Is Videotaping People Without Their Permission the Right Thing to Do If They Ask You to Stop? (1295 hits)
If a police officer catches you on tape, it’s considered evidence. But if you capture a police officer on tape, it’s considered cause to illegally detain you.
Today, we filed a lawsuit defending the rights of Khaliah Fitchette, a high school honors student who was yanked off a bus, put in handcuffs, and driven away in a patrol car... Khaliah was riding a Newark city bus downtown after school on March 22, 2010 when two police officers boarded in response to the driver’s call for assistance with an unconscious man. When an officer spotted Khaliah filming on her cellphone, she turned her attention from the passenger in distress to the bystander. She ordered Khaliah, then a 16-year-old sophomore at University High School, to turn off her phone. Khaliah refused because she didn't want to miss any incoming calls. Her crime? Using her cellphone to videotape police officers doing their jobs.
The officers decided to take Khaliah off the bus and into their custody. When they took her off the bus and placed her in a patrol car to a juvenile detention facility, one of the officers took her phone and deleted the recording. When they arrived, however, they learned the detention facility could not accept her, having no way to verify her age. Khaliah’s identification was still on the bus in her backpack. When the officers realized they could not charge her with any offense, they dropped off Khaliah, in tears, at her mother’s workplace. You can read more of Khaliah’s story at the ACLU-NJ’s website, where you can also learn more about our efforts to rein in police misconduct, one incident at a time.
I have mixed feelings regarding this and as a health care professional, I don't want someone pulling out their cell phone to video me without my consent. I think its WRONG although its not illegal. Just my two cents worth so I can't sign this petition. I feel that the young lady should have turned off the video when the Officer asked. He didn't want to be filmed. Simple.
Monday, March 28th 2011 at 8:30PM
Jen Fad
