ShotSpotter Admissibility Challenged in Court
ShotSpotter is being held in "friendly" contempt by an Illinois court over its refusal to turn over information to public defenders, who want to hold a Frye hearing to set a legal precedent on whether ShotSpotter's methods are scientifically valid and admissible in court.
In this post, IPVM examines the request for ShotSpotter information, ShotSpotter's response to IPVM about their refusal to share, and the implications for future legal challenges involving ShotSpotter technology.
ShotSpotter ***** ***** ** *** ******
* ******* ********, ****** *****, *** arrested *** *** ** ********, ****, after *********** ******** ******* **** ******** Park, ******* ****** ** *********** ** the **** *** ******* **. ***** allegedly ******* ***********.
*** **** ****** ****** ********'* ******, who *** ************ **. *****, *** requested *** ******** * ***** ***** of *********** **** *********** ** *** technology *** ***********. ******** **. ***** is *** ******* ** *** ***-******* offense, *** ********* ****** ** *** filing **** *********** ** "*** ****** Mr. ***** **** ** *** ********* of *** ******* ****** **********" *** he *** * ***** ** *********** its ********:
The ****** **. ***** **** ** *** ********* ** *** ******* ****** ********** *** * *********** *****. He was seized and detained because he was suspected of causing of the alert. The reason for the Chicago Police Department to come to the scene and detain Mr. Jones will come up in any motion or trial in this matter. To ***** **** ******** ** **** ** *********** ***** ******* **. ***** ** ********* ** *** ********** ********. ** **** *** ** **. [emphasis added]
*** ********* ******* *********** ** **** over ****** ****, ******* ** *** efficacy ** ********* ********, ********* ** certain *******, *** ******* ***** ***********.
Public ********* ******* "**** *******" ** ***********
**. *****'* ************ ******* ** **** ************** ***********'* *** *********, ***** ***** set * ********* ** ******* ******** from *********** ** ********** ** ***** in ********. **** ******** ******* *** validity ** "* *** *** ***** scientific ******" ** ********** ********.
*** *********** ********** **** ** ******** these ****** *** ***** **** ******* to * **** ******* ** ********…*********, the ************* ** *********** ******** * hearing * *** *** ***** ********** method…Therefore, *** ** **. *****’* ******** and ********* ******** *** **** ** eye ****** ********** **** ***** ******** the ************* ** **** ******** ******** to ****.
************ ** *********** ***** ****** **** future ***** ** ********, ***** *********** is ******-**** ** ******* ***, ** Mr. *****'* ********* *****, *********** ************ advertises **** *** ******* ********** *** be **** ** ******** ** ******.
**. *****'* ********* ******* ****** ************ ** ****-******** ** ***** ** "ample, ******** ****** ** ******* *********** is *** ********." **** ******** * Chicago ********* *******'* ************* ******* **** "ShotSpotter ****** ****** ******* ********** ******** of * ***-******* *****" ****** ********* ******* ********** *********** ******* ** ******* ***********.
ShotSpotter ****** *********
**************** *** ***** ** "*****"**** ** *** *********, ****** ******* arguments. *********** **** *** *********** ***** be ********** ** *******, *** ** "highly ********* *** ************." **** **** argue ** ** *** ******** ***** Mr. ***** ** *** ***** ******* with * *** *****, *** *** probable ***** *** *** ****** *** erratic ******* *** *** *********** *****.
*** *********, *********** ******, ********** * "fishing **********" *** ********* **** ********** ShotSpotter's ******** ****** **** ********** ********. In *******, ******* ** * ***** case ****** ******** * ***** ***** of *********** ***** **** ** *********** that *** *********** ******** ********* *******.
********* ***** **** ********* ** ****** two *****' ***** ** ******* ******* records ** ***** **** **** ******* to ******* ** * ********* ** ShotSpotter. ** *** ****** *** ******* argues **** **** **** **** ******* reveal *****, ***** *****, ************, ** other *********** ***** *********** **** **** be ******** ** **** ***********, **** argument ******* **** ***** ******** *** impermissible “******* ***********.” *** ******* **** do **** **** ****** ******* * speculative **** **** *** ******** **** reveal ********* ** ***********.
