SARASOTA -- A judge rules that Sarasota police illegally searched the phone of former state Republican Party chair Christian Ziegler during a rape investigation.
The 46-page ruling from Judge Hunter Carroll says three search warrants were too broad.
Police ultimately did not bring charges against Ziegler over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman involved with himself and his wife Bridget, who sits on the Sarasota school board. They also dropped a charge of video voyeurism that was brought after police decided not to bring a charge of sexual battery.
Ziegler was forced out of his Republican post earlier this year.
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