Slashdot Mirror
Photographing Police: Deletion Is Not Forever
Geoffrey.landis writes "The courts have now ruled that the public has the right to videotape the police in the performance of their duties. Of course, that doesn't stop the police from harassing people who do so — even journalists, who sometimes have their cameras confiscated. As it turns out, though, they're not always very knowledgeable about how deletion works. I would say that erasing, or attempting to erase, a video of police arresting somebody illegally (How can a journalist be charged with 'resisting arrest' when he was not being arrested for anything other than resisting arrest?) is a clear case of destruction of evidence by the officers. Destroying evidence is obstruction of justice. That's illegal. Why haven't these police officers been arrested?"
And if you actually research it further, you'll find that the only charges he is actually facing is "Resisting arrest". He wasn't cited for failure to disperse.
Funnily enough, he was actually asking the police if he could go to his car when one of the commanders started shouting "Arrestee! Arrestee!" and had him arrested. So apparently asking police to allow you to leave an area they have ordered you to leave is "disobeying a lawful order to disperse"... Much like being tackled from behind is "Assaulting a police officer" and lying unconscious on the ground due to a diabetic coma while cops kick you is "Resisting arrest."
Maxim: People cannot follow directions.
Increases in truth directly with the length of time spent explaining them
I had a similar experience. The Chief of Police comes in to our computer shop in a panic. Their file server was down. I said I will follow you to the station, but he said he got a faster way - get in my car. I got my stuff since it sounded like a power supply issue, I brought a new supply.and into his police cruiser we went at 80+ mph down winding country roads (he did actually use his lights and siren - for a server failure) I must admit it was loads of fun.. I replaced a bum power supply and again he took me back to the shop sirens screaming lights flashing.. It was a toot!