SWAT Team for Copyright Violation?

[buzz_knox]

i think there exists a link though. these are RICO cases over the same type of thing (music piracy or whatever) in the same city at approximately the same time. that means people who weren't caught in the last raid may be present at this raid due to the likeness of the people involved in this music scene.

So, if there are gun dealers in Austin who are implicated in strawman purchases, that would justify a SWAT raid on your shop because an employee who wasn't at the first shop might have ended up at yours? Or, because you are in the gun industry, you have the "likeness" of a person who would engage in strawman purchases?

RICO goes a long way (way too far), but doesn't cover warrant or use of force guidelines.

 

[carebear]

The whole reason SWAT is being used willy-nilly is this "there might be..." assumption.

As was stated, the particular crime being investigated, along with investigation of the particular subject individuals involved, should be how SWAT use is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Not drugs (probably)= guns = call SWAT. As you can see, that kind of assuming leads to adding more lazy if not racist assumptions to the formula.

lots of rappers/money/CCW holders (probably)= drugs (probably)= guns = (always) call SWAT

 

[benEzra]

i guess Balko's story conveniently forgot this part:

Quote:
Baker said this is the second raid in an effort to stop pirated CD sales.

"Our first raid also happened in Atlanta on Metropolitan Parkway on Oct. 11, 2006," says Baker. "It was run by a bunch of immigrants, the majority here illegally, from West Africa. We seized over $14 million of counterfeit CDs, five vehicles, cocaine and marijuana." Several individuals remain in jail due to that raid.
where there are drugs, there's a good likelihood of guns too.

First raid - illegal immigrants counterfeiting CD's and dealing in cocaine and such.

Second raid - well known, nonviolent DJ mix artist, who works to promote up-and-coming musicians.

So tell me, how does the first raid justify the use of SWAT for the second?

i think there exists a link though. these are RICO cases over the same type of thing (music piracy or whatever) in the same city at approximately the same time. that means people who weren't caught in the last raid may be present at this raid due to the likeness of the people involved in this music scene.

And how many people live in Atlanta?

I'll bet drug gangs in Atlanta also engage in financial shenanigans. Would that automatically justify the use of SWAT on an Atlanta accountant accused of tax fraud?

A drug gang and a DJ are NOT one and the same. The only think they have in common is being accused of copyright violations by the RIAA--the same RIAA that has been busting little girls for downloading songs they thought were legal, and the same RIAA that has been experimenting with .mp3-deleting computer viruses...

Use of SWAT in this instance is completely unjustifiable, IMO.

 

[Art Eatman]

A large amount of speculation from a paucity of fact.

Start over when there's a tad more real-world information, okay? Even the Hotlanta unConstitution gives more info...

Art