TehPers@beehaw.org 3 days ago
This case is really strange.
The case raises questions about which constitutional rights apply at US borders, including international airports, where authorities have broader search powers.
On the one hand, destroying evidence during an investigation or which someone believes might be linked to one is a generally bad idea. However, to me it seems like the border agents should have had no right to search the phone without a warrant. Seize maybe, but not search. If the search was illegal and the case dismissed (especially since Tunick was not read Miranda which seems to imply there was no arrest?), then I think it would be hard to argue that any evidence was destroyed because the investigation itself would have been performed illegally.
In any case, doing this in a legal search of the phone (with a warrant) is most likely illegal.
Midnitte@beehaw.org 3 days ago
He could just as easily argue he was forced to give the password under duress and accidentally gave them the wrong password.
As such, its highly improper for them to have tried to take data from his phone without a warrant and try to argue he destroyed evidence when he has not been charged with a crime.
Also highly illegal.
TehPers@beehaw.org 3 days ago
It’s not really a case of duress. Legal searches are also done under duress, and you can’t just argue to a judge “well I got nervous and shredded the documents”.
What it really boils down to is whether border agents can search a phone without a warrant on entry, or whether the search was illegal. As part of it, they also need to decide whether a person has their Miranda rights during entry to a country. The answer, in my opinion, should be obvious (the alternative is you have no rights on entry), but with the current courts, who knows what they’ll decide.
This is where the question about Miranda rights comes in, and whether the question of whether the constitution grants rights during entry comes in as well. If you have no rights, then it can be argued you have no right to demand a lawyer either.