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GPS Bracelet Provides Evidence of Murder

February 13th, 2013

GPS tracking bracelets have become a common restriction for accused criminals released on bail or convicted criminals on parole. So common, in fact, that perhaps the criminals are not taking them seriously.

In Massachusetts recently, Patrick Malone was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine. He was arraigned on October 26, and prosecutors recommended that he be held on $20,000 bail. Instead, the judge ordered a bail of $2,500. However, the judge did require Malone to wear a GPS bracelet, follow a 7pm to 7am curfew, and avoid any contact with his co-defendants. The judge did not place any restrictions on Malone as to what areas he could or could not visit.

On November 19, 26-year-old Leroy Cooper was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the local hospital. After gathering surveillance footage and witness testimony, police checked the monitoring data from Malone’s GPS tracking bracelet. That information placed Malone at the scene when Cooper was murdered.

Based on this evidence, city police and U.S. Marshals arrested Malone and charged him with the armed robbery and murder of Leroy Cooper. Malone entered a not guilty plea and is being held without bail on both charges. Law enforcement is still investigating the crime and attempting to determine the motive behind the killing.

This incident shows that the mere wearing of a monitoring device will not necessarily deter criminals from involvement in unlawful activity. The use of tracking bracelets must be accompanied by careful checking of the data and restrictions on the individual’s activity. In many instances, those wearing such a device are restricted from visiting certain areas. If they violate the restriction, the device sends out an alert to the monitoring agency. A close supervision such as this might have been helpful in Malone’s case.

Regardless of what restrictions should or should not have been in place, the core issue is the perception of the one wearing the device. If the individual does not grasp the reality that his every move is being tracked and recorded, then he will not be deterred from further criminal activity. On the other hand, the individual who understands his constant surveillance and its ramifications will zealously avoid any appearance of wrongdoing. Perhaps this incident will be a stepping-stone in the path of increasing criminals’ respect for the GPS tracking bracelet they wear.

Zimmerman Required to Wear GPS Tracking Bracelet Pending Trayvon Martin Trial

February 10th, 2013

Last February, the nation collectively grieved the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed in his neighborhood. Shortly after the shooting, George Zimmerman was arrested and charged with his murder. While awaiting trial, Zimmerman was ordered by a judge to wear a GPS tracking device designed to monitor his movements and reduce the risk of flight. Last Tuesday, a Florida judge upheld that order, denying Zimmerman’s request that the device be removed to allow unmonitored travel within the state.

GPS tracking has been used by courts in thousands of cases to monitor the movements of parolees, offenders under house arrest, and people awaiting trial. Alleged offenders usually wear the devices as an ankle or wrist bracelet which cannot be removed. Police can monitor the tracking data to keep tabs on their movements, ensuring that they do not travel beyond the court-ordered boundaries.

According to his lawyer, Zimmerman argued that he feared for his personal safety and that removing the tracking bracelet would allow him to protect himself and his family by remaining out of the public eye. He also argued that freedom of movement would enable him to conduct meetings with witnesses more effectively. The judge summarily denied Zimmerman’s request. Zimmerman has also been charged with perjury regarding his financial situation.

While Zimmerman’s case is not unusual, it has received more attention than most due to the high visibility of the Trayvon Martin Case. Both courts and law enforcement departments regularly use tracking devices to follow the movements of suspected criminals and those awaiting trial or those who are out on patrol. The practice is not without its opponents, however, with many claiming that using the technology to follow suspected criminals violates the Fourth Amendment.

As the devices continue to evolve and develop greater accuracy as well as greater capabilities, such questions will only become more prevalent. In the meantime, however, most agree that GPS bracelets such as the one Zimmerman must wear can assist law enforcement with keeping tabs on accused offenders and criminals out on parole. The bracelets can drastically reduce flight risk while enabling overextended departments to perform their jobs more effectively and with fewer personnel.

Just as people all across the nation grieved Trayvon Martin’s death, they now wait for justice to be served on his killer. And GPS tracking may be one tool that helps accomplish that end.

Judge Denies George Zimmerman’s Request to Remove GPS Tracking Device

January 11th, 2013

George Zimmerman, awaiting trial for the shooting of Trayvon Martin, recently requested that a Florida judge allow him to remove his GPS tracking device he is forced to wear and grant him the ability to leave Seminole County. However, the judge denied this request.

Zimmerman is out on a $1 million bond. ABC News reported that he was “noticeably stockier, clad in a dark suit and presumably a bulletproof vest as he typically wears in public” in court.

