By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that police officers usually need a warrant before they can search the cellphone of an arrested suspect, a major decision in favor of privacy rights at a time of increasing concern over government encroachment in digital communications. In an opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court said there are some emergency situations in which a warrantless search would be permitted. We cannot deny that our decision today will have an impact on the ability of law enforcement to combat crime, Roberts wrote, adding that the right to privacy comes at a cost. Roberts acknowledged the unique nature of cellphones in contemporary life, noting that the proverbial visitor from Mars might conclude they were an important feature of human anatomy. The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the (countrys) Founders fought.
