US Supreme Court grapples with mobile phone quandary

The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in two cases testing the police's authority to search detainees' mobile phones without warrants, in what could have a major impact on US law enforcement.

The closely watched cases at the top US court are a dramatic example of justice systems adapting to increasingly pervasive new technologies, particularly with smartphones able to contain reams of important personal information, including photos and videos.

The nine justices of the Supreme Court will have to decide how to apply the 18th century US Constitution's Fourth Amendment protection against "unreasonable searches and seizures" to today's highly advanced data troves contained in mobile phones.

The US government argues that phones, like other personal items such as wallets or purses, may be searched during an arrest, but privacy advocates are resisting.

About 12 million people are arrested every year in the US -- many of them for trivial offenses -- while 90 percent of the population owns a cellphone.

"People carry their entire life on cell phone," said Justice Elena Kagan.

"The police can seize the phone and look at the personal data because that person was arrested for driving without a seat belt?"

Justice Samuel Alito expressed the need "to balance the interests of privacy versus the law enforcement," particularly in light of the rapid advance of technology.

The hearing focused on two cases.

The first emerged from the arrest of David Riley, a Californian student pulled over in 2009. His car registration was found to have expired.

Police found loaded guns in his car and, after scouring his smartphone, entries related to a local gang and an earlier shooting.

His sentence of 15 years to life was upheld on appeal.

In the other case, Boston police in 2007 searched the call log of Brima Wurie's flip phone, which led them to an apartment where they found drugs, money and weapons.

An appeals court threw out the evidence found on Wurie's phone, saying it had been obtained unconstitutionally.

Michael Dreeben, representing the government, said mobile phones can potentially "contain a great deal of evidence" and argued that police should have the right to search phones without a warrant to avoid evidence on the phone being destroyed.

Challenging the government's position, Justice Antonin Scalia exclaimed: "It seems absurd to search in a cell phone for an arrest for not wearing a seat belt!"

A decision is expected before the end of June.