photographers beware

You're reading art by corrine bayraktaroglu originally posted on Jafabrit's Art. 
Thank you for dropping by.

No, NOT of Phineas, my studio dog,
but what happens when you photograph
this

Image source: Anthony Graber's Video Still
 The young man, a staff sergeant in the Maryland Air National Guard, who videotaped am unidenfied police officer with his gun drawn is facing 16 years in prison.

Links

Ignorance of the Law Is No Excuse, Unless You're in Law Enforcement


From The Washington Post:Freedom of photography: Police, security often clamp down despite public right

I think I will stick to taking pics of Phineas Phallis in the Studio.

Comments

Undaunted said…
Who wouldn't video a man waving a gun around? How would anyone know he was a police officer? Sounds to me like they're reacting badly to the truth getting out - a plain clothed officer in an unmarked car, pulling a gun on an unarmed member of the public, for... speeding?

16 years is a bit harsh for invasion of privacy though. You wouldn't get that for stalking! Or a lot of other far worse crimes...

(Scott just told me to be careful what I type because he doesn't want us to be raided! lol)
Mark Gisleson said…
Thanks for promoting this. I'm still in shock to learn that some states let cops in their civvies operate unmarked cars. This guy is showing no ID and I can't think of any reason why the motorcyclist should have yielded to his authority without a badge being shown.
deb said…
wow this country is SO insane sometimes, thanks for the post, sharing it with everyone..
MafiosaGrrl said…
Yeah, isn't that whole thing just crazy.

They say, "oh! well, the cop put his gun away as soon as soon as the detainee complied." Uh, hello- this guy didn't even identify himself as an officer. More like he put his gun away when he realized he was being filmed in an "oh, shit" effort to cover his ass.

Granted they had been chasing him for a while, but really, a guy a motorcycle isn't much of a threat, where is he going to hide a weapon!? Besides if he was filming his own hi jinx when the incident occured.

In Sonoma County, CA the cops are really trigger happy here. I could go on an on about the ridiculous shootings we've had here. A 13 year old boy who had been fighting with his brother in the back of a minivan, a mentally unstable woman attempting to cut herself with a dismantled disposable razor.... ridiculous use of force. most recently a man who was surrendering with his hands in the air after a highspeed pursuit when he was shot. (They've tried to keep the identity of the cop confidential cause it turns out he's shot three other unarmed people in the last ten years, nice.)
jafabrit said…
Unfortunately it just takes a few bad cops to ruin all the hard work and good will of the police department :(

I would like to know what the protocol is for weapons being drawn like this? My first instinct if I saw this man coming at me would be to RUN. no good him shouting he's a cop. How the heck would I or anybody else know this?

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