Proposed Montana Law Might Aid Domestic Violence Victims

I work with digital electronic recording and editing equipment every day, so I understand what the ramifications for its use are.

For example, let's say you come in and record the statement, "I will blow up to one-thousand dollars in silly Christmas gifts, some purchased at the mall. I plan to save more next year to get even with my my expenses." Totally harmless, right?  I could effortlessly edit that to make you say, "I plan to blow up the mall to get even." And voila, you've made a violent threat to do serious damage in an attempt to exact your misguided revenge. And these days a person does not need the high tech gadgets and gizmos I have at my fingertips to make that happen.

Maybe a bit of a stretch, but Montana lawmakers are looking past those capabilities in an effort to aid victims, not only of domestic violence, but other criminal offenses. And hopefully modern technology should be their friend moving forward.

AP tells us that Montana lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow victims of domestic violence and other criminal offenses to secretly record phone calls or or interactions with perpetrators and use the recordings as evidence in court. Under Montana law, it is illegal to record a conversation without the knowledge off parties involved. The bill would create an exception to the privacy law and would allow such recordings to be used in court.

The bill was presented the House Judiciary Committee last week  by Montana Democrat Representative Mary Ann Dunwell of Helena. It should be interesting to see how it progresses.