Defense attorney Mark O’Mara called Zimmerman’s probation officer, Adam Vincent, on the stand. He testified that Zimmerman has obeyed the terms of his probation at all times. O’Mara pointed out keeping Zimmerman within Seminole County does him no good as it makes it impossible to meet with his attorneys and expert witnesses, nor can he assist his attorneys in preparation for his upcoming trial.

According to O’Mara, Zimmerman “shouldn’t have to be in hiding.” The 28 year old has hunkered down at home after he received death threats for killing unarmed Trayvon Martin on February 26^th.

Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda disagreed with the defense, saying that the state “objects strenuously to any modification of his GPS or his boundaries.” He also pointed out to Judge Debra Nelson that when Zimmerman was asked how much money he could make available for bond, he lied. He also left out the fact he had a second passport.

De La Rionda added that if Zimmerman is worried about his safety, he should embrace the GPS tracking device as added protection. “Isn’t the defendant safer if law enforcement knows exactly where he is?” De La rionda asked.

The judge sided with prosecutors, ordering the GPS tracking device to remain in place and Zimmerman remain in Seminole County. However, Judge Nelson also gave him the right to travel to Orange County to allow visits with his attorneys.

Zimmerman has been charged with murder. However, he says Martin was shot in self defense after Martin knocked him to the ground, smashing his head into the cement, followed by a struggle over his pistol. His trial will be held June 13^th.

Monitoring the “Beast of Blenheim” with GPS

October 6th, 2012

On September 1, 2012, Stewart Murray Wilson was released from Christchurch’s Rolleston Prison in New Zealand. Known as the “Beast of Blenheim” for his heinous sex crimes against women and children for more than twenty years, his release came as a shock to the Whanganui community he is being released to. Officials, however, are confident that the restrictions they have placed on Wilson will keep the public safe. One of those restrictions includes GPS monitoring.

Wilson will be the first parolee in New Zealand to be outfitted with a GPS-enabled tracking device so that authorities can monitor his movements 24-7. The GPS bracelet is just one of 17 restrictions placed on Wilson in an effort to calm a panicked society. Other restrictions include not leaving the Whanganui district, not associating with anyone under the age of 16 without authorized supervision, having no female in his house, and having no access to the internet. So far, the community has taken little comfort in the measures.

Wilson was first convicted in 1996 on twenty-two charges spanning a time period from 1971 to 1994. He was sentenced to 21 years, one of the longest sentences in New Zealand at the time; however, due to old sentencing rules, the court ordered his early release three years sooner than anticipated. The criminal board in charge of the case argued for Wilson’s continued incarceration because he was deemed a high risk for reoffending. The board was overruled, but they were granted a ten-year extended supervision order by the Corrections Department to monitor Wilson through GPS technology until the year 2025, at which time the “Beast” will be 78 years old.

The board was also allowed to restrict Wilson to a prison house on the property of Whanganui Prison, a restriction his lawyers are fighting. They claim that such a restriction invokes “virtual social isolation,” which does not help their client integrate back into society. The board still maintains its right to make Wilson stay at the prison house address, which was made specifically for him, along with the GPS monitoring. They argue that public safety must be the utmost consideration in this case.

Although GPS tracking of parolees has been successful in the past, proponents wonder if it will be sufficient to stifle the fears of the Whanganui community. Will the restrictions be enough to restrain the beast?

Tracking on Bail

August 1st, 2012

A shopping mall shooting in Toronto could have been averted by GPS tracking. According to the Attorney General of Ontario, John Gerretsen, it is hard to get good statistics about suspects on bail in Ontario. Questions have been raised as to whether the system is keeping good enough tabs on those on bail. Christopher Husbands, 23, was one of them, and no one seemed to know where he was until it was far too late.

Husbands entered the food court of the Eaton Centre shopping mall on June 2 and opened fire. One man died that day, another died later, and five others were injured. The two who died were members of the same gang as Husbands, although police say that do not think the shooting was actually gang-related. Innocent victims among the bystanders included a 13-year-old boy. Husbands fled the scene but turned himself in a few days later.

Husbands was supposed to be on house arrest, awaiting a trial for sexual assault. Incredibly, he had also been working for the city in an after-school care program, which apparently did not require a background check. These facts raise a lot of questions, and while GPS tracking is not a cure-all, it could be a significant part of the answer.

