Legal Battle Over Evidence Suppression in Former University of Michigan Coach's Computer Hacking Case
A request has been made to suppress evidence collected during raids on the home and offices of former University of Michigan co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss. The raids, conducted in January 2023, resulted in the seizure of 17 devices from various locations associated with Weiss, including meeting rooms at the campus Administrative Services Building and Schembechler Hall. FBI agents subsequently obtained court authorization to search the seized devices, as detailed in a federal court filing. Weiss is facing a computer hacking criminal case alleging unauthorized access to personal accounts of college athletes from 2015-2023, involving the theft of intimate photographs and videos.
Weiss's lawyer, David Benowitz, argued that the evidence should be suppressed due to the search warrants allowing unlimited searches, including a full forensics examination of various digital content. Benowitz contended that the warrants were unconstitutional and lacked specificity, making them unlawful. The FBI declined to comment on the matter. Weiss is facing 24 criminal charges, including unauthorized access to computers and aggravated identity theft, with potential penalties of up to five years for each computer charge and two years for each identity theft charge.
University police conducted searches on January 11, 2023, seizing devices from Weiss's home and offices. Subsequently, federal agents obtained a new warrant to search the computers again, based on the information gathered during the initial searches. Benowitz argued that the federal warrants were influenced by the illegal state warrants, making the evidence inadmissible. The defense previously requested part of the computer hacking case to be dismissed, citing an untested legal theory pursued by the government.
Federal prosecutors are contesting the request to suppress evidence, asserting that charging Weiss with aggravated identity theft is justified given the nature of the alleged crimes. They argue that Weiss's actions involved stealing identities to access private digital content, justifying the charges. Weiss, who was fired from his coaching position two years ago, was hired by Jim Harbaugh in 2021 to coach Michigan's quarterbacks before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator.