In drug cases, hidden compartment laws give prosecutors one more charge to pile onto the same offense-beyond traditional counts like possession and intent to distribute. George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley calls the incident "part of the expanding criminalization of America where virtually any act can be charged as a crime by police."
Gurley's arrest struck more than a few people as an abuse of power. Similar bills have been filed in Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in recent years. Legislators in Iowa, Maryland, and New Jersey may add them this session. California, Georgia, Illinois, and Oregon have similar prohibitions on the books. Lawmakers in Ohio are not alone in enacting or envisioning bans on unauthorized empty space. Gurley became the first person arrested under a new Ohio statute that makes it a crime to "knowingly operate … a vehicle with a hidden compartment … used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment … of a controlled substance." Detecting an "overwhelming smell of raw marijuana," officers spent hours searching the vehicle and found no contraband.īut they did discover an empty secret compartment.įor that, police hauled Gurley, who has no criminal record, off to jail. There is also a variety of hidden magnetic locks that you could purchase online and in hardware stores.Ībove is the magnetic lock system used in the instructable as well as an alternative setup as described above.Last fall, Ohio state troopers pulled 30-year-old Norman Gurley over for speeding. It would open by pushing the magnet down with the opposite side of another magnet. Other locking systems could include having the rod go up into the table surface instead of the sides. Test that the rod goes through and using the strong adhesive, stick the tube so that the open side is flat against the side wood. Now add the spring and rod to the magnet (I used their magnetic properties to keep them together without adhesive). Then mark where the metal rod will go through the side wood and drill a hole big enough for it to slide past but small enough to prevent it from jiggling. Place a cap to prevent the magnet from exiting the back end of the tube. Firstly, cut the tube so that the magnet has enough room to slide back and forth while preventing the rod from exiting the side wood. I also added a spring to make it automatically lock. Additionally, you could also position the lock so that the rod goes into the side drawers as well allowing you to effectively have a lock for two compartments on the table. The magnet will have a rod attached that protrudes out past the drawer which will effectively go into the side of the table. For my system, you will have a horizontal tube that holds the magnet. I decided to use a magnetic system because it doesn't require an evident opening or key hole. There are a variety of locking systems that you could use. Take the dimensions of the railings as well when planning. The top wood of my table surface was also much thicker and stronger than the sides. This also allowed me to place the locking mechanism facing the side wood. This is because I will not be storing heavy items. Where do you want your railings or sliding mechanism? Usually they are placed on the sides but I decided to attach them to the top.
Where do you want the locking system so that it doesn't interfere with the functionality of the drawer? Keep it away from magnetic materials that could effect its motion or devices that could get damaged. You could either paint it, plaster it or use matching wood. Think of ways to match the secret drawer with the rest of the table. Decide what you want to carry in the drawer and calculate how much it would weigh to determine what materials and dimensions to use. Take note that a person must still be able to comfortably sit without the drawer interfering with leg space. These are some of the points you may need to consider for this project: - For my table I had to make sure that I didn't drill into the other side drawers which could prevent them from opening. Draw out a plan to provide you with all the specifications. For this particular project you need to be fully aware of the dimension, sizes and restrictions that could effect the outcome. Before you start with a task, you should always have a solid plan and understanding of the project.
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