Child Porn Lawsuit Sparks Debate Over Legal Status Of Military Surveillance

In a case that has sparked significant interest in legal communities, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed the conviction of a man found to be distributing child pornography, because evidence against him was gathered in a military probe that, the court said, should not have jurisdiction on civilians. The case has triggered discussion about military surveillance powers, and the degree to which they may be used legally to contribute to civilian law enforcement. “As the Department of Defense plays a greater role in domestic surveillance, questions will be asked about how its surveillance capabilities might feed into domestic law enforcement,” Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told the New York Times. The Justice Department is considering whether to appeal the ruling.