Government forcing blood to be drawn

sactoking

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2007
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If blood draws with a warrant for suspected DUI with an injury isn't a violation of the 5th or unreasonable search and seizure, it would be difficult to argue that blood draws with a warrant for all suspected DUIs is a violation of the 5th or unreasonable search and seizure.
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
I don't know about the Constitutionality, but it is clearly illegal.

Legal under Texas law.

Are Breathalyzers illegal?

Same issue.

 
Aug 23, 2000
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Isn't Acevedo the captain from The Shield that sucked some guys wang? Because he can go do that.

If they can't prove someone is drunk by breath test or administering a field test, then they should just tell them it's an admission of guilt. Performing those steps while 99 out of 100 times will prove your guilt, it could be said, they are performing those test to prove your innocense.

With drunk driving or public intox issues, it's a hard thing to prove at the time, unless you have physical evidence of the event. Because if you can't prove at the time that the person was drunk then when it goes to trial, the person will be sober (most of the time) and it's their word against the cop.

It's a catch 22. We don't want drunks on the road, but we can't squash peoples rights.
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
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Look at the site the story is from dui.com, which is basically a reference link for attorneys specializing in drunk driving cases. I strongly suspect more than a few facts were left out of the story, including any potential constitutional challenges. Frankly, I doubt that even in Texas are blood tests mandatory (after all that state has a well deserved reputation for going easy on drunk drivers-it took them almost forever to ban open bottles in vehicles).

In my state there is no mandatory blood draw and any blood draw has to done by an appropriate medical professional (not a cop). If you have the right to refuse a breath test and submit instead to blood testing if it can be done within a very narrow time frame. If you refuse both the breath and blood test, your license is administratively suspended (no need for a conviction) and there are extremely limited defenses to that procedure. The cop has to establish probable cause (ie, field test failure) first.

 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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Originally posted by: sactoking
If blood draws with a warrant for suspected DUI with an injury isn't a violation of the 5th or unreasonable search and seizure, it would be difficult to argue that blood draws with a warrant for all suspected DUIs is a violation of the 5th or unreasonable search and seizure.

But this judge seems to have issued some kind of 'blanket' warrent; no details of the individual were communicated beforehand to the judge.

Essentially, the judge empowered the police to decide who, when and where such 'searches' were appropriate. The judge abdicated his responsibility to the officers.

Seems to completetly gut the concept of the 4th to me.

Fern
 

Dr. Zaus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2008
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Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
I don't know about the Constitutionality, but it is clearly illegal.

Legal under Texas law.

Are Breathalyzers illegal?

Same issue.
You can fail to comply with a breathalyzer, It's illegal but you can still refuse. This you can not refuse, they simply violate your person.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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Difficult topic, because if I refuse a breathalyzer, how else can you prove I was drinking? And liqour doesn't take a ton of time to leave the blood stream, so at some point you really have to just let me off or steal some blood.

As it is now, you don't get a breathalyzer request without cause, like you stink of booze. If you do smell of booze and refuse it, can anybody give a practical reason why that is a valid refusal? 99% of the time it would only be because you know you run a big risk of going over the limit.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
I don't know about the Constitutionality, but it is clearly illegal.

Legal under Texas law.

Are Breathalyzers illegal?

Same issue.

Not really

Texas law stipulates that blood draws to check for alcohol impairment are sought only after an accident that resulted in injury.

He's drawing blood when people refuse, not after an accident with injuries.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?
 

tgferg67

Member
Oct 23, 2002
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Our rights are slowing going down the toilet. They already seize property - your car - with just suspicion of DWI, loitering, ect.. and without a conviction
 

Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
Difficult topic, because if I refuse a breathalyzer, how else can you prove I was drinking? And liqour doesn't take a ton of time to leave the blood stream, so at some point you really have to just let me off or steal some blood.

As it is now, you don't get a breathalyzer request without cause, like you stink of booze. If you do smell of booze and refuse it, can anybody give a practical reason why that is a valid refusal? 99% of the time it would only be because you know you run a big risk of going over the limit.

