Writing Resources
Little do they know that they are constantly transmitting information about their whereabouts to their phone service provider In November the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Carpenter v United States a case that will determine whether the Fourth Amendment allows the Government to access an individual s cell phone location records without a warrant This case began with the arrest of Timothy Carpenter who orchestrated a number of robberies in Ohio and Michigan Based on information from Carpenter s co conspirators the Government obtained a court order not a warrant requiring Carpenter s cell phone carrier to provide 127 days of location records for Carpenter s account These records provided the location of the cell phone towers with which Carpenter s cell phone connected at the time he made calls Relying on these records the Government determined that Carpenter s cell phone connected with towers in the vicinity of several of the robberies at approximately the same time as those robberies Given that cell phones connect with the tower to which they are closest at the time of the call this was compelling evidence in the Government's prosecution Prior to trial Carpenter unsuccessfully moved to suppress the Government's use of his cell phone location records under the Fourth Amendment A jury convicted Carpenter on numerous counts of the Hobbs Act and firearms charges
