The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday on a case addressing whether law enforcement should be require to obtain a warrant before accessing cell tower data, which can include location information relevant to criminal investigations.
The case in question is an appeal brought by a man named Timothy Carpenter who is serving a lengthy sentence for multiple armed robberies. Prosecutors obtained Carpenter's conviction in part by using cell tower data to place his smartphone near Radio Shack and T-Mobile stores at the time of the robberies. The records were reviewed without a warrant and covered 127 days of Carpenter's movements, including activities unrelated to the crimes.
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