Man Arrested For Shooting Photo Of Police Activity

On 10 Aug 2006 09:54:23 -0700, Scott W wrote:

They're probably not too keen on having a camera pointed their
way. Could also be that sometimes political pressure may allow the
guilty to get off lightly or completely, and if you provided
incriminating pictures to the press or to a victim's lawyers, it
could be hazardous to the career of the officers that didn't
maintain tight control of the crime or accident scene.

My take on this is that if a jury hears that the police prevented an
independent photographer from photographing the crime scene for no
apparent good reason it would put doubt in their minds as to the
veracity of the testimony that they heard from the cops on the scene.

Keep in mind that the defense does not have to prove innocence just
raise doubt about guilt. I think a good defense attorney would have a
field day with any cop he found out had interfered would photos being
taken. It would be pretty easy for the attorney to make the point
that the cops where being abusive to his client and that they prevented
photos being taken that would back this up.

And my take on this is that the police are pretty much aware that
most people will never be able to afford a defense team competent
enough to effectively challenge them in court. More than one judge
has been known to routinely exclude potential evidence and make
rulings that just happens to favor the police's side of the case.
In the real world, what takes place in court doesn't closely
resemble what is portrayed on TV or by Hollywood.

Jer wrote:

As I've intimated in the usenet group before, this is exactly the kind
of situation I and my attorney dream of. Unfortunately, I can't seem to
find a venue that provides for jack-booted thugs to mix with my
constitutional nirvana. All the cops I've met are pleasant and down
right nice folks who seem to recognize and understand everyone's rights
as well as I do while performing a difficult job. So long as they and I
can go about our business unencumbered by the other, there's no point in
anybody getting grumpy.


Your description of the police being friendly and pleasant doesn't exactly
describe many of the Minneapolis Police department. I posted my run-in with
on such officer in the street on Hennipen Avenue and about 10th. In summary,
he comes barrelling out of a garage and cross my path [I was just following
the traffic laws]. I honked when this "vehicle" pulled out in front of me and
cut me off so he could take a quick left. It wasn't until after the quick
reaction of honking and braking that I realize it was a cop. He stops his car
and gets out and yells at me, "Go ahead and honk at me again". Yeah, right.
I just answered my apologies [demurely] and drove past his pathetic ass.
Clearly he was in a hurry to get nowhere as he had time to stop and be a
bully. I have seen the guy doing the skyway beat many times prior and since,
so I suspect he is a frustrated individual who no longer has justice in mind.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

Jer wrote:
Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
no_name wrote:

I would have taken the pictures. And if they tried to impound my
camera, I would have sued.

And won.

Then again, I would have asked the officer what business of his
it was who I worked for.


The "proper" response is to tell the officer he can speak to your
attorney. He is *not* supposed to ask you who your attorney is,
but probably will anyway... have a name ready.



As I've intimated in the usenet group before, this is exactly the kind
of situation I and my attorney dream of. Unfortunately, I can't seem to
find a venue that provides for jack-booted thugs to mix with my
constitutional nirvana. All the cops I've met are pleasant and down
right nice folks who seem to recognize and understand everyone's rights
as well as I do while performing a difficult job. So long as they and I
can go about our business unencumbered by the other, there's no point in
anybody getting grumpy.


It is unfortunate, but not all of them are like the ones you have dealt
with. MOST of the ones I have known are that way, but not all.
Remember the surly cop you meet just might have had a gun pushed into
his neck an hour ago. One of the cops I know recently was shot twice by
a guy who just walked up to him, pointed a gun at his face, and opened
fire.

Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
ASAAR wrote:

On 10 Aug 2006 09:54:23 -0700, Scott W wrote:


They're probably not too keen on having a camera pointed their
way. Could also be that sometimes political pressure may allow the
guilty to get off lightly or completely, and if you provided
incriminating pictures to the press or to a victim's lawyers, it
could be hazardous to the career of the officers that didn't
maintain tight control of the crime or accident scene.

My take on this is that if a jury hears that the police prevented an
independent photographer from photographing the crime scene for no
apparent good reason it would put doubt in their minds as to the
veracity of the testimony that they heard from the cops on the scene.

Keep in mind that the defense does not have to prove innocence just
raise doubt about guilt. I think a good defense attorney would have a
field day with any cop he found out had interfered would photos being
taken. It would be pretty easy for the attorney to make the point
that the cops where being abusive to his client and that they prevented
photos being taken that would back this up.

And my take on this is that the police are pretty much aware that
most people will never be able to afford a defense team competent
enough to effectively challenge them in court.


Keep a local reporters phone number or tip line on speed dial of your cell
phone. Make the call immedidately upon being threatened. :-) They MAY find
that it is more heat than they care to bare.



