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Seattle man jailed for taking photos of police arrest awarded $8,000

seattletimes.nwsource.com — An amateur photographer who was taken into custody last year after shooting pictures of two Seattle police officers making an arrest on a public street received an $8,000 settlement this week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington announced Thursday.

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  • mightydavefish, on 11/14/2007, -1/+131Keep watching them, people.
    It's only us watching that keeps them honest.
    (In all fairness I'm not dissing ALL cops, I've met many many good cops. This is about the scumbags.)
    • aliengoods, on 11/14/2007, -2/+34The problem is you can't tell the good ones from the scumbags.
      • pintomp3, on 11/14/2007, -0/+29the bad ones should be given orange jumpsuits.
      • darkhand, on 11/14/2007, -1/+25That's why you watch all of them.
    • flyingcatcircus, on 11/14/2007, -3/+3090% of cops give 10% of cops a bad name.
      • Trocisp, on 11/14/2007, -7/+5I disagree, I'd say it's the other way around. Most cops I meet are nice enough. Of course I don't walk up to them and go "***** you bacon bits."
        • Drahkar, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7I wish it were that way out here. Unfortunately the cops in our area tend to lean more towards the 90% bad, 10% good. Too many egomaniacs and testosterone junkies getting on the force.
          • Trocisp, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1I guess I should count myself lucky that I live in an area that has a bit more strict recruitment policies, 'eh?
    • utahnkid, on 11/14/2007, -2/+3Haha I wish I could spend a day in the delusion you guys consider reality, it must be fun.. Do you think "cops" are some other species? That they aren't human? DUH.. of course you have to watch them.. Of course mistakes are made... Of course you hear about corruption and people being douche bags... THERE HUMAN! It's not "cops" that are generally douche bags... ITS PEOPLE.. PEOPLE are dishonest.. PEOPLE abuse power.. Stop putting them on some pedestal, there the same as you and I, they just get scrutinized a hell of a lot more.
  • MikeonTV, on 11/14/2007, -26/+6The question is: Why didn't the guy who took this shot get arrested - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/11/08/ ... ???
    • MacEnvy, on 11/14/2007, -0/+18I thought that was the picture that got the guy in the article arrested ...
    • mightydavefish, on 11/14/2007, -1/+23Read the article. It's informative, and saves time answering stupid comments.
    • tonaros, on 11/14/2007, -1/+2I lol'd
    • djpants428, on 11/14/2007, -7/+0Sad that no one got that joke. The poster is pointing out the irony that the guy who took a picture of a guy being arrested for taking a picture of an arrest was not himself arrested
      • mablco, on 11/13/2007, -0/+5no, YOU don't get it. That IS the picture that was taken by the man who got arrested. jeeesh.
      • objectcode, on 11/13/2007, -0/+1click the next above the picture if you want to see the photographers picture
  • RamboBones, on 11/14/2007, -4/+30After reading so many stories about cops doing ***** in the US it's nice to see some not get off scott free for once
    • thebaron2, on 11/14/2007, -0/+19The got "written reprimands for a lack of professionalism and poor exercise of discretion." Not even a suspension or being forced to go to some lame rehabilitation class. A written reprimand ain't *****, and arresting someone for the hell of it certainly deserves more.
    • mrferg, on 11/14/2007, -0/+16Maybe I'm weird, but I believe that if you abuse your power and betray the public your ass should be fired. Seems that most cops have a serious inferiority complex.
    • tracyfm, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7The cops that made the arrest DID get off scott free. This money didn't come out of their pockets.
  • lnf69, on 11/14/2007, -2/+96And then they wonder why the ACLU is so important.
    Viva ACLU!!!
    • ncc74656m, on 11/14/2007, -22/+4The problem that I have with the ACLU is that at the same time, they will also intervene on behalf of scumbags like the Phelps.
      • ivandir, on 11/14/2007, -0/+39That's because freedom is universal not selective.
      • BossKey, on 11/14/2007, -0/+18I find it interesting that a lot of the religious conservatives who hate that the ACLU treats everyone's rights consistently are also the same ones who say that "situational ethics" is evil. Either respect consistency or fight it, but at least...be consistent.

