Bill, how is this going to court? What are the damages here? You are so wrong I'm not even sure what your arguing now. Maybe if you give me an example of what happens all the time, I'll understand. I'm not being a smartass either, I seriously don't understand your point other than you think an officer has retrieved some keys in a four wheeler with no one around in the woods and then return to the owner before the owner knows it is missing, hey have violated the persons rights.

Keep in mind ATVs in AL have no registration so checking to see if they are stolen from down in the woods is no easy matter. Also keep in mind I've been playing the devil's advocate in giving you why a complaint would be useless. Sure taking the keys was pretextual to keep the hunter from leaving, but it is also easily explained as a more reasonable action.

The bottom line is when you are in law enforcement , you have to use all legal and constitutional means available at your disposal. Sometimes people don't like it if it happens to them but that is how it works. The criminals have no regard for the rules so LE has to stretch them as far as they can as long as they stay within the boundaries and don't break them.

Call Mark Rouleu and ask him if it is OK if you doubt me.

How many people think it is wrong to tell a bald faced lie to a suspect during interrogation? The Supreme Court says no problem at all, it is just an investigative tool.

I remember now, police are all evil and bill collectors are what keep our streets safe.

I think it is very wrong for LE to lie to a suspect. LE is using a falsehood to obtain a truth. If we as citizens lie to LE it is called perjury and is punishable by jail time isn't it?

Jawbone, you've been an asset to this forum on MANY occasions but you forgot to take your meds or something on this one. You're just flat out wrong.

Agreed! Lying to obtain a confession or get info is complete BS.

It might be but the courts have ruled it as permissible. As of right now, seizure of private property without reasonable suspicion of a crime is not permitted but if we stand for it that could get changed, too.

Get enough officers to believe it is OK and enough citizens to lay down for it and I'm sure a judge somewhere might see it as a viable tool for law enforcement to use with wide discretion.

It's governments predisposition to overreach and intrude on the rights of its citizens and it happens even faster for a society that doesn't actively seek to suppress that kind of overreach.

I think there is a LOT more to the story!!!!

You guys are missing the very simple point the the GW (if he was) could have simply walked back by the ATV and put the keys back in it and no one ever been the wiser!

Was this Private Land? Land the OP owned, leased, had Permit....what?
How far was he from the ATV? Was the ATV on the same property as he was hunting?
How sure are we that the guy was a GW? How sure that he did not have a badge or gun?

I mean.....there are some LONG jumps going on!

[quote=bill]
[quote=Clem]

Agreed! Lying to obtain a confession or get info is complete BS.

What would make him think it was stolen? Turkey season, before dawn, fresh tracks, warm engine, key in ignition....Pretty obvious what was going on. Now if the GW were to lie and tell things differently..........

Because we find a lot of stolen vehicles, ATVs, etc. dumped in the woods.

Do most of those have the keys in them?

Crap,I left my keys in the lawnmower,tractor and golf cart at our barn,prolly left the keys in the boat too,hope the law don't seize them while I'm working

I guess he figured the thief decided to go turkey hunting would be his story? He should have followed him back to where he came from when he got his keys. I say he was turkey huntin on a Monday morning and got busted himself.