Posted on 10/06/2011 9:14:50 AM PDT by rawhide
A former Atlanta woman on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against the Atlanta Police Department, contending an officer illegally seized her camera after she took pictures of officers kicking a man who was handcuffed and laying on the ground.
The suit said Felecia Anderson, 24, who lived in the West End on Oct. 14, 2009, saw members of APD's now-disbanded Red Dog unit raiding her neighbor's house. When she also saw officers kicking and dragging a man, she went home and got her camera, the suit said.
As Anderson filmed the incident as she stood on the sidewalk, officers ordered her to stop recording, threatening to arrest her, the suit said, noting Anderson complied and began walking back to her house.
One of the officers came up behind her and demanded she turn over her camera, and seized it when Anderson dropped it, the lawsuit said. The officer also grabbed Anderson's cell phone out of her hand, the suit said.
The officer, identified in the lawsuit as Jeffrey Branum, then deleted the close-up photos Anderson had taken, and Anderson's neighbors witnessed him doing it, the suit said. Officers then placed Anderson under arrest for having no driver's license, walking in a roadway and disorderly conduct.
Those charges are still pending against Anderson, who now lives in New York.
"Documenting police activity in a public space is not a crime," said Atlanta lawyer Albert Wan, who represents Anderson. "In fact, it's a constitutional right and a well-established one at that."
The suit seeks "nominal and modest" compensatory damages as well as unspecified punitive damages. Anderson's lawyers say they have tried to settle the case with the city of Atlanta, but have had no success in doing so.
Gerry Weber, a lawyer with the Southern Center for Human Rights, who also represents Anderson, called on APD to fully investigate the officers involved in the incident.
Taking photographs in a public place is “meddling?” Maybe public trials by jury is meddling too. Can’t get in the way of the interests of the State. Punish the guilty! Then put them on trial!
Was she, or wasn't she, interferring with a crime scene?
No she was not.
“What they did was outside their official duty, so why should the city of Atlanta be held hostage.”
Atlanta gave the cop the badge and gun. If Atlanta doesn;t want to lose even more they need to supervise their LEOs and ensure they don’t hire thugs.
Arrest her? For what?
Answer: For interferring with a crime scene.
And again, if she were interfering with an arrest, her camera would record that too, now wouldn't it? The camera records not only the actions of the officers, but also the perspective of the camera. This is evidence, either supporting the cops allegations of inteference, or disputing it. Any way you view this, this is evidence.
She was on a PUBLIC area, filming PUBLIC servants performing actions in PUBLIC. This was not a military installation, this ws not a matter of national defence or security. This was the action of recording policemen performing their duty - either inside the sanctioned area of the law; or outside the law.
There is only a single reason why the cops would intimidate her into stopping her actions, would steal her camera and act as they did - and that was if they were behaving like thugs and didn't want any evidence of their actions.
All the charges they brought are BS made up charges, these officers are thugs.
Put yourself in police shoes. This woman very likely earned her "BS" citations from your so-called "thugs."
The purpose of the policeman is to uphold the law; not to intimdate and threaten with 'BS' charges. They are public servants; if they do not like their career choice, they are free to pursue other endeavors.
Again, the camera would either substanciate her claim, or substanciate the police - evidence was taken by threat of force. No one - NO ONE - has that authority, for a thug to behind a badge and exercise that abuse; is going to cost the taxpayer millions.
Personally, I'd like to see the cop charged with Felony assault, armed robbery and see how well his charges stand up in court. Let the jury decide, not a couple of armed thugs. If you want to 'fix' the problem; hold the policemen personally accounable for their actions.
What they do to the least of us; they can do to you and I. If an ex-Marine has a fight with his girlfriend; and decides to beat you bloody while hiding behind his badge - what are your options? You apparently support not allowing civilians to film police, so it's the police report alledging "assault on a law enforcement officer" against your broken and beaten body. Any bets on who is going to spend some time in jail? It won't be the cop.
However, my cell phone record (1080p High Definition, thank you iPhone 4S) would clearly show you the victim of an unprovoked assault - assuming I wasn't beaten and my iPhone destroyed.
Does this sort of event happen? Yes, it most certainly does.
Nah... that broad brush would NEVER be abused.
Here's your sign....
Getting bad? Where have you been?
Meaning that getting a citation for having no driver's license, walking in a roadway and disorderly conduct is getting off easy.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_scene
Since when is walking down a sidewalk without an ID, or walking on a road a crime? You may be happier in Nazi Germany where daring to question the Gestopo was a punishable offense,
This appears to be nothing more than a cowardly thug with a badge who is tried to steal a camera and destroy evidence, and you are defending him.
The camera would show what happened. If she was interfering with a crime scene, then charge her with that. But, mysteriously it appears she is as guilty of interfering with a crime scene as she is of walking down a sidewalk without her papers.
It's a crime when you're interfering at a crime scene ... especially around an area that's been taped off.
It's a crime when you're interfering at a crime scene ... especially around an area that's been taped off.
The suit said Felecia Anderson, 24, who lived in the West End on Oct. 14, 2009, saw members of APD's now-disbanded Red Dog unit raiding her neighbor's house. When she also saw officers kicking and dragging a man, she went home and got her camera, the suit said.
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