your home, unless they've seized your home-- which they can't do without a warrant.

It's possible that if the dude had just said and done the right thing, he could have just gone right back into his house and disposed of the evidence. The cops are under no obligation to spoon-feed the guy's rights to him until he's being arrested. It's YOUR job to know YOUR rights.

Then again, I'm not a lawyer.

[JohnnyRingo]

2. I'm no lawyer either...

But that makes sense.
A cop can try anything within the law if it works. If a person doesn't know their rights, the police are not obligated to tell them unless they're under arrest.
The reason they don't want to explain your rights is because you may want to use them.

http://www.aclu.org/drug-law-reform-immigrants-rights-racial-justice/know-your-rights-what-do-if-you

If the man had done as you suggested, the officer probably would have violated his civil rights on camera and he's have been exonerated in court.

[DCKit]

3. From what I've heard from other's past experience, he never should have left the house.

Out the door, and you're in sketchy territory.

[Ian David]

4. I've been told the opposite.

You leave the house and close the door behind you.

That way, the cop can't say you "let him in," or that he "saw something suspicious behind you as you stood in the doorway."


Here we go:

How do I keep police from entering my home?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL0l8b4-Okw&feature=channel



See also, this guy, who's the only good thing ever associated with Regent University:

Don't Talk to Cops, Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. He did the right thing by closing the door. However, he copped to growing weed so it was all over

for him at that point.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. IIRC he admitted to growing weed in the house at which point the cop had him

Its like 48 hours and the other cop investigation shows, I can not believe people are that stupid to say a word to the cops. Dog is even worse. Un freaking believable at times.

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. Dog "it's OK if I come in and look around" Chapman?

That one baffles my mind every time I see it. They barge into these places.