No knock warrant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the US, a no knock warrant is a warrant issued by a judge that allows law enforcement officers to enter a property without knocking and without identifying themselves as police. It is issued under the belief that any evidence they hope to find can be destroyed during the time that police identify themselves and the time they secure the area.

The Department of Justice writes:

Federal judges and magistrates may lawfully and constitutionally issue "no-knock" warrants where circumstances justify a no-knock entry, and federal law enforcement officers may lawfully apply for such warrants under such circumstances. Although officers need not take affirmative steps to make an independent re-verification of the circumstances already recognized by a magistrate in issuing a no-knock warrant, such a warrant does not entitle officers to disregard reliable information clearly negating the existence of exigent circumstances when they actually receive such information before execution of the warrant.

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Kathryn Johnston (c1918-2006) was an 88 year old Atlanta, Georgia woman shot by three undercover police in her home on November 21, 2006 after she opened fire on the officers, as they broke down her door using a "no knock warrant". None of the officers received life threatening injuries, but Johnston was killed by the officers.

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