June 5, 2004
Wireless messages used as evidence in court
Jon Sarche for the Associated Press writes how more and more, text messages are being used as evidence in court cases.
Sarche points out that "the NBA star Kobe Bryant case appears to be the first high-profile U.S. criminal case in which cell phone text messages could be entered into the docket. But in Europe and Asia, where texting is hugely popular, some criminal cases have hinged on them".
Word to the wise:[...] In these days of corporate fraud and in these days of terrorism we're seeing more and more reason to store forever. Don't ever say anything on e-mail or text messaging that you don't want to come back and bite you."
I've opened a special category in Textually.org for anyone researching cases where SMS has been used as evidence in court. As a shortcut, here are links to articles posted so far:
-- In the US, Mobile phone held drug deal details
-- In the US, Kobe Bryant's Attorneys File Motion to Access SMS Data
-- In Sweden, SMSes recovered from SIM in murder trial
-- In Australia, SMS used in alibi and as evidence
-- In England SMS Murder Trial
-- In Australia Jury is handed SMS evidence in murder trial
-- In the UK, a Murder predicted in text message.
-- In Norway, a rapist's messages led to conviction.
-- In Italy, text messaging is now commonly used as evidence in divorce suits. cf Cell phones exposing more cheating spouses.
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