Young Man Handcuffed, Detained by Police for Taking a Picture of Them

Ugh...

When is it gonna end? When are the police going to stop thinking that they are above the law, just because they are tasked with enforcing the law?

www.nbc10.com...

He opened up the gate and Neffy was coming down and he went up to Neffy, pulled him down, had Neffy on the car and was telling him, 'You should have just went in the house and minded your own business instead of trying to take pictures off your picture phone,'" said Gerrell Martin.

Cruz said police told him that he broke a new law that prohibits people from taking pictures of police with cell phones.

"They threatened to charge me with conspiracy, impeding an investigation, obstruction of a investigation. … They said, 'You were impeding this investigation.' (I asked,) "By doing what?' (The officer said,) 'By taking a picture of the police officers with a camera phone,'" Cruz said.

So, this is fun, eh?

How'd you like to be that kid?

If it was me, I'd probably still be in jail, in Hannibal Lecter restraints, with a heroic dose of tranquilizer coursing through my arterial canals.

This sort of stuff is unbelievable. You expect this sort of thing in, like, Brazil and Thailand, and other places with notoriously corrupt police forces.

But we're supposed to be better than that here, right?

Isn't that the party line? America is better, so do what we say?

Even if we can't fix the problems, can we at least stop with all the hypocrisy? Is it so bad to be flawed like everyone else? At least if we admit it, we're on the path to recovery...

Sheesh...

Anyone taking any kind of photograph is a potential terrorist or a criminal these days.

technically anyone doing anything is a potential terrorist according to out governments

My moment of clarity, regarding the intentions of this government, came when the FBI released guidelines for spotting terrorists in NY.

They said to be on the look-out for artists, tourists, homeless people, and students. I look around...



Seriously..just about everyone I know/knew in NY was one or more of those. I've been all four at one time or another, on a few occasions I've been three out of four all at once! I guess I'm super duper terrorist #1!

The farce can only go on for so long, before it collapses under its own weight. That's what allows me to sleep at night, the fact that nothing so broken can stand for long.

"There is no law that prevents people from taking pictures of what anybody can see on the street," said Larry Frankel of the American Civil Liberties Union. "I think it's rather scary that in this country you could actually be taken down to police headquarters for taking a picture on your cell phone of activities that are clearly visible on the street."

That makes a very good point. Even if you could say that some of the officers invovled were undercover officers involved in the drug bust, which would give some rationale for not wanting pictures taken, its difficult to argue against it when they're standing right there in public.

I mean, whats in public is public, not private, that goes for the people and clearly should go for the police too.

Even if there was some safety reason for not having the photos taken, that doesn't seem to excuse throwing a person around and cuffing them, at best they can confiscate the phone to erase the material and then return it.

Police also denied that they told Cruze he was breaking the law with his cell phone.

Thats extremely suspicious. What did they hold him for then? Where is this law on the books anyway, or did the cop that tossed him around just make it up to harrass him for taking a photo?? ANd why would any law forbid cell phone pics, but not digital pics or film pics???

[edit on 27-7-2006 by Nygdan]

I dont know how it works in USA but in Finland you're allowed to photo police etc. if the pictures dont insult them or put them in direct danger. Also taking a picture and publishing are two totally different things here.
I'm a photographer and read many related forums and what I've seen since 9/11 is that rent-a-cop's and sometimes even police are treating us like criminals. I really hate to say this, but it seems like you guys have it like it was back in the Soviet Union

Sorry but I have to laugh when I see this kind of bull.

Not at you guys.. at the ones who refuse to believe there is even a POSSIBILITY of a coverup on events like 911.

''WHY??..Why would our own government do something like that''???
Easy answer.. so they can put in new laws to control''terrorism'' with stupid outcomes and abuses like this

Notice they released him because "it,s lucky there,s no supervisor on duty'' and ''you look like a good kid"..

It,s a shame the arresting officer did,t think he ''looked ok''when he falsely arrested him on a brand new(read made up) law.

Or maybe he just photographed them sitting on their lazy butts eating doughnuts!!

[edit on 29-7-2006 by AGENT_T]

If cops are undercover and they are out in public helping with a raid, they usually wear a facemask to keep their face unknown to the public. But, that does not in any way warrant them takin that kid in for snappin a pic with his cell phone. The pd is rapidly becoming a radical arm of the jacked up gubmint now in power. its gettin worse by the day around here folks.

Nice find WyrdeOne

all the police are nothing but legal shakedown artists....the shake is on ...every penny you got!!!!

Incredible- give them a badge and they're off and running- Intimidation must give them a real high. Euphoric experiences. Not to mention they keep half of all the drugs they find. Some for me, some as evidence.

So I guess I'm the next to be arrested, eh? I always carry a video camera, for the specific purpose of getting video of any suspicious police activity I see.