Consequences of Arizona’s Immigration Bill
Police often manufacture "reasonable suspicion" or
"probable cause" when they believe (but cant prove or establish) that some sort of crime may have been committed. Take Driving Under the Influence, for example. Officers routinely create reports with buzz words such as “weaving” or “straddling” lanes of the highway to justify a stop and then question the driver for DUI. Often, there is no violation at all but those words and observations are good enough to stand up in court as a legitimate stop and, ultimately, a DUI charge.
Similarly, the Arizona bill creates bogus conduct and so called "reasonable suspicion" for police who merely want to check someone’s legal status. This will be based on trivial violations such as loitering or jaywalking as a basis to stop and detain the individuals law enforcement ultimately want.
Tags: Criminal Law, Evidence, Immigration, Police
