Posted on 07/16/2008 3:18:48 PM PDT by BGHater
Nearly everyone carries a cell phone and it’s hard to find one without that camera feature. It’s convenient when you want to take that impromptu photo, but a Tri-Cities area man ended up behind bars after snapping a shot of a Johnson County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop.
The cell phone photographer says the arrest was intimidation, but the deputy says he feared for his life.
“Here’s a guy who takes me out of the car and arrests me in front of my kids. For what? To take a picture of a police officer?” said Scott Conover.
A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy arrested Scott Conover for unlawful photography.
“He says you took a picture of me. It’s illegal to take a picture of a law enforcement officer,” said Conover.
Conover took a picture of a sheriff’s deputy on the side of the road on a traffic stop. Conover was stunned by the charge.
“This is a public highway,” said Conover.
And it was not a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy as Tennessee code states. The deputy also asked Conover to delete the picture three times.
“He said if you don’t give it to me, you’re going to jail,” said Conover.
Under the advice of the Johnson County attorney, the sheriff would not comment and the arresting deputy said he didn’t want to incriminate himself by talking to us.
In an affidavit, the deputy said he saw something black with a red light which he thought was a threat. Conover was also arrested for pointing a laser at a law enforcement officer.
“At no time did I have a laser. I had an iPhone,” said Conover.
When you take a picture in the dark with Conover’s Apple iPhone, there is no flash or any light that comes from the phone that could be mistaken for a laser.
In a witness statement by a Mountain City officer, is says the deputy asked about the picture rather than looking for a laser.
“If you arrested me, wouldn’t you take the laser? If you arrested me, wouldn’t you take the camera?” said Conover.
He expects these charges to be dismissed.
“This guy maliciously arrested me, charging me with phony charges that he don’t even understand himself,” Conover said.
The American Civil Liberties Union would not comment on Conover’s case without fully reviewing the allegations, but told us there is no law that prohibits anyone from taking photographs in public areas, even of police. Taking photos is protected by the First Amendment. Conover is ordered to appear in a Johnson County court on August 6th.
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How absurd, that would mean that every time the officer steps in front of his dashboard camera, he has broken the law...
This must be a young police officer...I hope...
If that is the law, it needs to be changed.
Oh great - another one of your cop hating posts to muddy up FreeRepublic.
Well, that just about says it all. Stupid, crooked East Tennessee cops!
There are a lot of jerks out there. Some of them are police officers.
And the overbearing “LEO” supporter brigade should be here in.....
The irony is that the deputy’s actions make it likely that his
picture will turn up all over the media and the net.
There is nothing conservative about police misconduct and abuse of power.
And there is nothing conservative about cop hating and police state paranoia.
No, just another typical incompetent bruiser of the LEO variety.
A "hick" first grader.
I’m as pro law enforcement officers as anyone, but I can’t see how the Sheriff can legally expect the man to give up the pictures. If you can legally ask for a Badge number., why not a photo?
I can recall the episode where the family dog was shot by Eastern TN officers....they eventually settled the lawsuit for 40,000 or so...
What is this Russia? Crazy story.
Apologies! I meant deputy sheriff.
Sounds like bullbleep to me.This is likely to be a cop with a bad attitude...or one who was having a bad day.Unless I’m given compelling additional evidence my jury vote would be not guilty X3.And if I was a juror in the civil trial I’d be inclined to award this guy serious $$$....both from the police dept and from the cop himself.
One can only just shake ones head. BTW, how did nobody’s dog get shot in this one?
I won’t paint with too broad a brush, there does seem to have been an attitude shift though, theI-26 corridor is supposed to bring all sort of lovely criminals through the area, but this is simply...stupid...
I bet it took him 40 minutes to come up with the charges..LOL!
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