Almost Human is a joy ride in future computer forensics and law enforcement. The Bends offered multiple legal and technical issues:
Talk to the Hand
The show opens with an undercover police officer having a video call on his hand. Just from a computer forensic point of view, how would you forensically get data off the “device”? The current method would involve a smartphone being put in a faraday bag to cut the phone off from sending or receiving data, followed by a physical data collection.
Perhaps the “Palm Cam” is cloud based technology and data could be retrieved from a hosted service. Regardless, it is an interesting thought exercise on how to preserve evidence.
Don’t Eat That
Nothing says friendship like ordering a slug that screams when eaten alive for your partner. While it is not clear if a human could sue an android, this instantly created issues of a hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotion distress.
Bad Cop & Badder Cop
The heroes each torture a suspect in custody to find out where another police officer was taken. While there might have been a public safety exception to not give the suspect his Miranda rights (and that is a big if), Kennex beating the bad guy, followed by Dorian sticking his thumb in a bullet wound fully violate the suspect’s rights. Moreover, any statements would have been coerced and inadmissible in court.
Were They Purposefully Playing Rock Em Sock Em Robots?
Dorian and an evil android have a serious slug fest that ended with the suspect robot’s head being ripped off. This just screamed Rock Em Sock Em Robots. If that was the goal, job well done.
How to Seriously Violate the Constitution
John Kennex summarily executed the corrupt police captain running a major drug ring. So much for a trial by jury.
There are numerous issues with the hero murdering the bad guy, from denial of due process to the simple fact it’s murder. There was simply no self-defense issue. Worse yet, they actually had evidence that placed the corrupt captain at the scene of the crime and a witness to the captain being the drug kingpin. Granted, the cell phone call evidence might be suppressed if it is connected back to the tortured suspect, but it likely is admissible.
Killing the bad guy was an act that seemed totally out of revenge and had nothing to do with the administration of justice.
That being said, I do love the show. Graphic Constitutional violations aside, keep up the good work of humans having technology integrated with their bodies and android police.
