For the last several days and weeks we’ve reported that State and law enforcement agencies are trying to make it difficult, if not impossible, to record the actions of police officers when they interact with the citizenry.
Some states have moved to outlaw a citizen’s ability to audio or video record police activity in public places. Another recent story involved a Texas police officer who arrested a man for taking a picture of the officer when the officer illegally entered his home.
The following video should cast no doubt as to why the public needs legal protections for recording police officers and other government officials without consent from all parties.
The man in the video is Walter Harvin, an Iraq war vet. The officer, David London, is currently on trial for assault and falsifying a police report. Had this video tape not been available, we can say with 80% certainty (the conviction rate in America), that Mr. Harvin would likely be sitting in jail right now for resisting arrest, assault, and a host of other crimes.
Now, if we could just get cameras and microphones into every office and committee meeting in Congress, we’d be well on our way to liberating the American people from tyranny.
Cross checking government employees, be they police officers or elected officials, is essential to maintaining a free society. We have the technology available. Instead of turning it on the American people, it should be facing those who implemented it in the first place.
Again – if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about. Sound familiar?
Comments…..
I don’t know the detail here but it reminds me of a recent protest in Thailand.
The protesters all showed up with their own VIDEO CAMERAS! Now that is a superbly BRILLIANT idea!
No matter what happens or who does it, SOMEONE will have a video of it!
If BIG BROTHER wants to play silly games then WE, the great unwashed can play back!
I have always said ” I have nothing to hide, but why do the Authorities need to know what I do or say!”
The fear of something that has no basis in real life is PARANOIA.
But when that fear comes true, it is REALITY!
So what do the experts say when this occurs?
OOOPS?
Obama does not honor the citizens rights, why would the police?
You can see in the video where Obama’s example on how to treat citizens is leading the country……..right into total anarchy.   It’s going to be every man for himself soon. You best be ready.
I blame Affirmative Action style lowering of standards on some of these police brutality events. In a post I made on a similar topic I commented on the lack of leadership over these bad cops. I stand by that and add that when one lowers the bar to allow virtually anybody to get a job, regardless of job type, then you take the chance of getting supremely unqualified people into ones organization. You know…Morons. Now when anyone uses the term ‘affirmative action’, then inevitably someone else will start screaming the worn out phrase “racist”. That is not so in most police brutality cases as the officer(s) are generally white. Lowering the bar lets ’em all in regardless of race color or creed. In deference to the vast majority of good cops out there, I would like to point out that there are 307 million people in this country and millions of cops (I don’t know the exact figure for LE). There is bound to be incidents like this one. The only discouraging thing is they seem to be on the up-tick.
Part of the complete takeover is useingPolice forces to implement there programs.One of them is to spread fear and cover up any wrong doing by the police oficers by makeing illegal laws such as photograpy -voice recorders-Videos invalid in court cases.That way they will get the convictions even if it was illegally done while useing brutality  .Its so comman place in Police Departments and most always the Police Department always covers the Police until strong evidence like video shows what happened. Then they let the officer go .But if it wasnt for the posted video of the Black guy beatdown, It would have been your normal everyday  resisting arrest conviction and he would go to jail and nobody would believe his story of the Police. This happens everyday in America and its comman place and practice .ÂÂ
“Cross checking government employees, be they police officers or elected officials, is essential to maintaining a free society.” - Right On Mac.
The following in no way advocates violence of any form. It is merely a legal/ethical question.  Mac, please delete this post if it’s out of line:
So, if a concealed carry license holder saw a man beating a woman repeatedly with a baton, he may believe her life is in danger. If he believes that, he might choose to shoot the attacker to save the woman’s life. That is legal in some states. What if the attacker is a police officer? Still legal? Obviously, if the beating wasn’t on video, the shooter would be toast. The thug officer in that video was not subduing that man; he was beating him. It’s not hard to kill a man with a baton. Would it be legal to shoot a police officer who’s in the process of beating someone to death? I see attempted murder and accessory to attempted murder in that video.
When you try a cop don’t be surprised to get your ass kicked. This has been going on for 100 years. Why all of a sudden people are all up in arms. I can see clearly the guy was trying the cop, and he won his prize. ÂÂ
Commentaires …..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3bzypjTIWg&feature=email
Comments…. Cops get away with murder everyday, their buddies on the force protect them and lie for them, so does the court.
Then again I wonder how many defensless Iraqi’s this war vertran beat and killed in his tour. What goes around comes around and you haven’t seen anything yet.
Yeah, Mac I totally agree about the use of cameras by citizens as being the next logical and necessary step to at least exposing some of this crooked shit. I used to always think that if people had a audio/video feed in their vehicles, then they could certainly get our of a lot of trumped up charges ,e.g. illegal search and seizure. If there are any cops reading this then take note that I know there are a lot of good cops out there. However, when they develop the mentality that every citizen is fair game and they essentially look at every one of us as a potential arrest, then things have lost their perspective.
I remember a guy got pulled over on the interstate, here in Walker, LA. He was then searched. I forget the exact details, but I think the cop turned away. The guy then hurried up and tried to swallow a small baggy of crystal. The cop saw this happening and tried to stop him by grabbing his throat. He ended up breaking the guys hyoid bone and the guy died from his crushed windpipe. The police tried to deny it with the usual smoke and mirrors act. They wouldn’t release the video for a while, but they were forced to eventually. Until then they tried to blame the guy’s health (atherosclerosis, enlarged heart, etc…) To me that was a little low, when it was obvious that he died of asphyxiation. How much harm was a that meth gonna do if he swallowed it. I don’t know. Just thought that the incident was still relevant.
@Sartx
In Texas, see Sec 9.31 (c) of the penal code
http://law.onecle.com/texas/penal/9.31.00.html
The use of force to resist an arrest or search is
justified:(1) if, before the actor offers any resistance, the
peace officer (or person acting at his direction) uses or attempts
to use greater force than necessary to make the arrest or search;
and
(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably
believes the force is immediately necessary to protect himself
against the peace officer’s (or other person’s) use or attempted use
of greater force than necessary.
Of course, how well you do in court or while in detention awaiting trial is another matter entirely.
@Jimbo
Thanks for the info and reference. The key is “before the actor offers any resistance”. That can be pretty subjective. The officer may just perceive resistance. I suppose resistance could be as slight as verbal resistance; and, as you say, court and especially detention would be hell…
Nothing I’m considering or advocating. The video just made me curious about that scenario.
The next time some of you see a cop making arrest jump in the middle and tell us how it went for you. I’m no cop , but you are asking to get shot or arrested or both.
@old man – I completely agree. That would be a very crazy and illegal thing to do. I certainly appreciate the role of law enforcement. I dread the scenario of societal collapse where social order and law enforcement break down and looting gangs roam free.
You can’t record anything in a Cecil County Maryland court room.
The judge can do what ever he wants, and that includes changing the juries verdict and then doctor the transcripts. This happens all the time, I know.ÂÂ