Kern County sheriff asks FBI to investigate man's beating death

[ExCop-LawStudent]

13. Under the Privacy Protection Act, the seizure of the cellphones was illegal

Under the Privacy Protection Act, police cannot use a search warrant to seize video that is intended for public dissemination (42 USC 2000aa). They have to use a subpoena, and the owner of the video can get it back, with damages.

Once they know it is for broadcast, they have to use a subpoena, and if you listen to the 911 call, you hear the lady tell them she's going to give the video to the news media.

I wrote a more extensive post on it at my blog.