4th Amendment, Martial Law, and Watertown, Massachusetts.

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There are videos and reports all over about the marital law and house to house searches by the police in Watertown following the Boston Marathon bombing as the police searched for the bombers. What is the legal standing of the numerous, involuntary searches and displacement of citizens from their homes? Violation of the 4th Amendment? Could the citizens sue and expect to win? Or is there some caveat to the 4th Amendment for "martial law" situations? If so, who has the authority to declare that martial law or what are the limits of it? What rights do the citizens retain in that type of situation?

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Type: Question • Score: 1 • Views: 2,570 • Replies: 8

[+3] - jespah - 04/22/2013It was not martial law. People seem to be in love with that phrase. We were told to stay in our homes. If we had driven over to Watertown, we'd have been turned back. If we had persisted, we...

@PolarBZ,

It was not martial law.

People seem to be in love with that phrase.

We were told to stay in our homes. If we had driven over to Watertown, we'd have been turned back. If we had persisted, we would have been arrested.

The phrase "exigent circumstances" is easy to Google.

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@PolarBZ,

I don't know of any involuntary house searches. Are you making this part up?

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@maxdancona,

I am basing my "involuntary house searches" comment on the following :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LrbsUVSVl8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm ignoring the description of the video and just focusing on the content of the video itself. it appears to me to be an involuntary search. What do you think?

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@jespah,

Fair enough. if it wasn't a declared martial law, where was the authority to conduct involuntary house searches derived from?

Did the residents in Watertown have the right to refuse a search of their homes?

1 Reply

@PolarBZ,

According to the comments, the police had a warrant for this particular house because it is owned by a friend of the suspect.

I do not believe the police were forcing their way into houses without a warrant.

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@maxdancona,

I am glad to hear this, if true.

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Exigent emergency using any wording what we have is tyranny. The watertown fascists should all be under indictment. This is an attempt to overthrow the constitution and the republic not an isolated incident.

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@maxdancona,

Watch the video's taped live from windows on Y-Tube. And ya wake up!

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4th Amendment, Martial Law, and Watertown, Massachusetts.

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