Ontario already uses GPS tracking for parolees and criminals on probation. This kind of tracking system uses electronic bracelets worn by parolees. The bracelets contain a tracking device which communicates with satellites and computers so that the location of the device is known at all times. If a parolee violates boundary lines (or somehow breaks or removes the device), police are instantly alerted. The use of GPS reduces the expense of the man-hours that would otherwise be needed to constantly check on parolees. It also provides the police with strong evidence in parole violation cases. GPS could have the same benefits for the bail system.

The Canadian federal rules for bail have been in place for 35 years. The Attorney General says the bail system is working well, with some exceptions. It is high time to fix the exceptions. The technology is readily available, and the police are already familiar with it since they use it for parole. Expanding or duplicating the system for those on bail could not be too difficult, and the added safety for the public would be well worth the monetary cost.

GPS Monitor Places Suspect at the Scene in Arson Case

June 29th, 2012

Just a few months following his February release from state prison, Jeremy Morin, 33, is now the primary suspect in an arson case. The Boston resident finished a 10 year stay at state prison for arson. He was deemed a repeat-offender threat, and was required to wear a GPS tracking bracelet as part of his parole. The tracking device shows Morin at the scene of the crime, just a few doors down from the Central Street property he was reportedly living at the time.

“It was deliberately set,” Lt. John Friberg said, head of the Springfield Fire Department’s arson squad. “Luckily, the house was vacant. At 2 in the morning, it’s a whole different scenario.” The fire was fueled by trash, and broke out at around 2 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Sunday happens to be the only day Morin was not required to check in with his probation officer, but it’s not likely that much thought went into avoiding getting caught. After all, he was wearing a GPS tracking device, and allegedly set the fire a mere couple houses down from where he was staying. Fortunately for everyone involved, the house was vacant and no one was injured.

There has been quite a bit of controversy in the news over the last few years regarding GPS tracking of suspects. In this case, however, it’s clearly a legal use of GPS tracking, and part of Morin’s release from prison. “I think it would be very difficult for his attorney to try and suppress that evidence. The Probation Department is perfectly justified in monitoring where he is. In fact, they’re required to do so. As a prosecutor, I’d be pretty pleased.” Undeniably, the GPS tracking device placed Morin at the scene of the crime when the fire was set. He was arrested the following Tuesday, and is currently being held on $150,000 cash bail.

George Zimmerman Released on $150K Bail, Monitored with GPS

April 26th, 2012

On February 26, 28-year-old George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin. According to reports, Martin was walking to his father’s fiance’s home inside a gated community, when Zimmerman saw him and called the police, reporting what he considered suspicious activity. A fight broke out between the two for reasons that remain unknown, and Zimmerman shot and killed the unarmed young man.

Zimmerman wasn’t charged for six weeks following Martin’s death, causing a lot of backlash from the media and civil rights groups. On Monday, he was released on $150,000 bail and required to wear a GPS tracking device until he goes to trial. The GPS tracking device is fairly standard in Seminole County, where Zimmerman was being held. The devices serve to monitor the movements and activities of people out on bail. “There’s a number of different alarms. you may have one where they lose GPS if they go into a big, metal building,” explained Rusty Park of the Florida Department of Corrections. “There’s a ‘bracelet gone’ alarm. That’s when the alarm and the MTD get too far apart. If you get a new watch or something, after a while, you kind of forget about it, only you can’t take it off.”

The defense considers the GPS tracking device as an asset, assuring Zimmerman’s safety. “It’s a pretty miserable life to be not yet convicted, but convicted enough in the minds of, if you’re even seen people going to be going to the media,” said Zimmerman’s defense attorney John Phillips. “He’s not only dealing with some degree of remorse, but he’s dealing with fear for his life and fear for his freedom.” The defendant is required to check in every three days with authorities, and he is prohibited from using drugs and alcohol, and contacting Martin’s family or witnesses awaiting trial.

Indiana Lawyer Caught Stealing Being Tracked Via GPS

April 21st, 2011

Indiana Attorney, Daniel E. Serban, 53, plead guilty to stealing over $283,000 from his clients. He is now expected to pay back the entire sum in restitution, including $89,000 that he stole from one client, as well as submit to GPS tracking while waiting for his sentencing next month. His law license was suspended indefinitely by the Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Commission, in late March of 2011, when charges were filed against him.

Monday, April 11, 2011, in court, Allen Countey Superior Court Judge John Surbeck asked Daniel Serban to explain how he stole such a large sum from his clients. Serban was forthcoming, and explained that part of his service was to collect money for his clients, through his firm. Normally, and ethically, he would be expected to then pass that money on to his clients, the rightful owners of the money. He admitted to failing to forward the money to his clients on several occasions.

