New Jersey Court rules suspects can be compelled to hand over phone passcodes

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled a defendant can be forced to give up their iPhone's passcode, a decision that goes against arguments that such actions violate the Fifth Amendment.

The court agreed with prosecutors when asked about locked smartphones and whether they have to be given up to law enforcement, as part of an investigation into a former Essex County sheriff's officer and their dealings with a Bloods street gang. The court decided to rule in favor, but narrowly, with the decision being 4-3 for the motion.The decision, as reported by NorthJersey.com, rejects the argument that providing access to a smartphone's locked data violates the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against self-incrimination.

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