*********** ******* ****** **** ** ********* information ** *** ********* ** *******, "Criminals ******* ** ***** *********** *** deliberately ****** ** ******* *** *******."
Judge ***** ******* ***********, *********** ******* ** ******
**********, *** ***** ***** ******* *********** and ******* *** *********.*********** ********* ********* ** *********** ********* ** *** **. *****' attorneys *** * ****** ** **********.
******* ** *********, *********** ***** *** a "******** ********" *****. **** ****** a ***** ** ****** *** *****'* decision **** ******* *********, ****** **** turn **** *** ********* ***********.*** ***** ******, ******** *********** ** *** * $50 *******.
**** ***** *** ********* ***** ** Illinois "******** ********" ****** *** ** an ******* ***** ******** ** ** order (*,*).
ShotSpotter: *********** *** '** *******'
* *********** ************ **** **** *** defense ** ******* *********** **** *** no ******* ** *** ****:
*********** ************ *** ************* ******** ** subpoenas ******* ***** ***** ****** ******** to *** *********** ** ****** ****** the *******. **** ******** ********* *********** about ***********. ** ** ***** ** state *********.
** *** **** ******** *. *****, *******, *** ******* ****** ********’* Officer **seeking *********** **** *********** **** *** ** ******* ** *** **** at hand and is beyond anything pertinent that alert data could provide. [emphasis added]
*** ************ ********* **** ***********'* "****" role ** *****'* ****** ** **** a *********** ***** *** ** ****** finding ***** *******, **** ****** ******* Jones ****** ******** ** *** *********** alert ****:
** **** ****, **. ***** *** arrested *** ***** *******. *** **** connection ******* *** ****** *** *********** is **** ****** **** ********* ** a *********** ***** ******** ***,on *** ***, *** **. ***** ******* ***********, ******* ** *** ******. ShotSpotter’s ******** ** **** **** ** **** an ***** ****** *** ****** ** drive **** **. ***** ***** ********* to ** ***** ********. *** ****** saw **. *****arriving ** *** *********** ***** ****. [emphasis added]
Next *****: *********** ******* ********
*********** *** ******** *** *****'* ********, and *** ************ **** ********* *** information *** "***********, *************, ****** ** produce, ***, ** *** *****, ********** to *** ****":
*********** ******* ******** ******* *********** ******* challenge. *********** ******** *** ***** **** additional *********** ***** ****** *** ***********, inappropriate, ****** ** *******, ***, ** any *****, ********** ** *** ****. The ***** *********, ******* *** ********** facts, *** ******* ********* *********. *********** has ******** *** ********.
*********** **** *** **** * ******* with *** ******** ******* *****, ***** decides ******* *** ******** ** ***** cases. *** ******* *** *** **** scheduled, *** **** ****** ***** ****** a ****** ** ***** ** ****** to ***** **. *****' ***** ** proceed.
******, *********** **** **** * **** hearing ** ******** **********, **** ** it's *** ** **** ****. * Frye ******* (** * ******* **** of *******) ** **** ** * state-by-state ***** ***. *** **** ** any **** **** **** ** ***** states *** ***********.
*** * **** ******* *** ***** interesting ***********:***** *. ******, *** *.*.** *** | ******** ****** + *******
*** **** *** *** *********** **** as * ********* **** ** **** the *** ****** **** *** ***** proactive **** ***** *** **** *** high ****.
********** ** * ********* *****
******* ******* ** ********* ******* ******* in *** ***.
**** **** ** ****** *** *** police **** ******* ** **** **** observed ***?
* ******* *** ******** ** **** - *** **. ***** ******* *********** while *******? ** ** * *** or ** ********. ** *** ******** driving ***********. **** ** ******** ***** for *** ******* ****. ** ** failed * ******** **** **** ** broke *** ***. ********* ***** ** video ******** ** **** *** ******* driving *** *** ***** ****.
