January 3, 2005

Court Rules that Police Cannot Use Police State Tactics to Enlist Parents to Spy on Their Children

The Washington State Supreme Court ruled that a mother who listened in on a conversation between her daughter and boyfriend violated their right to privacy. However, this is not where the story began, what many do not know is that the mother was initially approached by law enforcement and asked to spy on the children. Later during a conversation held by the two on a cordless phone in the daughter’s home between the two was overheard by the mother on another extension. During the call the boyfriend disclosed that he had been a party to a purse snatching. The mother reported what she overheard to law enforcement and offered testimony during the trial that lead to a conviction of the boyfriend to second-degree robbery. If this had been a case of a concerned parent coming across information of this nature then the state Supreme Court decision could have been very different.

Mom's eavesdropping violated Privacy Act, state Supreme Court rules, Seattle Times, December 9, 2004.