Alarms.(Damon Stoudamire's case, burglar alarms)

Alarms. An Oregon appeals court has ruled that the police search of a citizen's home in response to a false burglar alarm was illegal.

On the evening of February 23, 2002, the burglar alarm went off at Damon Stoudamire's house in Lake Oswego, Oregon. A professional basketball player, he was a few hours away in Portland, playing in a basketball game. His neighbors called the police.

Police officers arrived at the scene. The back door of the house was open about a foot, and neighbors claimed to have seen an unfamiliar car pull out of the driveway 45 minutes earlier. However, there was no evidence of a forced entry. In compliance with department policy when …