**** ******* ***** ******* ** ** simply ******* ******* ** ********* ********* trying ** ******* **** *** ******* in *** ****** **** ***.
*** *** * *** **** ** that **'* ** *********** *** *** public ********'* ****** ** **** * Frye ******* ** ***********, ***** ***** impact **** ***** ** *** ****** and *** ***** ** ****** **********. If ********, **'* ******** ****** *** the ****** **** **** ******* ***** this **** **** ******, **** ********** minor ******* ******, *** *******, * case ********* * ******* *** *****. This **** ******** ***** ****** ********* for *** ****** ********'* ******
* ** ***** **** **** ** counterintuitive *** **** ******, *** ****** as * ***** ****** ** ***** reasonable.
**** ********: ** **** ******** **** to ** ********* ** ** ****** case? ** **** **** **'* ***** to ****** ****** *****, ** ***** no *** ** ************ *** ** a **** ******* ******* ** ****** case? **** *** **** ******'* **** to ******* * ***** ***** *** evidence ** ******** ***'* ************ *********.
******, *** **** ****** ***** ** set ***** **********. ******** ***** ***'* some ******* ********* *** **** **** I'm *** ***** **.
*** ****?
*****, *** **** ******* ***** ** me ** * *** ** **** it.
**** * **** ** **** **** has ******* (*** *** *****) **** superseded ** *** ******* ********
******** ********** *********:
** **** *** *** *** *************, the************ *** **** ********** ** ******************.
** *** ****** ***** **** *** Shotspotter ********** ***'* ** *********** ****** to **** **** **** ** *****? cuz * ***'*. *'** **** ** work. ************* ** ***** ******* **** rocket *******.
***** **** **** ** ********* ********* will **** **** *********** *** - even ****** * ********** ******* **** their ********** ******** ** ****** ***** to ****** ** *** - ****** those ** '****** ******' **** *** point *************'* *** **** ** ************** *** '****** ******' ****** *** point ** **** ********* ***** ******* of *** ***** ** **** $$ on **** ********** ******* ** ***** programs ************ ********* ******** *****.
*** **** ** ****'* ******** ** me, *** * ***** **** *********** can ** *********** ******. *** **** this **** *** ************ ** ******** by * ***** ** **** ** the **** *******. *** *********** *****'* want ****.
*'** **** ** ****. ************* ** audio ******* **** ****** *******.
********* ***** ** *** *****, *********** the ****** *** ****** ** *** audio - *.*. ************** ******* ******** and ********* - ** *******. ****** that *** ************* ****** ** ********* just **** ******-***** ****, *** *********** does **** **** *********** ******. ** triangulates ******** ******, *** *** ******.
***** **** *** ** **** ***%
*** *********** *****'* **** ****.
** *** ** *** ***** **** is? ******* ********.
***, **** ***'* **** *** ******** of *** **** ** ***** ********, made ** ********** **** **** * referenced.
**** *** ********* ****** **** ***** tech *****.
**** **** **** ***** ** **** to ****** ** *** ** ***** made ** ********** **** *** ** those **** *** ***** **** **** cover.
*'* ******** ***** ******* * ***.
********* ***** ** *** *****, *********** the ****** *** ****** ** *** audio - *.*. ************** ******* ******** and ********* - ** *******.
*****.
**** *** * '*** ** *** middle' ** ****** ****** - ***** is * ******* ******* ** ****** value ** *** ******* ********.
* ******* **** *** which ***** **** ****** ** **** to **** **** *** ******* ** morons *** ***** ****** **** ****** - **** *** ** **** - to ****** ******** *** ****** *** the ****.
***** *** **** **** ********* ***** able ** ** **** ** ******** if **** *****'* *** *** ** these **** ********. **** **** *** them ** ***** ******? ** ** done ** * *****-**-***** *****?