 |
Friday, December 10, 2004
Mom's snooping on daughter violated privacy act, court rules
In a victory for rebellious teenagers everywhere, the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a mother violated Washington's privacy act by eavesdropping on her daughter's phone conversation.
Privacy advocates hailed the ruling.
The mother, however, was unrepentant.
"It's ridiculous! Kids have more rights than parents these days," said Carmen Dixon, 47, of Friday Harbor. "My daughter was out of control, and that was the only way I could get information and keep track of her. I did it all the time."
The Supreme Court ruled that Dixon's testimony against a friend of her daughter's should not have been admitted in court because it was based on the intercepted conversation.
The justices unanimously ordered a new trial for Oliver Christensen, who had been convicted of second-degree robbery partly because of Dixon's testimony.
The case started with a purse snatching that shocked the island town of Friday Harbor, population 2,000. On Oct. 24, 2000, two young men knocked down an elderly woman, breaking her glasses, and stole her purse. Christensen, then 17, was a suspect.
San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming asked Dixon, whose daughter was friends with Christensen, to be alert for any possible evidence.
When Christensen called the Dixon house later, Lacey Dixon, then 14, took the cordless phone into her bedroom and shut the door. Carmen Dixon hit the "speakerphone" button on the phone base and took notes on the conversation -- in which Christensen said he knew the whereabouts of the purloined purse.
The ruling will not likely result in parents being prosecuted for snooping, Cumming said.
But it forbids courts and law enforcement from using the fruits of such snooping.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
 Day in Pictures Special cats at an exhibition and more |
 David Horsey Farmhands ask: Who are these guys? |
 Photo gallery Big dreamers from MySeattlePets |
· Sheriff arrests parents in horrific child abuse case
· Oregon infant recovers from rare disease
· Reward offered in Oregon cabin fire death
· 'Playing God' or dignified death?
· Seattle police unit reaches out to the mentally ill
· Reichert, Burner meet again in new context
· Families welcome return of Lincoln's crew
· Racing shell's history alone is worthy of a gold
· State selling its oldest ferries
· Getting There: What happened to the traffic sensors on I-90?
· New and improved Mercer Slough education center open for business
· Lawsuit filed against UW police alleges bias
more· WSU QBs: Lobbestael out, Lopina maybe in
· Normandy Park police dog found
· Wash. students fill out health survey this week
· WSU tops $143.6 Million in donations
· Machinists union confirms start of Boeing talks
more· Business interests seek employer sanction changes
· Gay support group criticizes Mormon leadership
· Desalting plant near Yuma prepares for restart
· 3 BLM workers held at gunpoint at NV pot garden
· Wyo. college town reflects 10 years after murder
more
The Big BlogBy Monica Guzman and other P-I editors and staff
· PEMCO looks for the 'Supercharged Seahawks Fan'
· Paul Krugman: The Movie
· Could a bad economy bring us closer together?
Strange BedfellowsP-I staff on Seattle politics
· Gallup daily poll: Obama 51, McCain 41
· Dearth of new governor's race polls
· Gallup daily poll: Obama 50, McCain 43
Seattle Real Estate NewsWith the P-I's Aubrey Cohen
· Builders going smaller
· View of Ballard apartment building
· Smart garage
Seattle TrafficBy Reporter Larry Lange and other P-I staff
· Overnight shutdowns Thursday on 520 Bridge
· New ride record claimed for water taxi
· Can someone pay you not to drive to work?
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
