Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

Right to know

Do I ,as a parent, have the right to listen to a complaint call phoned into the police about underage drinking at my residence ? I was away and the police said they recieved an anonimise call about kids underage drinking at my house. They came to the house and asked my son( who was 17 years old) to step outside to talk. They then did a breath test on him and proceded to come into my house where they found 6 other boys who had been drinking. The key to this is that I have been told that my neibor (this is where it gets tricky He is a police officer in my town) used his police nextel phone to call his fellow officers and tell them about what was going on. We have been neibors and friends for over 10 years. His son has been cut from every sports team in the High school and my son is a team capt. along with 5 other sports team capt,s who were in my house so i guess he finally had a chance to get even. I really need to know if I can trust him anymore and that is why I need to know if I have the right to listen to the tape. Do I have any rights. by law, to do this at the police station ?? please help me with this thank you.


Asked on 5/26/06, 7:08 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Johns Mark Johns, Esquire

Re: Right to know

911 calls are taped and can be obtained through a subpeona. Recorded calls to the police directly would also be available this way. There may be a probable cause issue for the test and arrests. Your son needs to speak to a lawyer as many times an alternative disposition is available. I offer free consultations.

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Answered on 5/26/06, 9:05 am


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