Court Allows Police Search After 15-20 Seconds

Police officers executing a search warrant do not violate constitutional rights by waiting only 15 to 20 seconds after knocking and announcing their presence before using force to enter a suspect's residence, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday.

The unanimous decision written by Justice David Souter held that officers who searched for cocaine in a suspect's apartment in Las Vegas did not violate the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures of evidence.

He said the officers, who forced their way in after only a brief pause were justified because of the "exigent circumstances" that the drugs could be disposed of if they waited any longer.

Y'know, I just don't see how the court can possibly reconcile the drug war with the Constitution at all. But put that aside. Here we have a ruling that the potential disposal of evidence for a non-violent, victimless crime of possession is sufficient to justify only a 15-20 second warning by police before breaking down someone's door.

15 to 20 seconds.

If you were in the shower -- as the individual in this case was -- how long would it take you to respond to a police knock on your door? How long before they break down your door, whether or not you've done anything wrong? Doesn't the citizen have the right to inspect and verify the validity of the warrant before permitting the search to take place?

Apparantly not according to this court. So are we to open our doors to any batch of criminals able to get their hands on official-looking uniforms and literate enough to print something that looks like a warrant -- from a distance?