        It's much the same argument that Americans are having over torture. I'm on the side that says, if you expect to torture, you won't have a case against the enemy when they decide it's fine to treat our captured the same way. Do unto others, and all that.
    • Toast1185, on 11/14/2007, -1/+7Everyone digging this story should really contribute and be a card carrying member. They can't do all of their good work without the support of people that are passionate and concerned about civil liberties
  • cablemodemguy, on 11/14/2007, -26/+12Filming cops is in fact illegal, as I found out over a year ago...
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7303666401 ...
    • zirconx, on 11/13/2007, -0/+7I don't know why you are being dug down - sounds like something really crappy (and important) happened to you. Can you tell us more about this indident? The video won't play for me, and there isn't much info on that google video page.
      • cablemodemguy, on 11/14/2007, -0/+10The Sheriff's Dept. was pulling people over all day on one stretch of highway. When I came out with my camera to photograph a stop, they crossed the highway and started threatening to arrest me for taking pictures, telling me it was illegal to film police officers while on duty. I told him I was doing nothing wrong, and started taking video, trying not to point it directly at him. He then explained that filming police is "Interfering with judicial proceedings" and he would in fact arrest me if I didn't leave.
        • jaxcs, on 11/14/2007, -0/+9don't you think that sound like bs to you? how does filming something from across the highway interfere with their ability to do their job? Interfering is interpreted in the broadest possible sense here.
        • Otto, on 11/14/2007, -0/+13Clearly, next time, you should let him arrest you, then call the ACLU. Fact: It is not illegal to film or photograph anything, including police, while in public and on public lands.
          • cablemodemguy, on 11/14/2007, -1/+6I know it is not illegal, that is why I was there doing it- I just had to document what he said. I guess people are digging me down because they took "is in fact illegal" too literally.
          • Phrag, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5Well when you write something with no indication of being sarcastic, people are going to take you literally. Thats why we add [/sarcasm].
    • bowens44, on 11/14/2007, -0/+9filming in a public location is not illegal this cop was completely out of line. Remember they will lie to you .
    • rottencod, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7Even if it IS illegal, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. One duty of free citizens is to disobey immoral or totalitarian laws. The police are in a position of public service, which means they should be in a position of public view -- whether they or the legislature like it or not.
      • Chestnut3499, on 11/14/2007, -1/+2I agree! And I'm not sure why more people don't see it.
    • DiggzDE, on 11/14/2007, -0/+6Except that it isn't illegal to do so and that you were just fed a bunch of crap by an officer who assumed you knew nothing about the law, which you obviously don't since you said this happened over a year ago and you still didn't bother to check up on the laws in your area.

      http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?in ...
      • cablemodemguy, on 11/14/2007, -1/+3I read that only minutes after this happened. I was being sarcastic, it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out!
        • DiggzDE, on 11/15/2007, -0/+1Actually, on the internet it does. Sarcasm is one of the hardest things to portray through just text. Any idiot should know that.
    • DiggzDE, on 11/14/2007, -0/+3In a more national sense. Here is the statutes about "obstruction of criminal investigation"

      http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_0 ...

      again, no talking of not allowing filming or photography.
  • syroncoda, on 11/14/2007, -2/+68only $8,000? for all the degradation and being treated like a traitor for capturing a public situation? police work for the public you know. they're not a private security firm. well not yet anyways.
    • Bhima, on 11/13/2007, -0/+17Man with the number of incidents going down this is going to become a multi-million dollar liability for the police.

