Posted on 07/12/2015 2:10:03 PM PDT by bimboeruption
A video obtained by Photography is Not a Crime shows a court security guard approach PINAC correspondent Mike Skidmore and try to snatch his camera before Skidmore punches him repeatedly in the face, prompting the guard to pull out his gun and open fire.
Two security guards (retired Richland County deputies) entered the room at the behest of one of commissioners and without any identification, warning or provocation, one of them attacked Skidmore.
Skidmore defended himself and the guard, knowing he was unarmed, shot at him twice. I thank God that he's a lousy shot.
Since when did filming an OPEN meeting of PUBLIC officials become a crime?
Check out the link. The action begins at about 2:00.
18 U.S. Code § 242 - Deprivation of rights under color of law
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
Cockroaches hate the light of day...
IMO Skidmore isn’t blameless in this. By his own admission he has had prior scrapes with the guards there. His demeanor is provocative - especially when he gets into that other person’s face.
That said the guards behavior is inexcusable and criminally neglegent.
Everyone goes to jail!
And here's why. At no time was that photographer in any physical danger. Yes, he was in danger of losing his camera. But he was not in any physical danger. Yet he started throwing punches, many punches.
The only person who was in physical danger there was that security guard.
The photographer should have filed a suit over the lose of his camera, and the violation of his right to film a public meeting. But the photographer should not have started that fight. He was in wrong there, completely in the wrong.
Now, should the guard have fired his weapon? I guess that would depend on how hard those punches were landing.
Smacking a cop armed with a gun in the face with a fist is not a real bright idea.
Or keep suspended charges in records with suspects’ information for such cases possible in the future. Timing can be important.
He bent over the woman to take a photo of her id.
Richland County employees have a habit of turning their badges around so a person doesn’t can’t id them.
So let’s say you are walking down the street, and some thug walks up and grabs your camera, and you punch him the face. Is that wrong wrong wrong? Or i sit self defense against a criminal? The security guard is a thug and criminal as soon as he tries to grab the camera, and an irresponsible idiot as soon as he draws the gun, and he is unspeakable words for actually firing.
Charges for shooting aren't going to stick.
Not a cop. A former cop, yes. But now he’s just a private security guard.
You try to take my camera or other stuff and I will whip and/or shoot your butt.
The guard was yanking at his camera which was hanging from his neck.
The guard should have identified himself and ASKED for the camera before attempting to forcefully confiscate it.
I don’t know what I’d do if someone came charging me and without saying a peep grabbed and yanked at something that was attached to my neck.
Thanks for the clarification.
Skidmore didn’t know it was a CRIME to record a public meeting. Neither did I. </s>
Watch how the guard enters the room. His body language and the look on his face tells me he’s looking for trouble.
Ohio recognizes the right to use reasonable force in the defense of property.
No. But your situation is not the same as the one in the video. In your situation, it is reasonable for the citizen be in fear for his life. But it is not reasonable to think that the photographer was in fear for his life when the guard grabbed the camera.
Consider this. I was once in a retail electronics store. I was writing down some information about an item. A store employee objected to that and told me to stop it. Suppose instead the employee had grabbed my notebook, which was my personal property. Would I have been justified in throwing punches at him, maybe breaking his jaw, or even worse?
That's a good point.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.