photographers beware
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
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)
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.)
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?