Will Grigg's Liberty Minute

November 2, 2003

On October 26, a Pennsylvania court sentenced convicted murderer Leslie Mollett to life in prison. Mollett's victim, Joseph R. Pokorny, was a Corporal in the State Highway Patrol killed during a December 2005 traffic stop.

The Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol chose a curious way to celebrate Mollett's conviction: They set up the largest highway checkpoint in the history of the region. Of the 6,242 drivers detained and scrutinized at the checkpoint, a total of 22 were arrested on alcohol or drug-related charges. Thirty-seven citations were written, and thirty-seven warnings were issued.

This means that 6,146 drivers were detained and searched for no reason whatsoever. Since a highway checkpoint is a patently unconstitutional exercise in conducting searches without warrants or probable cause, none of the drivers should have been detained in the first place.

Getting drunk drivers off the roads is worthwhile. But public safety would be even better served by forcing police agencies to take a refresher course in the Bill of Rights.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.