      everyone should go buy a cheap camera and learn to quickly switch the memory cards
      • inspecality, on 11/13/2007, -0/+9where do you put the memory cards if you get arrested?
        • bagelpirate, on 11/13/2007, -0/+18where do you think?
        • MrSketch, on 11/13/2007, -0/+3In the trash can of course! HACK THE PLANET!!
        • aonaran, on 11/14/2007, -0/+6You hand them over to the cop and insist that they be treated as evidence. They are not allowed to destroy evidence, and I imagine that they would get for more than a written reprimand for that, besides they will think it would work in their favor. When it is all over you get the card back, and if you think that what is on it could have been sold to a newspaper you sue them for that lost revenue.
      • Chakat, on 11/14/2007, -1/+1Incorrect. Camera phone. Flickr, etc, offer email posting, so you can get the evidence safely out of police control.
    • cramd, on 11/14/2007, -2/+5Now if they had provided him with a McDonalds coffe to sip while in the holding cell, and it slipped off of the stainless steel counter and spilled on his legs, he would have gotten the big bucks. Just getting abused by the police does not seem to get you big bucks.
  • Elderon, on 11/14/2007, -0/+23Cable, as far as I know, if its in a public spot you can film it regardless what the cops are doing
  • VaporBro, on 11/14/2007, -6/+4Lucky guy; I could use 8 grand. I have taken plenty of pictures of cops here in Seattle and not a single one arrested me. In fact some smiled for the photos.
    • tcsucks, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7Everytime (two seperate accounts) that I've taken pictures of someone being arrested, I've been threatened with my property being confiscated and being arrested for failure to comply after I told them, "I'm not handing over my property." Both times I was forced to delete the pictures I had taken.
      • darkhand, on 11/14/2007, -0/+8I've already posted this in another reply, but if this is so prevalent it bears repeating. Give the ACLU, or even just a lawyer in the phone book a call any time something like that happens. Cut and dry cases where the police are grossly at fault are taken pro bono in many cases. At the very least, no upfront fee and a percentage of the winnings. What the police did to you (twice) is illegal and unconstitutional.
        • TekTrixter, on 11/13/2007, -0/+1How do you prove it happened? If the images are erased (no damage to camera) what evidence do you have other than possibly witnesses?
      • MaZAKaR, on 11/14/2007, -0/+4As long as you didn't take more pictures after deleting them, couldn't you run an restore on your memory card and get the pictures back? I have had to do this before...
    • Chestnut3499, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5I know it's a tough call, but if you have any backbone at all, the next time this happens you will refuse to hand over your property, even if it means being arrested. This is your duty as an American. I would do it to protect your rights.
  • slashbot, on 11/14/2007, -19/+5So in other words, he lost.

    The legal bills undoubtedly were much higher than that
    • ahammett, on 11/14/2007, -1/+14Considering that the ACLU paid the legal bills, I doubt he sees it that way!
    • vertinox, on 11/13/2007, -1/+15Um... Do you know who the ACLU is?
    • anachronaut, on 11/13/2007, -1/+11Try reading the article first.
    • aigulf, on 11/14/2007, -0/+10The ACLU took his case...correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure when they fight for you it is gratis (free).
    • brugger1982, on 11/14/2007, -0/+10I always thought ACLU case == pro bono
    • slashbot, on 11/13/2007, -9/+1How about the time lost on his part?

      Still a high cost to him I bet
      • objectcode, on 11/13/2007, -0/+4shouldn't you be out making fun of UFO sightings, since in your warped mind UFO = alien airship?
      • john2kx, on 11/13/2007, -0/+4"Still a high cost to him I bet"

