Sunday, September 09, 2007

Righi Was Within His Rights

Update on the Michael Righi "Papers Please" story. The Cleaveland Plain Dealer carried an article (I'd link to it but I get a "not found" page when I followed the link from "Writes Like She Talks" Hi, Jill! Like the new site.) on the case and later this article "What Are Your Rights?" appeared. Two excerpts:

A store asks me to open my bag. What are my rights?

Customers have the right to say no, said Lewis Katz, a Case Western Reserve University law professor and author of "Know Your Rights." That's why store employees and security guards usually ask permission. Security guards are allowed to search you without a warrant in three specific instances, said Jennifer Brindisi, a spokeswoman for Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann. That's at the border, in the airport and before entering private property. Otherwise, unless you're prepared to take a stand, it's easier to comply, ACLU Ohio Director Jeff Gamso said.


and

Can police force you to present your driver's license?

If you are not driving a car, Katz and the ACLU believe that police cannot demand a driver's license.


Looks like Mr. Righi was right.

3 comments:

Jill said...

DAWNO!!!! Hugs!!!

I will find that link for you to the PD. Cleveland.com is very funky!

Hope you're great.

Fascinating case, yes?!

Angie said...

Hello. Visiting, as promised. :-)

*hugs*

poetinahat said...

It's been too long since I've visited, Dawno -- forgive me?

Thanks for this info, although I don't imagine I can apply it too successfully over here (but, when I'm visiting in the PNW again, I'll remember it!).

This story reminds me of a bit that Steven Wright did when I saw him here: It started out with something about sightseeing from a rooftop, and people objected because he was using his rifle scope (!).

Anyhoo, I paraphrase: "These two cops were yelling at me to put down the rifle. I yelled back, 'Hey. How do I know you're cops, or just guys dressed as cops?'"

"Then I realised: come to think of it, that's all cops are anyway."

Good to see you in blogland again; I've missed you. I promise to blog again this week!