Any DUI attorney will tell you to refuse the breathalizer because by times the can get a LEGAL blood sample, the odds are if you were slightly over the limit, you would be under the limit by time the sample is drawn.

What Austin is wanting to do is, allow blanket warrants to be used to aquire blood samples by the cops themselves and not medical professions.

The whole blanket warrant is the issue at hand. Its likely not going to meet court challenges. Kinda strange is coming out of liberal Austin.
 

RKDaley

Senior member
Oct 27, 2007
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Originally posted by: Thump553


In my state there is no mandatory blood draw and any blood draw has to done by an appropriate medical professional (not a cop). If you have the right to refuse a breath test and submit instead to blood testing if it can be done within a very narrow time frame. If you refuse both the breath and blood test, your license is administratively suspended (no need for a conviction) and there are extremely limited defenses to that procedure. The cop has to establish probable cause (ie, field test failure) first.
That's how it is here as well.

 

Corn

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 1999
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Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

We can always count on you to derail a thread with your BDS.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
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Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

You need to see a shrink.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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aquire blood samples by the cops themselves
Are you sure? I doubt that. Surely a trained professional is taking the blood. Taking blood from people is a bit of an artwork. There are many nurses who've been working for years who still have problems finding a vein on certain people. I assume a paramedic or somebody works alongside these cops to get the blood.
 

sactoking

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2007
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Originally posted by: Fern
But this judge seems to have issued some kind of 'blanket' warrent; no details of the individual were communicated beforehand to the judge.

Essentially, the judge empowered the police to decide who, when and where such 'searches' were appropriate. The judge abdicated his responsibility to the officers.

Seems to completetly gut the concept of the 4th to me.

Fern

Ahh, I didn't pick up on that.

Originally posted by: Wreckem
The whole blanket warrant is the issue at hand. Its likely not going to meet court challenges.

Now that I understand the issue, I agree. That's why other localities have judges on-call at checkpoints. It's not a blanket warrant, but it is an almost-immediate rubber stamp warrant, which passes constitutionality.

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Surely a trained professional is taking the blood. Taking blood from people is a bit of an artwork. There are many nurses who've been working for years who still have problems finding a vein on certain people. I assume a paramedic or somebody works alongside these cops to get the blood.

If I were challenging a blood draw under this provision, this is what I'd argue (aside from the whole blanket warrant thing). I'd also sue the PD for reckless endangerment. There's always a chance you could get an air bubble or infection from an improper draw, and that's only magnified when non-medical personnel are involved.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

You need to see a shrink.

Don't give me the name of yours. Obviously, it isn't working for you. :p
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
aquire blood samples by the cops themselves
Are you sure? I doubt that. Surely a trained professional is taking the blood. Taking blood from people is a bit of an artwork. There are many nurses who've been working for years who still have problems finding a vein on certain people. I assume a paramedic or somebody works alongside these cops to get the blood.

The police are taking the blood. That was the a part of the argument against this policy because of contamination, possible tampering, etc. It's in the article.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

You need to see a shrink.

Don't give me the name of yours. Obviously, it isn't working for you. :p

Good one old man. I guess if all else fails you can blame your BDS on senility.
 
Aug 23, 2000
15,509
1
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Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

I'm surprised it took this long for someone to mention Bush. Good Job meetign the quota though.

Last I receall, military service is purely voluntary.
 

PokerGuy

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
13,650
201
101
Wow.... just wow. It just amazes me how far we've allowed the government to go. Non-medically trained personnel, forcibly subjecting you to blood draws that could result in injury, infection and even death. Without any trial, without any defense, without any legal court hearing etc. Sad.
 

Dr. Zaus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2008
11,764
347
126
Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: DixyCrat

Topic Title: Government forcing blood to be drawn

They drew a lot more from the troops the Bushwackos sent to bleed and die in Iraq. Where's the outrage?

You need to see a shrink.

Don't give me the name of yours. Obviously, it isn't working for you. :p

If the behavior of an ex president colors your opinion of the world to the point that you can not interact with society normally, then you have a serious problem that should be looked into by a mental health professional.