🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1992Nov12.195827.1@zodiac.rutgers.edu> leichter@zodiac.rutgers.edu writes:

>BTW, if you knowingly boobytrap your safe so that it destroys its contents
>when the police lawfully try to open it, you can probably be charged with
>destruction of evidence.  (If you boobytrap your safe in a way that kills
>a police officer trying to open it, you will be charged and likely convicted
>of at least manslaughter.  Think long and hard about explosives, incendiaries,
>and similar nasties.)

Agree with the latter, but not the former.  You have no duty to assist the
police (under hardly any circumstances); if the police try to open it, and
thereby destroy the contents, you have a probable claim for damages against
the government, rather than there being any charge against you.

...

>You don't need to bring a PC into this.  People have been hiding records for
>years.  Sometimes they even get away with it.  How far away can the hard
>drive be hidden?  If it's anywhere in your house, it will be found - under
>a warrant, the police can literally disassemble your house and everything
>in it into pieces too small to hold a drive.  It's your problem to put it all
>back together after.  Buried it on your property?  Metal detectors are pretty
>good, you know.  If that fails, we'll just start digging.  It's been done;
>it'll be done again.

It's still illegal.  Courts have found that damages caused by a "legal"
search are still illegal acts.  (However, you'll probably die before you
collect.)

--
Arthur L. Rubin: a_rubin@dsg4.dse.beckman.com (work) Beckman Instruments/Brea
216-5888@mcimail.com 70707.453@compuserve.com arthur@pnet01.cts.com (personal)
My opinions are my own, and do not represent those of my employer.
My interaction with our news system is unstable; please mail anything important.