        not $8000 high.
      • Phrag, on 11/13/2007, -0/+5Well he already lost time when he was arrested. He could do nothing any just take the lost while allowing injustice to continue, or he could risk more time, get something back and try for a chance at justice. In my book, he would have won even if he didn't get a single dollar because he stood up to the bullies and did the right thing.
  • darkhand, on 11/14/2007, -0/+25$8,000?! If this keeps up, people are going to realize they have rights and freedoms! We can't have that!!
    • objectcode, on 11/13/2007, -0/+5give up your guns, cameras, and personal privacy. the government knows and has your best interest in mind
    • faithfreedom, on 11/13/2007, -0/+2The government has zilch. The money is from people like me and you, the tax payer.
  • easyfnmoney, on 11/14/2007, -0/+21WOW, this same thing happened to me several years ago, police took away my camcorder and tape. Returned my camcorder, minus the tape, and they threated to charge me with interfereing in a police investigation. Amazing.
    • darkhand, on 11/14/2007, -1/+15Give the ACLU, or even just a lawyer in the phone book a call any time something like that happens. Cut and dry cases where the police are grossly at fault are taken pro bono in many cases. At the very least, no upfront fee and a percentage of the winnings.
    • GuyeNoir, on 11/14/2007, -0/+4I bet it's possible to setup a PDA Phone with a camera to automatically email pictures to yourself whenever to take one. How about a gmail account? I bet most cops wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of something like that.
    • dragonspider, on 11/14/2007, -0/+0you should get an iphone so you can record them then immediately upload to youtube! then they can't take the evidence.
  • ncc74656m, on 11/14/2007, -1/+33"Seattle Police Department spokeswoman Deanna Nollette said both officers were disciplined with written reprimands for a lack of professionalism and poor exercise of discretion."

    Ok, so, nothing about "Violation of civil rights"? They got away with a slap on the wrist. Blue Wall of Silence strikes again!
    • bowens44, on 11/14/2007, -1/+9They should have been fired
    • HigherLogic, on 11/14/2007, -0/+2Yup, that's the problem with all these cop incidents we hear about, nothing ever happens to the cop except a slap on the wrist. They need to be fired. Not suspended. Fired and barred from working in LE.
    • faithfreedom, on 11/14/2007, -0/+2Or not, let just take $8000 from their own pockets. ***** waste taxpayer's money!
    • Klak, on 11/14/2007, -0/+3how come when the cops break the law nothing happens? so called "illegal" searches carry no penalty other than the evidence gets thrown out of court. no wonder they keep doing it.
  • SleepingOrange, on 11/13/2007, -0/+5well its better than nothing. Gotta take what you can get when you can get it.
  • ivandir, on 11/14/2007, -0/+10$8,000 that is how much your freedom is worth to a Cop.
    • AnarkeIncarnate, on 11/14/2007, -0/+13It should come RIGHT out of their pay and DIRECTLY to the photographer. The cop should have to write him a check
  • bjfisel, on 11/14/2007, -2/+17$8,000 is not enough for having your rights violated.
    • Otto, on 11/13/2007, -1/+5No, but it's enough for them to find out that they were actually wrong. Maybe they'll not bother people taking pictures next time.
    • JonnyTrombone, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5it IS enough to buy a nice digital SLR and a sweet telephoto lens or two, though.
    • ronaldinho, on 11/13/2007, -0/+1Hell, they should be awarding this dude at least twice the amount.....at least 5 digits man. Ugh the common man got shafted. Again
  • BigT01, on 11/14/2007, -10/+12pac wrote this article
    • identifiedlogo, on 11/13/2007, -1/+3what does 2pac got to do with anything
  • jellygraph, on 11/14/2007, -0/+8and all they got was a reprimand... of course...
    • dragonspider, on 11/14/2007, -0/+0ya, no real punisment for violating the rights they supposedly swore to portect
  • hinchb, on 11/14/2007, -0/+10Sadly when the screw up, the taxpayers are the ones that get to pay these settlements. They should really make harsh penalties for cops who randomly arrest people just for photographing them. It's the only way to keep them honest.
  • chr15, on 11/14/2007, -2/+7***** the Police!
    • JonnyTrombone, on 11/13/2007, -6/+1I hope you never need to call the cops.
      • TheCasablancan, on 11/13/2007, -0/+2The one time I called the police was to report an officer who was smoking weed in his car. I don't personally mind if a guy smokes weed at home, but you shouldn't do it while you're at work.
  • biggychong, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7Seattle police are corrupt, and this is nothing new for those of us who have followed the local paper The Stranger's reporting.

