HISD RANDOM SEARCHES ARE LIKELY ILLEGAL
HISD has announced that they will begin random searches of employee parking lots district wide. HISD Superintendent Abe Saavedra told reporters that these searches through the HISD Police canine unit "will be unannounced and every one's vehicle will be included."
However, 11 News legal expert Gerald Treece says random searches would violate the fourth amendment at Houston schools. Treece said, "I think it's crazy. Not only illegal, it's the oldest argument around that because teachers are public employees they have diminished constitutional rights and that's nonsense."
A search or detention requires individualized suspicion of criminal activity. Otherwise, the search or detention is illegal. It is likely that any arrests for possession of drugs or other paraphernalia will be tested in a motion to suppress the evidence.
See the article and video at the following link: http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou081209_mh_hisd_drug_arrests_.48ada1d2.html
Jeth Jones
Houston / Galveston
Houston / Galveston
Criminal Defense Attorney
