Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 13:52:48 -0500
From: Shari Steele <ssteele@EFF.ORG>
Subject: File 5--New case for EFF, ACLU, and CPSR

On the evening of November 6, 1992, approximately 30 computer
enthusiasts, who had gathered for a meeting of 2600 magazine
readers
at the food court at Pentagon City Mall in Arlington, VA, were
detained and searched and had some of their possessions seized by
about half a dozen mall security guards acting under the direction
of
the Secret Service.  Somewhere between two and five officers from
the
Arlington County Police were there, as well, having responded to a
call about fraud.

Several of the attendees are interested in suing the mall, police
and
Secret Service, and EFF and CPSR have done some preliminary
research
into the case to determine what, if any, civil liberties violations
were involved.  After interviewing about a dozen people who were
there, we have determined that the Secret Service does seem to have
been involved (a county police officer on the scene confirmed
that),
and we are ready to proceed with the case.

We contacted the Virginia ACLU, which has found a litigator in
Northern Virginia who wants to litigate the case.  EFF, the ACLU
and
CPSR are currently doing research on the legal theories we will
need
to pursue.  EFF is very committed to standing up for the civil
liberties of those who attended this open, publicized and
nondisruptive meeting.

Shari Steele, Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation

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