First Breathalyzers, next DRE's?

[Lou Puls <lpuls@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's a posted link and opinion by security-guru Bruce Schneier:

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      DUI Cases Thrown Out Due to Closed-Source Breathalyzer

According to the article: "Hundreds of cases involving breath-alcohol tests have been thrown out by Seminole County judges in the past five months because the test's manufacturer will not disclose how the machines work."

This is the right decision.  Throughout history, the government has had to make the choice: prosecute, or keep your investigative methods secret.  They couldn't have both.  If they wanted to keep their methods secret, they had to give up on prosecution.

People have the right to confront their accuser.  People have a right to examine the evidence against them, and to context the validity of that evidence.  As more and more evidence is collected by software, this means open-source equipment.

We are all safer because of this decision.  (And its implications are huge.  Think of voting systems, for one.)

http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGBUBJ5QK9E.html
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Now if only DRE's also would have to PROVE their trustworthiness, instead of having presumed innocence - in spite of massive evidence that they carry out Intelligent-Designed Fraud.

Lou