Is an anonymous, psychic tip probable cause to acquire a search warrant of your home and property?

June 15th, 2011 | by admin |

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1004338–texas-judge-says-anonymous-tip-about-bodies-buried-at-farmhouse-came-from-psychic

Why are Texas police snooping and sniffing around people’s back doors?

The can and should investigate but they normally cannot get a search warrant merely based on a psychic. In this case, they did not. If no-one is home, they can look around the outside and into windows if the drapes are not drawn. They did find evidence of blood and a foul odor which is sufficient to request a search warrant which would allow a more intense search of the grounds and inside the home. BTW, it is probably not a anonymous tip, they probably know who the person giving the tip is. z

  1. 12 Responses to “Is an anonymous, psychic tip probable cause to acquire a search warrant of your home and property?”

  2. By Dr. Killpatient on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    A bribe paid to a corrupt judge or cop is better if you want probable cause. In some cases, a corrupt cop can lie about probable cause and he does not even need a warrant using "knock and contact." In a recent case decided by the Supreme Court, conservative justices say that a cop can knock, and claims that if he hears something suspicious (such as "drugs" being flushed down a toilet), he can then break down the door without a search warrant.
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  3. By Horse Head on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    No, but they actually found what they were looking for: a mass grave with 30 bodies
    References :
    http://ca.news.yahoo.com/texas-police-probe-tip-off-mass-grave-230103465.html

  4. By Anti Anti-Fascist on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    Oh. Texas. That explains a lot.
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  5. By Anthony's Weiner on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    The judge should be buried
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  6. By Barry's Change on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    Yep in this case,when a call comes in it has to be checked, period.
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  7. By Excuse Me on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    Well from what I read they went to the house and found spots of blood, thats what started the search

    EDIT: Well from what i heard was that the blood came from a suicide attempt of the family’s daughters fiance, it wasnt like he cut his finger chopping tomatoes and a couple drops fell on the floor or on the cabinet, there was apparently a good amount of dried blood on the front porch.
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  8. By DCK2003 on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    No, but it is probable cause to drug test the psychic and give her a psychological evaluation.

    Edit: I also like how someone said they found drops of blood in the house. I found two drops of blood on the fabric shower curtain in my house last night and thought to myself "I should wash that" I don’t know where they came from and I don’t care. If you search anyone’s house hard enough you could probably find a few drops of blood. It doesn’t mean a crime was committed it means "People live here".
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  9. By Susan on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    They didn’t know the caller was a psychic at first. They found the blood and went from there. But remember the YFZ ranch, a caller from AZ said she was 15 and in a marriage and couldn’t escape, so they went there, searched about 40 homes, took the children from every home, and then said about 5 of the women who were 18-30 years old were 15 and tried to have them put in foster homes. It was crazy, and the caller turned out to be some drug addict in AZ who was 30.
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  10. By Bob H on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    So now, everybody in Texas is a psychic. How lucky can you get?
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  11. By WallyZ on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    The can and should investigate but they normally cannot get a search warrant merely based on a psychic. In this case, they did not. If no-one is home, they can look around the outside and into windows if the drapes are not drawn. They did find evidence of blood and a foul odor which is sufficient to request a search warrant which would allow a more intense search of the grounds and inside the home. BTW, it is probably not a anonymous tip, they probably know who the person giving the tip is. z
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  12. By Chet on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    After looking in to the story there seems to be too many discrepancies between news stories. So I will wait for the facts to emerge.

    But to answer your question, under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Section 18.01 a search warrant may not be issued unless " sufficient facts are first presented to satisfy the issuing magistrate that probable cause does in fact exist for its issuance. A sworn affidavit setting forth substantial facts establishing probable cause shall be filed in every instance in which a search warrant is requested".
    http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CR/htm/CR.18.htm#18.01

    Texas law does not define what probable cause is. But over time the courts have (case law). Basically probable cause is facts and circumstances within the officer’s knowledge (or magistrate issuing the arrest/search warrant) are sufficient to warrant a prudent person to believe a suspect has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime.

    So an anonymous tip from a "psychic" would never pass an appellate court, if a magistrate did issue a warrant solely based on the tip.

    To answer your second question, all calls (for the most part) are always looked in to. If you called the police and told them you are living next to Ernst Blofeld (James Bonds arch enemy) and told them he is going to blow up the earth with his new laser, they will at least check in to it.
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  13. By Rev. Lynn D. on Jun 15, 2011 | Reply

    I don’t believe that the investigation had anything to do with her claiming to be a psychic. She told the police that there were numerous dead bodies buried on the property including those of children and that is not something the police can ignore.
    References :
    http://www.essenceofthedivine.com

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