    http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Home
  • tman84, on 11/14/2007, -0/+9its funny how most of the west coast is seen as "progressive" yet there are more "police state" violations out there than anywhere else in the country. i guess progress means giving up as many rights as possible to big brother.

    thank god for the ACLU
    • bowens44, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5maybe they're just less likely to be tolerated in more progressive areas.
  • inajeep, on 11/14/2007, -4/+5Did he get his camera back? Does he have those pictures?
  • Kythas, on 11/14/2007, -14/+2From reading this, I'd agree that the cops were in the wrong. However, the guy wasn't charged with anything and was released an hour later.

    The Internal Affairs division sustained the complaint and the cops were reprimanded. This seems appropriate given that the photographer wasn't charged with any crime and was promptly released.

    The cops made the cardinal sin of not writing up an incident report on this. We only know one side of the story here - his and the ACLUs. Without an incident report, the cops have no side to their story. We'll never know what happened to cause them to take the guy into custody.

    As an ex-cop myself I'd have to say from what I read they were definitely in the wrong. But remember - there are always two sides to a story.
    • Lythium, on 11/14/2007, -3/+1Not sure why you're being dugg down, particularly since you did say "from what I read they were definitely in the wrong".... Objectivity is a lost art =(
      • Phrag, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5Oh yes. A former cop would definitely be the most objective source on police breaking the law... He is being dugg down because most people don't feel that reprimanding a cop for doing something that would land other people in court with heavy fines, if not jail, is not appropriate. If cops won't follow the laws, then why would they reasonably expect anyone else to?
    • HigherLogic, on 11/13/2007, -0/+1...and one of the sides is always wrong.
    • Phrag, on 11/14/2007, -0/+4Hmmm, lets see. A cop arrests someone for something they know is not illegal and takes them to prison. If anyone else in the country did this, you know what it would be? False imprisonment. One of two things should happen in my opinion. If the cops really didn't know what they were doing was wrong, then they have no business being police and should be put on unpaid suspension until they can demonstrate that they understand and follow the law. If they knew what they were doing was wrong, then they should be paying punitive damages to the victim personally and then reprimanded professionally.
  • alpha94, on 11/14/2007, -7/+1Headline is false, wasn't jailed.
  • badbilly, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7Kythas,
    Cops simply cannot abuse their authority in order to harass a citizen like this.
    They should've never even taken him in.
    That's the problem- Unchecked and abusive authority have NO PLACE in my country.
    • dragonspider, on 11/14/2007, -0/+0damn straight! those who claim they are here to "protect and serve" should mean us, not their authority!
      this was a good free country!
  • nanboya, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7"When he was released about an hour later, he said, he was told that he could be charged with disturbing the peace, provoking a riot or endangering a police officer." - what a ***** joke. Your tax dollars hard at work...
  • AngryMarge, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5Those cops should have had to mow this guy's lawn for a year just to add humiliation to the settlement. Many cops think they're above the law. They even do it to their own. http://digg.com/offbeat_news/Cop_rapes_his_partner
  • acidbass, on 11/14/2007, -1/+6Ah,
    they were arresting a black man,

    makes sense now.
  • skews13, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1thank god for the aclu.they have my full support.the fact that they go after the powers that be.makes them one of the things that are right about america.in the words of a policeman i heard one time.
    happy hunting
  • heystoopid, on 11/14/2007, -0/+2Power tripping cops suck big time !
  • graham12367, on 11/14/2007, -4/+0Whoopi *****.. 8 grand!
  • morningmatters, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5The problem is that it won't be the cops who will be paying this $8,000, it will be the taxpayers from the city.