My attorney is speed dial #3, and she's been witness to more than one
threatening situation. Yes, all calls to her office are recorded.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Ron Hunter wrote:
Jer wrote:

Floyd L. Davidson wrote:

no_name wrote:

I would have taken the pictures. And if they tried to impound my
camera, I would have sued.

And won.

Then again, I would have asked the officer what business of his
it was who I worked for.



The "proper" response is to tell the officer he can speak to your
attorney. He is *not* supposed to ask you who your attorney is,
but probably will anyway... have a name ready.



As I've intimated in the usenet group before, this is exactly the kind
of situation I and my attorney dream of. Unfortunately, I can't seem
to find a venue that provides for jack-booted thugs to mix with my
constitutional nirvana. All the cops I've met are pleasant and down
right nice folks who seem to recognize and understand everyone's
rights as well as I do while performing a difficult job. So long as
they and I can go about our business unencumbered by the other,
there's no point in anybody getting grumpy.


It is unfortunate, but not all of them are like the ones you have dealt
with. MOST of the ones I have known are that way, but not all. Remember
the surly cop you meet just might have had a gun pushed into his neck an
hour ago. One of the cops I know recently was shot twice by a guy who
just walked up to him, pointed a gun at his face, and opened fire.


Actually, I mis-spoke... there was one cop guy that in the park one day
that didn't want to know the difference between a photog and a
pedophile. Since it wasn't his complaint, he learned the difference
nonetheless.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Jer wrote:
My attorney is speed dial #3, and she's been witness to more than one
threatening situation. Yes, all calls to her office are recorded.

I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about finding a good civil
liberties lawyer in advance, let alone in an hour of need.

--
Charles Packer
mailboxATcpacker.org
http://cpacker.org/whatnews

wrote:
Jer wrote:
My attorney is speed dial #3, and she's been witness to more than one
threatening situation. Yes, all calls to her office are recorded.

I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about finding a good civil
liberties lawyer in advance, let alone in an hour of need.

That's not necessarily what you need though! A lawyer that is
familiar with police actions/operations/rules is appropriate...
which is to say that any experienced criminal trial lawyer will
probably do.

Read the newspaper to find one! Not the classified ads though.
Look for pictures of folks headed for the slammer, and what you
want is the fellow in a suit sitting next to him!

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)

Floyd L. Davidson wrote:

wrote:
Jer wrote:
My attorney is speed dial #3, and she's been witness to more than
one
threatening situation. Yes, all calls to her office are recorded.

I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about finding a good
civil liberties lawyer in advance, let alone in an hour of need.

That's not necessarily what you need though! A lawyer that is
familiar with police actions/operations/rules is appropriate...
which is to say that any experienced criminal trial lawyer will
probably do.

Read the newspaper to find one! Not the classified ads though.
Look for pictures of folks headed for the slammer, and what you
want is the fellow in a suit sitting next to him!


Surely you want the fellow in a suit sitting next to the folk heading
*away* from the slammer.

john

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:33:33 +0100, John Ashby wrote:

Read the newspaper to find one! Not the classified ads though.
Look for pictures of folks headed for the slammer, and what you
want is the fellow in a suit sitting next to him!

Surely you want the fellow in a suit sitting next to the folk heading
*away* from the slammer.

What you want to avoid is Cosmo Kramer's personal lawyer unless he
can come up with an absolutely foolproof winning scheme ... uh,
strategy.

John Ashby wrote:
Floyd L. Davidson wrote:

wrote:
Jer wrote:
My attorney is speed dial #3, and she's been witness to more than
one
threatening situation. Yes, all calls to her office are recorded.

I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about finding a good
civil liberties lawyer in advance, let alone in an hour of need.

That's not necessarily what you need though! A lawyer that is
familiar with police actions/operations/rules is appropriate...
which is to say that any experienced criminal trial lawyer will
probably do.

Read the newspaper to find one! Not the classified ads though.
Look for pictures of folks headed for the slammer, and what you
want is the fellow in a suit sitting next to him!


Surely you want the fellow in a suit sitting next to the folk heading
*away* from the slammer.

NO! You want one you can afford, and who won't look down their
nose at your piddly little problem.

Keep in mind that most of the people charged with crimes are
in fact guilty, and belong in jail. They *need* a competent
lawyer to ensure they get a fair trial rather than a kangaroo
court that might lop off their head or throw the key away in
a fit of righteous zeal for "justice".

The fact that the perp in the picture is going to jail doesn't
mean the lawyer "lost" the case. It probably means that justice
has been well served, the system worked, and an appropriate
result is pending. Due process...

That is of course *exactly* what you want too: an attorney with
a *very* good sense of due process.

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)