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No criminal charges — the latest hit to speed cameras

Inside the newest secure to the credibility of automated traffic enforcement, Andrew P. Thomas, County Attorney in Arizona's Maricopa County, says he won't pursue criminal charges hostile to motorists tagged by photo-radar alacrity cameras pro exceeding the alacrity limit. Inside an publication on Monday, Thomas cited concerns in this area legislative intent in authorizing the aid alacrity cameras, as well as serious constitutional issues ensuing from relying on apparatus as witnesses in the prosecution of criminal charges.

Subsection D of the edict specifies with the intention of “the specialty of moving shall not consider the violation pro the function of determining whether the person’s driver license must be floating or revoked.” The County Attorney concluded with the intention of since the legislature prohibited the aid of photo-radar evidence pro suspension or revocation of driver’s licenses, the legislature ipso facto may possibly not be inflicted with intended pro such evidence to be used in the even more serious context of criminal charges.

Thomas furthermore pointed made known with the intention of, "The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides with the intention of 'in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall take pleasure in the right…to be confronted with the witnesses hostile to him.'In photo-radar suitcases, here are thumbs down witnesses, and defendants are not permitted to confront their plaintiff."

Arizona's Constitution is equally apparent on the come forth, requiring with the intention of one criminal defendant be allowable to "meet the witnesses hostile to him visage to visage.” That's a challenge as the sole source of evidence is a box of electronics with a schooner lens.

The plain language of the law, as well as other officially authorized and constitutional doctrine, disallows criminal prosecution of motorists based on photo-radar evidence.
While the Maricopa County County Attorney's decision earnings with the intention of unknown will visage criminal charges based on tickets issued by alacrity cameras, civil fines wait in place.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (highway patrol) has declined to respond to Thomas's publication.

Thomas's decision is single the newest move by an Arizona broadcast authoritative to join growing grassroots opposition to the aid of photo-radar alacrity cameras. Just continue month, Judge John C. Keegan of the Arrowhead Justice Court issued an order (PDF) declaring the alacrity camera curriculum unconstituional. He cited the uncommon penalties attached to tickets issued by the apparatus against. Persons issued by control officers as a violation of the equal protection guarantees of both the federal and Arizona Constitutions.

Given the not uncommon fit of circumstances everywhere two drivers are roving on the same highway, by the same alacrity in surplus of the alacrity limit, by the same calculate, in in effect the same location and are cited by the same agency into the same incite, ARS § 41-1722 creates a distinction whereby lone rank of defendant is subjected to a significantly uncommon array of penalties than a further rank of defendant based solely on the aid of photo enforcement.

Now, therefore, it is the determination of this incite with the intention of the provisions of ARS § 41-1722 are unauthorized and unenforceable surrounded by the jurisdiction of this incite.

This Sunday, look to the Arizona Republic everywhere I energy head-to-head with the Department of Public Safety in dueling OpEds ended the wisdom of alacrity cameras.