United States v. Paciano Lizarraga-Tirado

OPINION

KOZINSKI, Circuit Judge:

Plotting coordinates on a map used to require a sextant, a compass and quite a bit of- skill. Today, anyone can do it with a few clicks of the mouse. This appeal raises a question born of that newfound technological prowess: Are a Google Earth satellite image and a digital “tack” labeled with GPS coordinates hearsay?

I

On January 17, 2003, defendant was arrested near the United States-Mexico border. He was charged with illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 as a previously removed alien who “entered and was found in the United States.” At trial, defendant disputed…