Newsclipping summary:

FEAR-List Bulletin posted by Larry Gamm, 3-31-96
 
Last week I was traveling in the State of Wisc. and stopped for coffee and picked up the local paper and from that I'm quoting as follows:

WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL
Tuesday, March 26, 1996 Page 3B.
ONALASKA (City in Wisc.)

"Judge: Suspicions not enough for warrant"

"A police officers suspicions of underage drinking at a private residence, in violation of local ordinances, aren't sufficient cause to issue a search warrant a municipal Judge has ruled. Municipal Judge John Brinckman's decision suppressed evidence in a case involving serveral teen-agers who were arrested last summer for underage drinking and possession of marijuana.

Dismissing charges against the teens, Brinckman said the warrant was invalid because it was based solely upon probable cause that a civil forfeiture-ordinance violation was occuring.

City Attorney Peder Arneson appealed the ruling to La Crosse County Circuit Court last week, contending a search was justified because a forfeiture action is a quasi-criminal proceeding."

Any comments would be appreciated.

Larry Gamm
Illinois