Kenyen Brown, U.S. Attorney for the
Southern District of Alabama, announces that his office will not seek
prosecution in the matter relating to audio and video intercepts made at the
Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette, Alabama, as well as other Baldwin
County governmental facilities.
Title 18, United States Code, § 2511,
more commonly known as the illegal wiretap statute, is the primary law
implicated in this matter. The Mobile Field Office of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) conducted a thorough investigation as soon as it became
aware of possible illegal audio and video intercepts. The FBI obtained audio,
video, and log data from Baldwin County’s computer surveillance system. This
information was examined to identify how the surveillance system was being utilizedand
involved the review of video footage, audio recordings, and user log
transactions. The FBI also reviewed the log files to determine who accessed the
system, when they accessed it, which cameras they used, and how long individual
users were on the surveillance system. Numerous witnesses were also
interviewed.
The investigation revealed funding for
the surveillance system was sought and obtained in an open and transparent
fashion, without any nefarious intent to illegally gather audio intercepts. The
surveillance system appears to have been installed in the summer of 2011 in
order to generally enhance courthouse security and the protection of courthouse
personnel. The audio component of the surveillance system was voluntarily
discontinued in October 2011.
Posts
