Court: Man Charged With Child Porn Can Withhold His Password From Police

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's highest court has ruled that a man charged with distributing child pornography does not have to tell police his computer password.

The court's 4-3 decision Wednesday reaffirms the right to remain silent and acknowledges the difficulty of building cases when police confront sophisticated encryption services and other technology.

Defendant Joseph Davis was arrested in 2015 on the charges. He has been in the Luzerne County Jail for four years while lawyers litigate the issue before trial.

Justice Debra Todd writes that authorities cannot force people to "unlock the safe" in their minds to potentially incriminating evidence.

The state Attorney General's Office could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the issue. A message seeking comment was left with the office Wednesday.

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