Judge Rules Genesee County Inmates Cannot Be Electronically Tethered By Police

Today, a Genesee Country judge ruled that law enforcement agencies do not have the right to make the call on whether prisoners are electronically tethered or not.  Check out the details on the ruling and the case behind it.

Today, Genesee Circuit Judge Richard B. Yuille made the ruling that only courts have the authority to place a tether on prisoners, and that sheriffs, state troopers and other law enforcement agents were not legally allowed to do so, unless under court order.

Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell argued against the ruling, and it all stems from a case that the Sheriff's Department handled.  A violent 23-year-old Flint prisoner was transported to Hurley Medical Center to receive medical care and Sheriffs put in a request for a tether.  The courts refused the request, but Sheriffs attached the device regardless.  When the courts found out about the tethering, judges ruled that it be removed immediately and a Sheriff be on bed surveillance 24/7.

It's a complex issue, because you want to give law enforcement the proper tools to be effective, but you can't trample on the rights on Americans, even if they are detained.

Source: MLive