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Debate Sparks Over Video Recording Of Arrests (Police lie and tell cameraman it is illegal to tape)
WJZ13 ^ | 5-21-10 | Mike Hellgren

Posted on 05/24/2010 3:44:57 AM PDT by oger

Several Marylanders face felony charges for recording their arrests on camera, and others have been intimidated to shut their cameras off. Video of another arrest at the Preakness quickly made its way online, despite an officer issuing this warning to the person who shot it, "Do me a favor and turn that off. It's illegal to videotape anybody's voice or anything else, against the law in the state of Maryland."

But is he right? Can police stop you from recording their actions, like a beating at the University of Maryland College Park?

The American Civil Liberties Union says no.

"For the government to

(Excerpt) Read more at wjz.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: crime; donutwatch
Here is a link to the videotape in question. At the very end of the tape, the officer orders the cameraman to shut off the camera, lying and saying--"Do me a favor and turn that off. It's illegal to videotape anybody's voice or anything else, against the law in the state of Maryland."
1 posted on 05/24/2010 3:44:57 AM PDT by oger
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To: oger

Oh so we are videotaped and recorded every where we go, but we cant do it for ourselves in return. Whats wrong with that I wonder/sarc>


2 posted on 05/24/2010 3:59:04 AM PDT by valkyry1
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To: oger
It's maybe illegal to tape phone conversations w/o permission.

It would seem to be legal to record everything done in public on public property and to record police (and other's) "visits" to one's property.

3 posted on 05/24/2010 4:00:15 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: valkyry1

I agree! Parts of this country are turning into London West where surveillance is commonplace and generally acceptable to the sheeple, yet we can’t turn the cameras on the same people who are expected to “protect” us?

And yes, before the SCOTUS folks come out and bash me for saying that, I understand that the LEOs do not have a duty to protect only to respond. That being said, when there’s obvious and public dereliction of duty or even outright abuse of power, we’re not allowed to tape those actions for review?

I suppose the First Amendment is truly on the wane in this country led, in part, by the media who rely on it to protect them.

Do as I say, not as I do, eh?


4 posted on 05/24/2010 4:02:46 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: oger

It is certainly not illegal to spread disinformation in the U.S.


5 posted on 05/24/2010 4:05:52 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: oger

Anything done in view of the eyes of the public, may be recorded by those eyes, cameras, phones, etc., irregardless of the fascist mentality of TPTB.


6 posted on 05/24/2010 4:24:22 AM PDT by mkjessup (Duncan Hunter Sr. = the finest President since Ronald Reagan that America was too stupid to elect.)
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To: oger

I don’t know about the laws in Maryland but in Texas it is apparently OK to video tape arrests. A couple of people became very wealthy recently because they were arrested for filming officers in action.


7 posted on 05/24/2010 4:28:59 AM PDT by FreePaul
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To: oger
We are rapidly approaching a Totalitarian State. Like the KGB, the police will become a Federal authority and have unconstitutional powers to decide what is legal and what is not.

Like the cop who told a Tea Party protester he had to take down his sign of MaObama/Joker and that the could not carry it. The protester told the cop that this was America and he had a right to carry the sign under the first amendment. The cop said; “NO! this ain't no more! Take the sign down or you will be arrested!”

The EPA taking authoritarian powers to enforce Cap & Trade, or shut down coal, oil production, etc, without Congress, or DOHS telling Arizona they are illegal for passing a law that allows police to check ID’s of suspected illegals, etc,.

Not to mention MaObama using countless executive orders to install his agenda and the media remains silent, is simply too much for us to comprehend just how dangerous of a time we live in.

8 posted on 05/24/2010 4:44:09 AM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP ( Give me Liberty, or give me an M-24A2!)
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To: oger
Movin on down to Georgia where cops ranted and raged this weekend.

rage one

rage two

9 posted on 05/24/2010 4:57:53 AM PDT by takenoprisoner (Freedom Watch: fight for freedom with everything you have.)
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To: oger

Whats funny is that both Democrats and Republicans seem to be in full agreement that the “I can record, you can’t’ attitude of the LEOs is bogus. This is another action that makes the gulf between ordinary citizens and the LEO community wider. I know any contact I’ve had with the LEO community in the last 10 yrs has left a sour taste in my mouth, quality people are few and far between.


10 posted on 05/24/2010 5:39:14 AM PDT by ratzoe (damn, I miss Barbara Olson)
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To: The_Media_never_lie
It is certainly not illegal to spread disinformation in the U.S.

Gibbs gets paid fairly well to do the same.

11 posted on 05/24/2010 5:55:32 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
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To: UCANSEE2
It is certainly not illegal to spread disinformation in the U.S.

Gibbs gets paid fairly well to do the same.

Very true. What I should have posted, with this in mind was, "It is obviously not illegal to spread disinformation in the U.S."

12 posted on 05/24/2010 7:58:32 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: oger

http://reason.com/archives/2010/06/21/another-marlyander-arrested-fo

“Another Marylander Arrested for Recording the Police”


13 posted on 06/22/2010 6:13:04 PM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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