When Allen County Deputy Prosecutor, Tim McCaulay, asked Serban how many times he failed to pass on his clients money, he said he remembered only 20 to 50 times. McCaulay told him and the court that there are records showing that Serban failed to pass on his clients money more than 100 times.

Serban appeared in court alone, with no friends and family present to support him. He plead guilty to two of the four charges against him. The charges he plead guilty to are a Class C felony charge of corrupt business influence and a Class D felony charge of theft. Prosecutors dismissed the Class C felony charges of forgery and theft, because he plead guilty to the other two charges.

Though Serban could be facing up to eight years in prison, he appeared calm and collected during his hearing. The only part of the trial that aroused a response from him was when the judge ordered him to comply with home detention and wear a GPS tracking device while out on bail.

The GPS tracking device was recommended in this, and many similar cases, to prevent criminals from skipping out on their sentencing. Authorities are notified if the device, which is attached to the person in question, leaves a specified perimeter, or if it is tampered with in any way. This way, even if the person does try to run, the police are notified almost immediately.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor

Sex Offender Removes GPS Tracking Bracelet

January 17th, 2011

GPS tracking devices are often given to sex offenders who have recently been released from prison. One such sex offender, Robert Thomas Baca, was told to wear a GPS tracking bracelet after his recent release from prison. Baca attempted to remove the tracking device one day after his release. This action has resulted in his return to prison.

Baca was sent to jail in 1996 after raping a woman in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Baca served ten years in prison for this crime. At the time, the 45-year-old Baca was 35-years-old. Following his first release, Baca was sent back to prison for neglecting to register as a sex offender after moving to Minneapolis. Coupled with his latest sentences, Baca will spend more than 13 years of his life in prison.

As Baca discovered, attempting to remove a GPS tracking bracelet is a crime. More often than not, this crime results in an additional prison sentence. Criminals such as Baca often return to jail after serving long sentences for various reasons. Analysts believe that most criminals return to prison due to the fact that these people know no other kind of life.

While prison might not appeal to many people, criminals who have spent most of their lives in jail often cannot survive outside of prison walls – an unfortunate side effect of the criminal justice system. Well known to parolees, removing a GPS tracking bracelet will alert authorities quickly.

Once alerted, authorities can locate a parolee within a short amount of time. Some believe that these attempted removals are an easy way for criminals to return to jail – a cry for help, of sorts. In Baca’s case, removing his GPS bracelet landed him right back where he has always been, inside of secure prison walls.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

You’d Better Watch Out – For GPS Tracking Bracelets!

October 6th, 2010

You’d better watch out, you’d better not cry—but it’s not because Santa Claus is coming to town. GPS tracking has been used to track everything from packages to pets or even people, and police officers now have a specialized use for this technology: tracking parolees. Specialized GPS tracking anklets can help parole officers monitor behavior, check attendance at rehabilitation classes, and enforce house arrest.

Washington D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services has recently started using GPS tracking as an alternative to juvenile detention and other forms of monitoring. The DYRS implemented the program after recent increasing problems with juvenile offenders in their area. GPS tracking devices communicate with a satellite for pinpoint accuracy of the device’s global position. The device can transmit a live signal, tracking location, or alerting a monitor if the device crosses certain property boundaries.

Why GPS Is Good for Young Offenders

Juvenile detention centers often cause more harm than good for young offenders. Other inmates provide bad influences, and the environment accustoms young people to prison life. Further, branding a young person as a “juvenile delinquent” might not be the best way to facilitate or motivate a change in lifestyle. GPS tracking devices, on the other hand, allow students to be placed in residential rehabilitation programs while still providing accountability with law enforcement.

Monitoring using tracking devices is also less expensive than other monitoring systems the DYRS has used in the past, including third party monitoring. Third party monitoring proved to be expensive and ineffective. It was also time consuming: two to three checkups were required per day. Unlike third party monitoring, the DYRS’s sophisticated system tracks the young person’s movement throughout the day and allows caseworkers to monitor class and rehabilitation program attendance.

Students are allowed to remain at home with their families; any variation from the schedule or attempt to remove the device triggers the tracking device to send an email to the caseworker for follow-up. Young people go through rehabilitation programs at home with the support of their families and the stigma of being a “juvenile delinquent” is in part diminished. At the same time, the young person is aware that he or she is being monitored, and the accountability of someone always knowing where they are is an incredible deterrent from crime. Although not a perfect solution to juvenile crime, GPS tracking affords an alternative to juvenile detention centers and is more effective than other forms of monitoring.

Article Written By Greg Bartlett