PARCHMENT, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A man who was convicted of drug charges in 2018 has lost an appeal with the court, Wood TV 8 reported Monday.
Raheim Trice of Parchment was originally arrested on charges of meth possession, among other similar drug charges.
Police had used a camera hidden inside a smoke alarm in the hallway outside his apartment to record him when he was entering and exiting. Trice had appealed to the court, saying that the use of the camera was a violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.
In a 3-0 vote, the court upheld the use of the secret camera, writing that “the hallway was effectively a common area, open to all, in which Trice had taken no steps to maintain his privacy. He therefore did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the unlocked common hallway.”
Under his plea agreement, Trice was able to appeal the decision. He was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his charges.
The decision can be read in full at this link.