(Editor’s Note:  This story was posted on Orcas Issues with the notation “From the Prosecutor’s Office,” as it appeared in sanjuanislander.com

That designation was in error, we learned after contacting the Prosecutor’s Office and the Speeds. We apologize to the Speeds and to the Prosecutor’s Office for this mis-attribution.

Because the story, as written by sanjuanislander.com Editor Sharon Kvisto, relied on public documents, and because it has garnered responses from the public and the individuals involved, we are leaving the story posted, and advise our readers to read the comments as well.

Thank you for being responsive readers, and for accepting our apologies for this mistake.)

Judge’s decision on May 7

By Sharon Kvisto, Editor sanjuanislander

Google Earth aerial photographs were used to obtain a search warrant after numerous unsuccessful efforts to obtain Errol Speed’s permission to visit his Orcas Island property to follow up on a complaint of a suspected unpermitted single-family residence.

Speed was subsequently charged with three misdemeanors and one gross misdemeanor – providing false statements or misleading statements to a public servant (the county assessor).

[On] Wednesday, March 20,2013 in San Juan County District Court, Judge Andrew [heard] arguments regarding the validity of the search warrant.

In court documents, Speed says the resolution of the images on Google Earth is higher than what could be seen with the naked human eye from an aircraft 1,000 feet above his property. Therefore, details such as the deck, chimney, skylights and porch on what he calls his accessory agricultural building couldn’t be seen and therefore there no grounds for a search warrant.

(To read the full article, go to sanjuanislander.com/search-warrant-for-unpermitted-residence-challenged )

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