Cell phone blog

In the case Riley vs California the courts were able to rule against the police after David Riley was sentenced 15 years in prison due to his phone linking him to a shooting. David Riley was pulled over by San Diego police in result of his car registration being expired, they found two loaded guns and saw text messages and videos in relation to a local gang. "It's the Supreme Court's job these days to try to balance the Constitution's somewhat antique values with today's technology" (14). The fourth amendment in the constitution prohibits " unreasonable searches and seizures" (15). The lack of a warrant or permission for them to seize the phone made this against the constitution. In addition the police looking through the cell phone. The Supreme Court overruled Riley's conviction. 

The difficulty is figuring out how the 18th century amendment applies to the 21st century electronic device, this problem lead to the overturning of this case. Our Founding Fathers wrote theses amendments with the purpose of to protecimg themselves against the British soldiers. Now Americans carry around these devices with all their information on them the making it their personal property. These devices can hold evidence making them crucial to open cases. "Chief Justice Roberts acknowledged that the ruling will make things harder for police" (17).  In conclusion the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of protecting the fourth amendment and many others, the court understands that digital information needs protection too. This is "the latest example of how the courts are trying to apply the basic rights enshrined in the constitution to life in the 21st century" (14).