Computer seized in search warrant

[peterp]

I was monitored accessing a gmail account and downloading a address book with emails in it. I had a search warrant served yesterday and my desktop taken. The address book is on the drive which is what the detectives continued to ask about if i sent it to anyone printed it etc which i told them i did not. Is that the only information that will be relevant to this case or would they be able to look at everything on the computer and try and use it against me.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

What is in the search warrant? According to the rules of evidence from my knowledge, the police should only be able to search areas that are reasonably likely to provide information to make their case. They should not be able to go over the entire computer for the sake of going on a "wild goose chase." If you can, you may want to make a motion to limit the scope of information which the police/DA can analyze.

Best of luck to you.

 

[peterp]

The warrant was very broad and included just about all eletronic devices, anything and everything that could store data memory cards sim chip etc. It listed servers cd roms everything from a-z, it wasn't specific as to what they were looking for only that all those listed above may have been used in a crime. They had log files and I told them what happened and where the information was on the drive. The detective told me he would call the following week to let me know when to come in to surrender my self he called me back to get basic information my height weight etc and said he wasn't sure about bail, but then called the following morning and said bail was set at $100 $50 per charge which are NY PL 156.05 and 156.20 he gave me a choice of precincts to surrender at we setup a time/date i went early and he told me i'd be out in an hour he finished his paperwork processed me and went and got the bail money and i was out in just under an hour. I asked him since i haven't been arrested before no record and him having similar cases in the past what he would suggest he said to find the cheapest lawyer to try and get the charges dropped to a violation, and that the lawyer would know who to contact in the DA's office etc to handle that. I was given a desk appearance ticket and have court Feb 18th. There's a lot of information on the computer that i need i was reading i can get copies of the data back but probably not the computer. Will I need a lawyer on Feb 18th and how much does something like this usually cost to have a lawyer handle the case? Basically i'd like to not go to jail for this and get my data back so if any lawyers could give me some more advice on that i'd appreciate it. I've already started getting letters from defense attorneys offering their services.