AfterDawn: News

Gawker will cooperate with authorities over lost iPhone 4

Gawker, the parent company behind tech site Gizmodo, has said this weekend that they have reached an agreement with authorities in California where they will give all material relevant to the investigation, in exchange for receiving back items seized from editor Jason Chen's home.

In April, Gizmodo leaked a prototype iPhone 4 model to the world, and within the month, California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team had seized Chen's computers, working on a warrant from the Superior Court of San Mateo.



The iPhone 4 model was dropped in a bar by Apple developer Gray Powell, and eventually purchased by Gizmodo for $5000 USD.

On request from Apple, the district attorney's office had opened an investigation into whether Gawker had done anything illegal in the matter.

The warrant has been withdrawn now, with Chen's belongings returned to him.

"Mr. Chen and Gizmodo have agreed to cooperate with our investigation," adds Chris Feasel, deputy district attorney for San Mateo County.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 19 Jul 2010 1:22

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• 13 comments

• llongtheD

  Must be nice for large corporations to have "public" police forces on their side. I've heard of SWAT teams, and gang units, but never a "rapid enforcement allied computer team." Was this team assembled just after Apple placed a call wanting their phone back? Is this just another way to get around someones rights? Sounds pretty official though, and this team can obviously get warrants at the drop of a hat. Corporate secrets must be more important than the Constitution.
  Forget about other branches of law enforcement, you definitely don't want California's rapid enforcement allied computer team on your a$$.
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  19.7.2010 01:46 #1

• SoulGLOW

  WTF!? I repeat WTF!? What could they have done that was illegal?! Last time I checked a warrant was issued if there was probable cause to investigate cuz something illegal was done. Not "Lets investigate to "see" if they've done something illegal".

  19.7.2010 02:25 #2

• Zealousi

  Apple is enjoying eating fudge atm, so here proves that apple can get away with anything as long as they don't take over the market they can have their multi billion share and unlimited resources because they give a free iPhone to anyone important as a bribe haha. Everyone wants a Eyephone
  

  19.7.2010 03:08 #3

• beanos66

  so let me get this straight...
  
  the D.A lies to a judge to get an illegal search warrant, when they are seen to have done wrong they withdraw the warrant (meaning they have to return all materials seized) but the DA says you can have your stuff back if you give us what we want ? AND GIZMODO SAYS SURE ???

  19.7.2010 04:18 #4

• scorpNZ

  Don't know about the states tho last time i checked any lost property is not automatically the property of the finder & should be handed in to local police authority yes? so not handing it in becomes theft,no if's or buts about it unless the constitution allows finders keepers
  

  19.7.2010 04:33 #5

• lxfactor

  Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team aka REACT..
  they sure did react to a missing iphone.. wish they would react the same way with missing children. i guess they have their priorities in other places.

  19.7.2010 04:39 #6

• xenomorphic

  sure happy that i never own anything apple and never will
  

  I'm not sure she can deliver that over the net, unless it involves the use of your vacumn cleaner and her making slurpy noises

  19.7.2010 06:10 #7

• Hyasuma

  unbelievable....F***ing retarded... there is so many more severe crimes, drug dealers, rapist, child molesters, terrorist...and they are making a big huge deal of an fu***ng iphone 4 that is been out for the last month? are you kidding me? get your priority straight will ya? these ppl are nothing but sitting around and doing nothing, sitting on their ass so they can get paid and fat with donuts. Lives are out there waiting to be saves and they think that a damn iphone is more important. two words, F U
  
  whatever happens to Finders keepers and Losers weepers rule huh?
  

  19.7.2010 09:37 #8

• istariphoenix (unverified)

  It's amazing how badly iPhone 4 sucks. It's also amazing how Apple Fanboys will defend it until the end of time. I will freely note first off that I am not a fanboy by any stretch, however I do have the 3GS, which I love. I did buy the iPhone 4, and it was so terrible that I returned it and went back to my current 3GS. It was just that bad. It's hilarious to me what Apple fanboys are saying in forums and blogs all across the web, defending this thing like it's some sacred gem, pretending all its issues don't even exist. Ridiculous. Check out the video I made on YouTube about "An Apple Fanboy's take on Life...". It's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPcQ-cYg8iA

  19.7.2010 11:14 #9

• dEwMe

  Originally posted by SoulGLOW: WTF!? I repeat WTF!? What could they have done that was illegal?! Last time I checked a warrant was issued if there was probable cause to investigate cuz something illegal was done. Not "Lets investigate to "see" if they've done something illegal". Yeah uh as the phone was obviously lost and finders keepers isn't actual law...the guy obviously knew it wasn't ok to sell or buy it...so he pretty much bought stolen property by US law anyway. Even if the guy didn't say where he got it Gawker knew what it was and shoulda verified how he got it...
  

  Just my $0.02,
  
  dEwMe
  

  19.7.2010 11:53 #10

• aldan

  well it will be a cold day in hell before i ever own anything produced by crapple.

  19.7.2010 17:08 #11

• xnonsuchx

  Love how so many people seem to think they know EVERYTHING w/ absolute certainty (even those who don't even seem to understand)! And some of you also need to loosen your tinfoil hats! ;-)

  22.7.2010 05:55 #12

• xboxdvl2

  My mobile phone was stolen 3 years ago.went in the local police station and filed a report.told them who stole it and who he sold it to.they didnt even go around with a warrent and get it back.Unless your a rich business man the cops dont seem to care.
  

  PS2 with 12 games.
  pc-windows 7,intel core quad Q8400,4 Gb ddr2,WD 500 GB hdd,ATI Radeon HD 4550 graphics,AOC 22inch LCD moniter.

  22.7.2010 23:06 #13