Meanwhile back in New Jersey, on Dec. 26, Judge Politan ruled that the government did not break the law, nor did it overstep its bounds in the use of the key logger. Furthermore, he stated that the FBI did not have to reveal the exact nature of the key logger used on Scarfo's computer. The judge wrote in his decision of the need for law enforcement to keep up technologically with criminals, especially in light of the Sept. 11 attacks. The trial is set to begin sometime this year.
It's too early to tell what effect the new anti-terrorism measures will have on the war on terrorism and the war on crime. With the watchful eye of privacy-rights groups, let's hope that the government doesn't overstep its bounds, and with the ever-vigilant law enforcement and anti-terrorism agencies bringing electronic surveillance to the forefront, maybe tragedies like Sept. 11 will be ended before they begin.
Scott M. Deitche is a freelance writer in St. Petersburg. He has written three articles for the Planet on organized crime. He is currently working on a book on the Tampa mob and one on the life of New Jersey mobster Steve Lenehan. He can be reached at sdeitche@ tampabay.rr.com.
