Search Warrant For Lost Next-Generation iPhone Ordered Unsealed

[MacRumors]

Bloomberg reports that the search warrant authorized by a judge in San Mateo County that allowed police to seize evidence related to the lost next-generation iPhone that appeared in the hands of Gizmodo has been ordered unsealed. The warrant is expected to confirm that Apple itself reported the iPhone's disappearance and requested the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the situation.

Judge Clifford V. Cretan in Redwood City today ruled against the San Mateo County District Attorney's office, which argued that unsealing the documents will reveal identities of potential witnesses and compromise the investigation. Media organizations argued they should have access to the documents based on constitutionally protected free-speech rights.

CNET notes that the 19-page warrant is to be made available to the public within the next several hours, no later than 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

A coalition of media outlets have been pushing for the release of documents related to the search and filed a request last week to have them unsealed. In an initial ruling, one San Mateo County judge declined to unseal the documents and referred the case to Cretan, who had originally issued the warrant. Cretan reportedly decided today to unseal the search warrant after ascertaining that public knowledge of its contents will not compromise the ongoing investigation.

Article Link: Search Warrant For Lost Next-Generation iPhone Ordered Unsealed

 

[srl7741]

Good to see it's being released. Should be interesting to read.

 

[FFArchitect]

It's Apple's phone. The problem with them reporting it is what?

 

[mattwolfmatt]

This iphone story is quickly becoming the Tiger-Woods-car-crash of technology. Can we talk about something else, please?

 

[LondonCentral]

Bah..

More Apple bashing will no doubt follow. In my eyes they've so far done nothing wrong. Let the law decide the outcome.



2pm...eastern specific time.

 

[nikhsub1]

It's Apple's phone. The problem with them reporting it is what?

Nothing but I bet there is much more to their involvement than just that. When any entity can use law enforcement at their whim it is not a good thing. I await to see what this reveals.

 

[TheNewDude]

It's Apple's phone. The problem with them reporting it is what?

I don't think that's the issue...

The issue is why did the PO-lice go into the editor's house and search the crap outta it...

Apple asked for it, they gave it back. What purpose was solved by searching the guy's HOME? Work, sure, home??

 

[sishaw]

This iphone story is quickly becoming the Tiger-Woods-car-crash of technology. Can we talk about something else, please?

Hah! Well said. All that's left now is the Law and Order episode.

 

[HyperX13]

Why is the iPhone leaking? Is it all those chemicals per previous story?

 

[LondonCentral]

This iphone story is quickly becoming the Tiger-Woods-car-crash of technology. Can we talk about something else, please?

In 3+ weeks it'll be even older news than it is now. Journos are keeping the story in the foreground because it directly effects them and how they conduct themselves.

 

[quagmire]

I don't think that's the issue...

The issue is why did the PO-lice go into the editor's house and search the crap outta it...

Apple asked for it, they gave it back. What purpose was solved by searching the guy's HOME? Work, sure, home??

His home was his office.....

 

[maelstromr]

Nothing but I bet there is much more to their involvement than just that. When any entity can use law enforcement at their whim it is not a good thing. I await to see what this reveals.

Do you mean "when any entity can report a theft and ask the police to investigate that theft and the subsequent (public) misuse of the stolen property at their whim, it is not a good thing"?

Sounds a little silly when you explain what actually happened, huh?

 

[ValSalva]

Hah! Well said. All that's left now is the Law and Order episode.

LOL! "Ripped from the headlines." I wonder what name they'll come up with for the tech blog. Techmodo?

 

[TheNewDude]

His home was his office.....

But from what i read somewhere, they even took his personal computer and stuff...


Ahh well, who knows?? I'm tired of this story anyways....

Apple is just becoming the mean big bully in the play ground. Or at least they are coming off looking like one.

 

[roland.g]

Sorry but really who cares. This is page 1 news. Please. Site. Consistently. Downhill.

Jason. Chen. Gizmodo. You. Are. Not. Important.

 

[Peace]

Oh geez..Are we gonna go through all this again ?..

 

[angevil]

I want to see one episode of South Park dedicated to the iPhone leak, it would be hilarious

 

[3460169]

*yawn*

Looking forward to 3 weeks from now when we have *real* iPhone 4 stories.

For now let's continue to flog that dead horse!

 

[koach]

The reason people are so bent out of shape about this is because this is further proof that our country has become a corporatocracy.

If I had lost my phone (my personal phone or even some invention I was creating in my garage as part of my plan to create a new product and start a company), and someone found/bought it and returned it back to me, I PROMISE that there would be no police investigation like this. They wouldn't be issuing search warrants, busting down doors, sealing court documents.

Corporations have more privileges than ordinary citizens with none of the responsibility. A lot of people like myself are tired of it. But as long as our government is bought and paid for by lobbying and campaign contributions, it will never change.

 

[Tennyo]

Sorry but really who cares. This is page 1 news. Please. Site. Consistently. Downhill.

Jason. Chen. Gizmodo. You. Are. Not. Important.

^This

I read the first post and couldn't bring myself to care. lol

 

[Adidas Addict]

Never mind all this legal bollocks, the damn phone looks like some cheap arse HTC with an apple logo.

 

[orbital]

@ koach - its different when someone steals your phone (which you can't prove anyway) maybe you sold it to them and you want it back, so then apple has to go to them take the phone that you sold them and give it back to you. The burden of proof is always with the accuser, in this case the person who has the phone would need to prove that its there's. Also as far as the difference is concerned one is bordering on industrial espionage the other is minor theft.

 

[mac8867]

Why is the iPhone leaking? Is it all those chemicals per previous story?

This is the best post in this thread !!! Hilarious!

 

[sishaw]

The reason people are so bent out of shape about this is because this is further proof that our country has become a corporatocracy.

If I had lost my phone (my personal phone or even some invention I was creating in my garage as part of my plan to create a new product and start a company), and someone found/bought it and returned it back to me, I PROMISE that there would be no police investigation like this.

First, we prefer the term "Plutocracy," which is an actual word. Look it up.

Second, I'm sure if someone just returned your prototype to you, what you say is correct. If they splashed it all over the Internet so that some competitor could get it to market first, then either (1) you're being deliberately disingenuous; or (2) you are not destined for business success.

 

[ChrisA]

The reason people are so bent out of shape about this is because this is further proof that our country has become a corporatocracy.

If I had lost my phone (my personal phone or even some invention I was creating in my garage as part of my plan to create a new product and start a company), and someone found/bought it and returned it back to me, I PROMISE that there would be no police investigation like this. They wouldn't be issuing search warrants, busting down doors, sealing court documents.

Yes and look what happened, the next leaked phone had to be shipped a Vietnam because we here in the US are not free to post photos of a lost phone on the web.

I hope the mainstream news picks this up. It's killing Apple's reputation. Apple spends million making itself seem "cool". This could erase all that effort.