Patriot Act

St. Joseph (Mo.) News-Press

St. Joseph Public Library director Mary Beth Revels has never seen the Patriot Act used here. Still, she is opposed to renewing a law that breaks down the wall of privacy once enjoyed by library patrons across the nation.

Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Espey sees the Patriot Act from a different perspective. He was one of the key officers involved in solving the slaying of Bobbie Jo Stinnett and recovering baby Victoria Jo.

The sheriff credits the quick arrest of the alleged killer and kidnapper Lisa Montgomery and the recovery of the baby to obtaining the information from the Internet service provider as quickly as possible, which could have meant the baby's life.

"We were working in the middle of the night, so you'd have to get a prosecutor and judge to get that done," he said. "But you can't have delays when working homicides. When you have a situation like that, it could be a life-or-death factor to save this child."

The librarian is worried about Section 215 of the Patriot Act, a section that allows federal investigators to obtain information from libraries about someone's reading history and computer usage -- without a warrant -- if deemed in the interest of a federal terrorist investigation. ...

Espey is an advocate of Sections 212 and 220 of the Patriot Act. The first gives investigators the right to gather customer information from any communication service provider if deemed a situation involving the threat of serious injury or death.

The second section allows for federal investigators to obtain electronic evidence from anywhere in the country with a search warrant from a federal judge.

... The librarian warns of danger that has never actually surfaced in the first years of the act. The sheriff can point to tangible proof that the Patriot Act does work.