October 25, 2002

No Privacy in Public Spaces

To the Editor:

It would be appropriate for the police in the "tiny Philadelphia suburb" of Malvern to note that there is no expectation of privacy in a public area ("Camera Case," Short Subjects, September 20). Hence the photographing of any cars, police or otherwise, in such a space is not a violation of law.

The arrest of the picture-taking defendant in this case seems blatantly unconstitutional.

James J. Green Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice St. Thomas