Weeks v. United States - Summary Criminal Procedure: Investigating Crime PDF

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weeks v US case brief...

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Weeks%v.%United%States Sunday,* September* 25,*2016

10:28* PM

1914 • Facts:* The* defendant* was*arrested* by*a*police* officer* without* a*warrant* while* other* officers* went* to*his*home.* The*neighbor* told* the*officers* where* the*key*to*his*house* was*kept*and* once* they*found* it*they* entered* the*home* and* searched* and*took*possessions* that*included* various* papers* and*articles* that* were* later* turned* over* to*the* Marshals.* They* returned* later* in*the*day*with*the* Marshal* who*thought* he*might* find* additional* evidence* and*after* being* admitted* by*someone* in*the*house,* most*likely* a*boarder,* searched* and*carried* away* more* papers.* Among* the*papers* were* lottery* tickets* and*statements* with* reference* to*the* lottery,* all* of*which* were* used*to*convict* him*of*transporting* lottery* tickets* through* the*mail. • Issue:* Did*the* search* and*seizure* of*weeks* home* violate* the*4th* amendment?* Is*evidence* obtained* as*a*result* of*a*warrantless* search* and* seizure* admissible* in*a*Federal* criminal* court* prosecution? • Holding:* The* Fourth* Amendment* prohibition* against* unlawful* searches* and*seizures* applies* to*Weeks* and* the*evidence* thus*seized* must* be* excluded* from* prosecuting* him. • Reasoning:* The* seizure* of*items* from* Weeks'* residence* directly* violated* his* constitutional* rights.* The* Court* also*held* that* the*government's* refusal* to*return* Weeks'* possessions* violated* the* Fourth* Amendment.* To* allow* private* documents* to*be*seized* and*then* held* as*evidence* against* citizens* would* have* meant* that*the*protection* of*the* Fourth* Amendment* declaring* the* right* to*be*secure* against* such*searches* and*seizures* would* be*of*no*value* whatsoever.* This*was* the*first* application* of*what*

eventually* became* known* as*the* "exclusionary* rule."...