Man Ordered At Gunpoint To Hand Over Phone For Recording Cops

[seventhson]

Miami Beach Police Ordered Videographer At Gunpoint To Hand Over Phone | Pixiq

[Jimbob Jones]

Tragic.

[3506string]

Here's a video of the event not the video mentioned though.
LiveLeak.com - Miami Beach shooting on Memorial Day weekend 2011

[Skitch it!]

Two and a half day's to find a gun in a car, 4 bystanders shot, confiscation of evidence, trigger happy is the understatement of the year by the seem's, difficult to make out exactly what has happened in the video linked by 3506string above, but this is some mess and no mistake.

[jmattbassplaya]

I'll need to read a more professional report before I can really make a judgment on this, but for now I will say that it's situations like this that solidify my opinion that the public should be allowed to videotape and record on-duty police officers in action.

[Pilgrim]

I'm an ex-reserve deputy and I can say with confidence that the cops screwed up big-time, and chances are that he will be sitting much higher on his wallet before long. He can - and will - sue their shorts off.

[Staccato]

An extreme case in Miami, yes!

It seems like the lawmakers will eventually get busy with a myriad of laws surrounding electronic gadgets that take photos, movies, and audio recordings.

Just for the sake of discussion, should we forget about any privacy, or having other harass or stalk us (with electronic devices) when we walk out the front door of the house? Should we throw privacy laws out the window, and should LE not be allowed to do any task associated with their job-without being hindered by the public?

[cjmodulus]

Can someone shed light on why the cops were shooting someone up in the first place? The article didn't provide to much background info.
At the very least they should pay for the guy's next phone.

[warwick.hoy]

This is what I gathered from the article.

Shortly after the gunfire ends, an officer points at Benoit and police can be heard yelling for him to turn off the camera. The voices are muffled at times. The 35-year-old car stereo technician drops his hand with the camera and hurries back to his Ford Expedition parked further east on 13th Street.

The video shows Benoit get into the car, where his girlfriend, Ericka Davis, sat in the driver’s seat. He raises his camera and an officer is seen appearing on the driver’s side with his gun drawn, pointed at them.

If you run from the cops you should expect to have guns drawn on you.

[cjmodulus]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

This is what I gathered from the article.

If you run from the cops you should expect to have guns drawn on you.

I read all that, and I clicked a link that took me to an article with a few more details. Apparently they were after someone with a pretty extensive record. I don't know enough to say weather or not the police should have done what they did though.
That said, the way they wrecked his phone seems somewhat unprofessional.

[3506string]

On the subject of police and cameras.
YouTube - ‪The Government's War on Cameras!‬‏

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by cjmodulus

I read all that, and I clicked a link that took me to an article with a few more details. Apparently they were after someone with a pretty extensive record. I don't know enough to say weather or not the police should have done what they did though.
That said, the way they wrecked his phone seems somewhat unprofessional.

I definitely don't condone the destruction of other peoples property.

[Staccato]

Originally Posted by seventhson

How is filming them while they are already in public hindering their abilities to do their job?

You've copied part of a post, and now it is out of context...

I was raising a hypothetical in bold text.

This was an attempt to also consider existing, or new laws about electronic media, or privacy laws. Let's consider your privacy, mine, or other LE people at work, too.

[Dirk Diggler]

I'm sorry but you can't use the term videographer if he only had a phone. That's like saying someone is a typist with their thumbs on a phone.

Sad story though.
Dirk

[jp58]

I can't make a judgement on this, however, I am all for people being able to tape officers. They are sometimes put on a pedestal or given powers and authorities that they do not need nor deserve.

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by Stacatto

This was an attempt to also consider existing, or new laws about electronic media, or privacy laws. Let's consider your privacy, mine, or other LE people at work, too.

Point #1 - no person has a presumed right to privacy when the are in public. The Supreme Court decided this years ago.

Point #2 - LE are public employees. Paid for by taxpayer dollars and accountable to taxpayers. They should have no right to privacy in carrying out those duties.

[L-A]

^ Right on both points. I have nothing to add.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by Stacatto

Just for the sake of discussion, should we forget about any privacy, or having other harass or stalk us (with electronic devices) when we walk out the front door of the house? Should we throw privacy laws out the window, and should LE not be allowed to do any task associated with their job-without being hindered by the public?

You've already forfeited it... because you never had it.

If you're in public view - you have no right to privacy, and anything you do is public domain. It's never been illegal to videotape/photograph your average person doing something in public.

These are just attempts by the police to claim normal public view laws don't apply to them.

[duff beer]

Originally Posted by aborgman

You've already forfeited it... because you never had it.

If you're in public view - you have no right to privacy, and anything you do is public domain. It's never been illegal to videotape/photograph your average person doing something in public.

These are just attempts by the police to claim normal public view laws don't apply to them.

There is no shortage of "average people" who also think they have a right to privacy when in public.

[cheezewiz]

Kind of a messed up deal. When I'm working, feel free to film me. I don't have anything to hide, and the film will more than likely convict whoever is being a pain in the butt at that particular time.