Big steaming helping of USA PATRIOT Act, anyone?

[stevedeshazer]

Government acknowledges using Patriot Act in Mayfield case

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — FBI agents used provisions of the USA Patriot Act during their investigation last year of a Portland attorney who was wrongly jailed for two weeks on suspicion of involvement in the Madrid train bombings, according to a Justice Department letter.

<snip>

Brandon Mayfield was jailed last May after his fingerprint was incorrectly matched to one found on a bag of detonators near the scene of the Madrid attack, which killed 191 people. He was released after the FBI admitted its mistake.

<snip>

While preparing the case, Mayfield's attorneys sent a letter to the Justice Department in February seeking an order compelling the U.S. Attorney General to inform Mayfield about any electronic surveillance that was conducted during the investigation and any secret searches. In response, the Justice Department sent a letter acknowledging FBI agents searched Mayfield's house under provisions of the Patriot Act.

The letter provides new details about the investigation against Mayfield, stating that agents seized three hard drives, 10 DNA samples preserved on cotton swabs and took 335 digital photographs of personal effects in his home.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1112152713288170.xml&storylist=orlocal
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Brandon Mayfield is COMPLETELY INNOCENT and the FBI SECRETLY SEARCHED HIS HOME. :grr:

[ixion]

1. the unPATRIOTic Act is unconstitutional

and this is a prime reason why.

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. Flies in the face of those "if you haven't done anything wrong"

patriots. That's what I hear all of the time, "if you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about". But then, in their minds, just being Liberal is 'wrong' so yeah...that act scares the shit out of me.

[fryguy]

3. his whole case sickens me

he was arrested based on the FBI's comparison to a partial finger print that was collected by the Spanish authorities and then faxed to the FBI. They FBI then blatantly targeted him and claimed there was a match to the print, all the while the Spanish authorities questioned the validity of the connection. Even after the the Spaniards arrested another person who matched the print, the FBI continued to insist he was connected to the bombings and retained him in custody. It was only after the Spanish authorities flew to the US with the original finger print, was Mayfield released.

So basically had the Spaniards not apprehended the other person and taken the time to come to the US, the FBI would still be holding Mayfield and insisting on his connection to the bombings.

Don't mind those scraps of paper on the floor and underfoot at the Capitol and Hoover Building, its just the Constitution.....

[stevedeshazer]

5. Not to mention the convenient fact

that he is a Muslim convert.

How many innocent people are being held under this abomination that we don't even know about?

[fryguy]

7. well clearly under the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act

muslim equates to terrorist....its only a matter of trumping up charges (or not) against someone....

[dbeach]

4. Patsy Act is just a big act..neither provides security nor safety

It does create the homeland security dept. with the 2nd largest fed budget and SURE to be abused by these criminal pols.
It further insulates the elected officials from those who elected them..




As Benjamin Franklin put it, “He who sacrifices freedom for security is neither free nor secure.”
http://www.aclu-wa.org/SafeAndFree/Patriot1FAQ.htm

As bushfraud put it : "There ought to be limits to freedom"

[kath]

6. Looks like the concept of a search warrant has become just as "archaic"as

the Geneva Convention in today's Murka.

[stevedeshazer]

8. A grade-schooler can see it clearly violates the Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.