What do you think of the Arkansas 24 hour curfew? Constitutional?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080813/ap_on_re_us/arkansas_town_curfew

Is this legal?ethical? I just want peoples opinion on this...

Answer 1

....well.....its complacted issue but I think the police are out of line mabey it why that guy went a shot up the Arkansas demo headquaters....

Answer 2

If applied to all equally; yes.  

Answer 3

There's nothing in the US Constitution saying they can't do that.

There might be something in a state Constitution that prohibits it (I don't believe there is such a provision in Arkansas' Constitution), or even an act of the state legislature denying municipalities the power to implement curfews.

This kind of thing is generally valid as long as the punishments aren't unreasonable, and they stand until enough parents get together and protest it, or a church gets inconvenienced by not being able to hold an overnight bingo festival.  

Answer 4

Absolutely unconstitutional, and any first year law student could win this argument.

Freedom of assembly is guaranteed by the constitution. Furthermore, it is discriminatory as well, as it encompasses only a minority area, not the entire town.

Any arrests made will ultimately be tossed, as the defense can have the evidence suppressed due to the illegality of the police action.

Answer 5

That will be decided in a court of law.  Knowing the history of the area, I feel that the action that was taken is justified.

Answer 6

I smell abuse of power. I mean, people have to go to work, kids have to go to school, if an emergency happens people have to get to their loved ones, people have to go shopping, people have to move on with their lives! A curfew like that makes people prisoners in their own homes!

Answer 7

Pretty much as the guy above said violates the 1st and 4th amendments.

It doesn't matter what this mayor says or what few people in yahoo answer might think. They simply cannot do it. It is in direct violation of the Constitution.

"Even though these contracts, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, even though they're just pieces of paper with signatures on them. There the only contracts we have that are definitely not subject to renegotiation. ... Not by anyone ever. ... To many people have paid for this contract in blood." J Carrey Majestic

Answer 8

no its unfair. the government shouldnt have the power to impose such a curfew upon citizens.  it is like a dictatorship. this is our country we can do what we want blah