Woman arrested for videotaping police...

[Seth]

Fuckin' cops... you have a fuckin' dashboard camera filming people without their consent, but you want to claim that it's illegal for a citizen to have the same thing? Fuck the hell off!

Indeed. Someone should go to a judge and demand that criminal charges be filed against the police.

[Coito ergo sum]

Fuckin' cops... you have a fuckin' dashboard camera filming people without their consent, but you want to claim that it's illegal for a citizen to have the same thing? Fuck the hell off!

Indeed. Someone should go to a judge and demand that criminal charges be filed against the police.

The judge would properly instruct the citizen to go to the police department and file a report, or to notify internal affairs. They'll, of course, promptly do nothing. Well, nothing except laugh their asses off after the citizen leaves and make note of the guy's address and license plate for "future reference..."

[Seth]

Fuckin' cops... you have a fuckin' dashboard camera filming people without their consent, but you want to claim that it's illegal for a citizen to have the same thing? Fuck the hell off!

Indeed. Someone should go to a judge and demand that criminal charges be filed against the police.

The judge would properly instruct the citizen to go to the police department and file a report, or to notify internal affairs. They'll, of course, promptly do nothing. Well, nothing except laugh their asses off after the citizen leaves and make note of the guy's address and license plate for "future reference..."

In many jurisdictions, citizens can bypass the District Attorney and go directly to a judge and demand that charges be laid against someone. This is a check and balance against corrupt prosecutors who refuse to indict criminal cronies.

There's nothing that says that a citizen cannot make such a complaint against the police for violating state wiretapping law. They are NOT IMMUNE from criminal prosecution merely because they are the police. Unless there is an express exemption in the law permitting police to use dashcams and radio mics without a court order, they are violating the law every bit as much as a citizen using a handicam or a cell phone is.

Of course, the fact is that citizens have an express right to videotape and audiotape in public, it's called "the First Amendment."

I merely point out that it is possible to subject the police to the same scrutiny they are subjecting citizens to, and somebody ought to do so, just to make the point.

[Schneibster]

I'm new (haven't even set my avatar yet) but this topic attracted my attention while I was lurking. I did some research. Apparently this is quite the kerfuffle; it's getting national attention.

Several new occurrences have greatly increased the comedy:
1. A bunch of her friends decided to hold a protest.
2. The cops showed up and chickenshitly ticketed all their cars.
3. All charges have been dropped, and all the tickets summarily dismissed.
4. She's suing for violation of her civil rights, though she hasn't precisely decided who and for how much and in what venue.

It's also worth noting that she was arrested for making a po-lice nervous by videotaping him in her sleepware with bare feet. Just sayin'.

Oh, and BTW, I intend on making this article available at my next city council meeting. The subject addressed will be the cost of our liability insurance.

ETA: Duh, I forgot the link.