SUPREME COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON POLICE SEARCHES by LIZ WHITE, MARK MULLEN
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ABC NEWSSHOW: ABC WORLD NEWS THIS MORNING (6:30 am ET) MARCH 25, 1997

MARK MULLEN: In Washington, the issues before the Supreme
Court were drugs, police and unannounced house calls. The
justices now are contemplating a revision to an earlier
ruling. A drug raid in 1991 in Wisconsin lead to
yesterday's arguments before the court. ABC's Liz White
has details. LIZ WHITE, ABC News: (voiceover) No one
questioned that Stiney Richards (ph) was dealing drugs. He
pleaded guilty after police in Madison, Wisconsin, found
cocaine worth an estimated $15,000 in his hotel room. The
police knocked on the door but did wait for an answer
before breaking in. That may have exceeded the powers of
their search warrant. 1ST POLICE OFFICER DURING RAID:
Police. LIZ WHITE: The Supreme Court ruled two years ago
that unless there are exceptional circumstances, police do
not have carte blanche to break into someone's home. The
Wisconsin attorney general asked the Supreme Court to
backtrack on that ideal, arguing that drugs are so
inherently dangerous, police should never be required to
announce themselves before executing a search warrant. 2nd
POLICE OFFICER DURING RAID: Freeze. Freeze. JAMES DOYLE,
Wisconsin Attorney General: Police should be able to
presume that there is a danger to them by knocking and
announcing, both to themselves physically and the
possibility that evidence will be destroyed. LIZ WHITE:
Justice O'Connor warned that it might be safer for all
parties for the police to wait for someone to answer the
door. Justice Scalia said police already have the right to
break in without noticed if they can provide a good reason.
And in drug cases, he said most of the time there is good
reason. 3rd POLICE OFFICER DURING RAID: Search warrant.
4th POLICE OFFICER DURING RAID: Go. Go. Go. LIZ WHITE:
The principle of the sanctity of one's home is being tested
in this case as the high court balances the war on drugs
with one's right to privacy. The court is expected to
rule by July. Liz White, ABC News. MARK MULLEN: Two
federal agencies are teaming up to crack down on slum lords
who misuse federal funds. The Housing and Justice
Departments say they will take action that could include
criminal charges against landlords who take federal money
but let their properties run down. JANET RENO, U.S.
Attorney General: Landlords who receive federal funding
must realize that if they do not play by the rules, they
will lose out in the end. Both the Justice Department and
the Department of Housing and Urban Development share a
common goal how can we use the resources of the federal
government to give to residents of communities the
opportunity to be selfsufficient? MARK MULLEN: By the
way, the crackdown will involve a $50 million enforcement
effort in 50 cities. Medical news now. A new study
suggests the benefits of estrogen therapy for older breast
cancer survivors outweigh the risks. Researchers at the
University of California at Irvine say they found in 145
patients no increase in the evidence of cancer reoccurring.
Previous studies have linked prolonged estrogen treatment
to an increased risk of cancer. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright plans to make women's issues a high
priority in U.S. foreign policy. "The Washington Post"
reports Albright says promoting women's rights around the
world is a moral imperative. Let's take a moment and get
you caught up on your weather. (Weather) (Commercial
Break)