    The law should be changed so that it's more difficult to sue cops, but if cops are found guilty of anything then the cops should pay for the punitive damages from their own salaries. Of course, the police union will never allow for anything close to that even if the public think otherwise.
  • utahnkid, on 11/14/2007, -7/+2And you guys are stoked he got that 8 grand? Do you think it came from the money farm in the back of the police station? That came from you and I. Did the police act out of line? Yes. Do you think a monetary punishment that the perpetrating officers AREN'T responsible to pay will teach them ANYTHING? No. Worse injustices have happened. The guy spent an hour in a holding cell, OH NO!!!! How did he survive!!!??? Thank you ACLU! Thank you for choosing your battles wisely and making sure the tax payers in this country get to pay out large sums of money to undeserving individuals! How did we ever get along without you?
  • akatsuki, on 11/14/2007, -0/+2This is pretty terrible, and not just because it didn't actually involve punishment of the officers.

    Settling means no precedent. This means nothing to anyone and no lesson was learned.
  • Jmuduke, on 11/14/2007, -0/+4Didn't you know? Cops can put up surveillance cameras on every street corner and tape you without your consent, but you'd better not take their picture in public! The hypocrisy is staggering. The thing that really pisses me off about these cases or even in worse scenarios where they "accidentally" shoot someone, the cops almost always get paid leave at the most. So what, they violate a citizens civil rights, and they get a paid vacation. Total BS.
  • tman84, on 11/14/2007, -2/+2vote Hillary if you want more cops. Thanks to Bill we have about 100,000 more cops on the street. what does that mean? there's less for them to do, so they need to "find" trouble. somehow Socialism is no longer a dirty word in this country and that's kinda scary
    • acidbass, on 11/14/2007, -2/+2being social or promoting the social interests of a SOCIETY isnt bad,

      and dude,
      You can leave anytime,
      go to the desert and drop out of society, pay for your own schools, roads, water and food and leave society to be goverened by us dirty health care loving socialists.
      • tman84, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1thats not very social of you, telling me to leave. not very liberal or progressive minded at all. but thats what you would expect from free speach hating, anti self defense, please wipe my ass after i take a crap federal government minded individuals. why don't you move to europe where the fruits of your labor are taken away without any say in what that money is used for
        • acidbass, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1Yeah, those europeans and their societies,
          look ,
          you're really dumb, ill try one more time,
          let me put it like this:
          Where on earth exists this place where there is a society of civilized beings whit little to no social programs?

          Did you go to school? well that was my ***** tax money paying for it, thank me.
          Even if you went to private school and were rich and owned a company,
          your employees most likely if not all went to public school

          Have you or anyone you loved ever needed a fire department to put out a fire?

          Have you ever needed the police?

          You people are psychotic and i hope your ideas die with you when you go.
          You shouldnt be allowed to be in a society since you are so against social programs,

          go live in the desert in America, stay in america, but go live in the desert,
          then youll be happy, you live in the middle of no where with barley any taxes, and youll be happy, finally!
  • LeeSoong, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1$8,000?

    he should get more like $800,000 , plus court costs.

    he needed a better lawyer than just the a.c.l.u.
  • dragonspider, on 11/14/2007, -0/+0what would be very effective, is to record them with an iphone then immediately post the vid on youtube. then there is no issue of them stealing your tape, because it is too late!!!
    hahahahaa take THAT pig!
  • dragonspider, on 11/14/2007, -0/+0they can try to use any of their "legal" phrases to try and put a bad mark on you. they want to charge everyone and all dissenters with some "crime". to me, the only crime is harm, and the cops were the criminals in that case! ya, endangering the officer's ability to abuse his power! ***** the ***** pigs!
    Wow, that is really ***** up...it just goes to show, cops should have their sense of authority removed, they are supposed to be public servants, not above the law!
    Blessed be the ACLU! they remind us that we can challenge all authority and it is good to do so!
    That is the problem with their false sense of authority. the hypocrisy is the worst. I hate that there are cameras with police-only access on streets! what is this, Big Brother land? they claim that "if you are doing nothing wrong then why object to cameras?why object to wiretapping?" right back at ya pig!!!
    ~~Pagan and Proud!
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