Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Man Arrested For Unlawful Photography[TN][Took Photo of A Cop]
WJHL ^ | 11 July 2008 | Darius Radzius

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.

---------------------------------------------------------

Documents:

Affidavit of complaint.

Statement by Mountain City, TN patrolman Kenneth Lane.  He was the assisting officer at McCloud’s traffic stop.

Statement by Mountain City, TN patrolman officer Ben May.  He arrived on scene as McCloud and Lane were talking to Conover (cell phone photographer).


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: arrested; cop; donutwatch; leo; photograph; tennessee
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-117 next last
To: MeanWestTexan

And there also isn’t anything conservative about going along with and/or supporting police misconduct and abuse of power.

Nor patriotic. Nor noble. Nor admirable or honorable.


41 posted on 07/16/2008 3:43:33 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kms61
I no longer consider the police to be on my side, and in any future encounters with them, I’ll be respectful, but wary.

That is sound advice for everyone.

42 posted on 07/16/2008 3:43:50 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

Just because your paranoid doesn’t mean they are not after you!


43 posted on 07/16/2008 3:43:57 PM PDT by DariusBane (Ronaldus Magnus: The Great Communicator, Philosopher of Conser, Bane of Moscow, Defender of Grenada)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: BGHater
In their statements, McCloud says that Connover's Hummer came to a "dead stop" as the picture was taken. Lane says in his statement that the Hummer slowed down to take the picture. Both are sworn statements.

Who is lying?

44 posted on 07/16/2008 3:44:12 PM PDT by PalmettoMason (Hey John! We're NOT your effing "friends"!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kms61

Oh, they’d have “found” something if they wanted to........


45 posted on 07/16/2008 3:44:25 PM PDT by doorgunner69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

The cop thought he could intimidate a guy who wouldn’t be intimidated, and proceeded to a point where his ego wouldn’t let him back down.


46 posted on 07/16/2008 3:45:01 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Barack Obama--the first black Jimmy Carter.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

Why not just wear a mask? If the officer wants to hide his identity, he should wear a mask. He probably shouldn’t wear his name tag or badge number either.


47 posted on 07/16/2008 3:45:15 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

These dipwads are out of control.
Unless he was undercover he is just being a tyrannical jerk.


48 posted on 07/16/2008 3:46:33 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
“If the cop made a false arrest he should go to jail.”

If this incident happened at all and there is no law that prevents the picture from being taken, he should be fired.

As far as the dumb post about posting his picture on the Internet, he is not an undercover spy. He is a police officer. There should be no law to prevent his picture being taken in public.

This is not cop hating. It is anger over the abuse of a cop. I think a lot of people have had cops abuse their power and that is where this anger is coming from. The respect must be mutual, and threatening jail for taking a picture crosses the line big time.

49 posted on 07/16/2008 3:46:46 PM PDT by HwyChile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

Great, another overly-sensitive cops-can-do-no-wrong lover acting like a liberal by accusing someone of “hate” just because someone does not share your same viewpoint.


50 posted on 07/16/2008 3:47:04 PM PDT by freeplancer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

Let us remember that the skepticism of the benefits of government, which was the hallmark of the American founding we seek to conserve, extends to all of its functionaries, not just elected officials, Supreme Court Justices, bureacrats and teachers in government schools, but to the police, and, yes, the military.

Supporting police, the military, and, yes, the rest of them when they perform rightly, or even to the best of their ability, their duties under the Constitution and the laws of the United States and the several states is both patriotic and conservative. Opposing them when the abuse or overreach their proper functions, and seeing to it that the laws do not allow or worse enshrine such abuse and overreach, is likewise patriotic and conservative.

This sounds like an example of the latter, so no ‘cop hating’ is necessary here, just American conservatism.


51 posted on 07/16/2008 3:47:56 PM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: freeplancer

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

and commas are your friend


52 posted on 07/16/2008 3:48:53 PM PDT by RDTF (my worst nightmare is being on jury duty sequestered with 11 liberals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: JLS
One can only just shake ones head. BTW, how did nobody’s dog get shot in this one?

*sigh* No. If only Scott Conover had thought to bring his dog.

BTW, Conover is a very uncommon name, 99% chance he's black.

His real crime was having an iPhone while black, maybe?

53 posted on 07/16/2008 3:49:47 PM PDT by null and void (Barack Obama - International Man of Mystery...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

C’mon, you’re being ridiculous now. This isn’t an undercover cop. He is a uniformed police officer in a patrol car — hardly a secret.


54 posted on 07/16/2008 3:51:50 PM PDT by Harvey105
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: BGHater
"It’s illegal to take a picture of a law enforcement officer,” said Conover.

Horsehockey - it is NOT illegal to take a picture of anybody in a public place, or from a public location. It's ironic that while the government is stepping up efforts to keep the little people under surveillance, they don't want the little people photographing them. It's all about who has control over the picture.

55 posted on 07/16/2008 3:52:10 PM PDT by meyer (Government is the problem, not the solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
If the cops have nothing to hide then they shouldn’t mind public scrutiny.

True, but sometime their jobs make them piss off people who would happily order a hit on them. Under those circumstances I can see why they'd be less than thrilled to provide positive ID for a hitman...

56 posted on 07/16/2008 3:54:13 PM PDT by null and void (Barack Obama - International Man of Mystery...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

From Reason Mag:

Last month Scott Conover was driving on Highway 421 in Mountain City, Tennessee, when he saw a Johnson County sheriff’s deputy, Starling McCloud, on the side of the road near a Mustang he had just pulled over. For reasons that remain somewhat mysterious, Conover decided to take a picture of McCloud with his iPhone. According to McCloud and Mountain City police officer Kenneth Lane, who stopped at the scene to assist McCloud, Conover turned his Hummer around after passing the traffic stop and came by again slowly, telling McCloud, “Smile. I’m going to take your picture.” (snip)


57 posted on 07/16/2008 3:55:40 PM PDT by donna ( I am confident that we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth. - Barack Hussein Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

It’s not paranoia when the cop drags you out of your car and slaps you in cuffs for snapping his photo.


58 posted on 07/16/2008 3:58:14 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: RDTF

Okay Mr. Hyphen


59 posted on 07/16/2008 4:02:04 PM PDT by freeplancer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

What does the law say?


60 posted on 07/16/2008 4:02:14 PM PDT by OldEagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-117 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson