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From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,talk.politics.guns,alt.conspiracy,alt.activism,misc.headlines,misc.legal
Subject: Re: The Bill of Rights: A luxury of simpler times?
Summary: Shouting "Police!" is NOT identification.
Message-ID: <7627@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: 18 Jan 90 17:52:06 GMT
References: <11450@venera.isi.edu> <1062@devildog.UUCP>
Followup-To: misc.legal,talk.politics.misc,talk.politics.guns,alt.activism
Distribution: usa
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
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In article <1062@devildog.UUCP>, thk@uxrd15.UUCP (Tom Kiermaier) writes:
> Another "police state" incident I witnessed occurred in a condo
> I lived in 5 years ago. ... After pounding on the door for what
> must have been about thirty seconds, they started screaming
> that they would break down the door if wasn't opened.  At
> that point I grabbed my gun just in case they decided to
> break down my door.  As my wife started dialing the police,
> the guys pounding on the door started yelling that they
> were the police.  The cops didn't identify themselves
> for nearly 50-60 seconds ...

I hope that you did not lay down your gun just because the
brigands started shouting that they were the police.  From
someone acting dangerously and violently, this cannot be
reasonably considered evidence of identity.  Anyone can shout,
and there have been incidents in large cities where gangs use
just this tactic.  When invading a house, they shout "Police",
knowing full well that this gives them an advantage. 

Russell