Pubdate: Thu, 19 Oct 2000
Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News (CO)
Copyright: 2000 Denver Publishing Co.
Contact:  400 W. Colfax, Denver, CO 80204
Website: http://www.denver-rmn.com/
Author: Hector Gutierrez, News Staff Writer

TATTERED COVER'S RECORDS AT CENTER OF PRIVACY CASE

A Denver district court judge this week will decide whether drug detectives 
can search bookstore records in what could become a landmark privacy case.

Joyce Meskis, owner of Tattered Cover Book Store, obtained a temporary 
restraining order to keep the North Metro Drug Task Force from searching 
her business records that would say who bought two books about making 
methamphetamine.

District Judge J. Stephen Phillips will decide whether Meskis can make the 
order permanent or whether task force detectives can use store records to 
prove who was illegally making methamphetamine at an Adams County home that 
was frequented by a number of people.

A Drug Enforcement Administration agent subpoenaed the bookstore in March 
for the titles and nature of any books that were shipped to the suspect in 
the case.

Tattered Cover vowed to fight the subpoena and the task force declined to 
pursue it.

In April, members of the North Metro Drug Task Force sought a search 
warrant for the store but were turned down by Adams County Deputy District 
Attorney Fran Wasserman.

They later were able to get one through a Denver court with help from the 
Denver district attorney's office.

Tattered Cover argued that allowing the search would infringe on First 
Amendment rights of its customers regarding what they can read. Fifteen 
literary groups have filed court documents in support of the store's 
efforts to keep the records private.

Investigators found the books inside a bedroom of a suspect believed to be 
involved in making methamphetamine in a laboratory in the house. Two other 
people were inside the home at the time of the search.
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