Videotaping the Police

classicman · 07-20-2010, 10:39 AM

Nice ride till the end ...

Quote:

That Anthony Graber broke the law in early March is indisputable. He raced his Honda motorcycle down Interstate 95 in Maryland at 80 mph, popping a wheelie, roaring past cars and swerving across traffic lanes.
But it wasn't his daredevil stunt that has the 25-year-old staff sergeant for the Maryland Air National Guard facing the possibility of 16 years in prison. For that, he was issued a speeding ticket. It was the video that Graber posted on YouTube one week later -- taken with his helmet camera -- of a plainclothes state trooper cutting him off and drawing a gun during the traffic stop near Baltimore.

In early April, state police officers raided Graber's parents' home in Abingdon, Md. They confiscated his camera, computers and external hard drives. Graber was indicted for allegedly violating state wiretap laws by recording the trooper without his consent.
Arrests such as Graber's are becoming more common along with the proliferation of portable video cameras and cell-phone recorders. Videos of alleged police misconduct have become hot items on the Internet. YouTube still features Graber's encounter along with numerous other witness videos. "The message is clearly, 'Don't criticize the police,'" said David Rocah, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland who is part of Graber's defense team. "With these charges, anyone who would even think to record the police is now justifiably in fear that they will also be criminally charged."

Link

16 years for what???????

squirell nutkin · 07-20-2010, 11:06 AM

I don't see how the police or anyone else has "A reasonable expectation of privacy" when in a public place.

Seems like strong-arm tactics. This guy's helmet cam is a much different thing than some dude with a camera getting in the way of police doing their job and "Causing confusion and delay." To borrow a phrase.

classicman · 07-20-2010, 11:09 AM

Yeh - I don't think the officer did anything wrong either. The guy was backing up his cycle - perhaps trying to flee or run over the cop...

I just don't get it at all.

Lamplighter · 07-20-2010, 11:54 AM

Given only the info in the video...

An unmarked gray car stops in front of me. Some guy gets out, pulls a gun and yells something at me to get off the motorcycle and comes all the way and puts his hand on the gas tank before saying anything about "State Police"... no uniform and did not show any badge or credentials.

I would fear for my life.

Seems to me the "officer" did quite a few things wrong.

dmg1969 · 07-20-2010, 01:16 PM

Seriously, you want to play Evel Knievel, take it to a race track. Every time I see one doing shit like that, I hope to see them lay it down (and not get injured, of course).

I have a term for them...future organ donors.

I see nothing wrong with what the cop did.

Happy Monkey · 07-20-2010, 01:45 PM

The wrong thing the cops are doing is charging him with wiretapping.

glatt · 07-20-2010, 02:02 PM

A cop isn't a cop until they identify themselves to you. If they are wearing a uniform or a badge, they are a cop the instant you see them. If a plainclothes cop waives a gun around for a few seconds before identifying themselves, they are risking being shot by a law abiding person in fear for their lives. Cop would have been wise to identify himself with the first words out of his mouth. But he did nothing wrong by waiting a couple seconds. All he did was put his own life at risk.

Motorcycle dude did not break the law when he recorded the audio of the cop without his permission. It wasn't a private conversation. The cop was acting in his official capacity. The Maryland law was passed in order to protect private conversations between citizens. Not to protect police from embarrassment.

If the cop, Maryland State Trooper Joseph D. Uhler, is behind these charges, then we can only conclude that he has a small penis. This is especially true since we saw him pull a gun on someone when there was no weapon visible.

The prosecutor who is pushing for putting a National Guard staff sergeant in prison for 16 years for this is the true villain. State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly is a first rate prick. Remember his name. If you live in MD and he is ever up for election, vote against him.

classicman · 07-20-2010, 03:52 PM

Dayum! Look at glatt go! Easy there big guy.

spudcon · 07-20-2010, 04:03 PM

In case you guys didn't notice, it wasn't just 82 MPH, it was also 127 MPH. At those speeds, motorcycle is definitely a deadly weapon. Trooper should have flashed his badge before flashing his gun, however.
As for wire tap, trooper cars have dash cams, why isn't the ACLU protesting those?

Happy Monkey · 07-20-2010, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudcon

As for wire tap, trooper cars have dash cams, why isn't the ACLU protesting those?

I don't think you thought that one through.

The motorcycle driver is being prosecuted for, essentially, having a dash cam. The ACLU is defending him.

Lamplighter · 07-20-2010, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudcon

In case you guys didn't notice, it wasn't just 82 MPH, it was also 127 MPH. At those speeds, motorcycle is definitely a deadly weapon. Trooper should have flashed his badge before flashing his gun, however.
As for wire tap, trooper cars have dash cams, why isn't the ACLU protesting those?

Here is a partial quote from this link:

"Dashboard videocams

Complicating the issue: Maryland state troopers record traffic stops themselves, using dashboard cameras that were installed in all patrol cars as a result of a 2003 settlement with the state ACLU over racial profiling."

Happy Monkey · 07-20-2010, 04:26 PM

A cop needs a warrant to wiretap. If a dash cam is wiretapping, I wonder if they'd like to have to get a warrant every time they left the parking lot.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-20-2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudcon

Trooper should have flashed his badge before flashing his gun, however.

I agree, the badge should has been the very first thing. Saying, "State Police" doesn't mean jack shit without a badge.

lookout123 · 07-20-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

If the cop, Maryland State Trooper Joseph D. Uhler, has a small penis. This is especially true since we saw him pull a gun on someone when there was no weapon visible.

The prosecutor who is pushing for putting a National Guard staff sergeant in prison for 16 years for this is the true villain. State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly is a first rate prick.

This deserves repeating. Joseph D Uhler... small penis, got it. Joseph Cassilly... first rate prick, got it. Glatt rocks.

Getgo · 07-21-2010, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I agree, the badge should has been the very first thing. Saying, "State Police" doesn't mean jack shit without a badge.

Agreed. Anybody could yell out, "State Police!", but the badge is real proof. 16 years seems like overboard to me.

07-20-2010, 11:06 AM	#2
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	I don't see how the police or anyone else has "A reasonable expectation of privacy" when in a public place. Seems like strong-arm tactics. This guy's helmet cam is a much different thing than some dude with a camera getting in the way of police doing their job and "Causing confusion and delay." To borrow a phrase. __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

07-20-2010, 11:09 AM	#3
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Yeh - I don't think the officer did anything wrong either. The guy was backing up his cycle - perhaps trying to flee or run over the cop... I just don't get it at all. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

07-20-2010, 01:16 PM	#5
dmg1969 I got nothing Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 486	Seriously, you want to play Evel Knievel, take it to a race track. Every time I see one doing shit like that, I hope to see them lay it down (and not get injured, of course). I have a term for them...future organ donors. I see nothing wrong with what the cop did. __________________ Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

07-20-2010, 01:45 PM	#6
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	The wrong thing the cops are doing is charging him with wiretapping. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

07-20-2010, 03:52 PM	#8
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Dayum! Look at glatt go! Easy there big guy. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

07-20-2010, 11:54 AM	#4
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	Given only the info in the video... An unmarked gray car stops in front of me. Some guy gets out, pulls a gun and yells something at me to get off the motorcycle and comes all the way and puts his hand on the gas tank before saying anything about "State Police"... no uniform and did not show any badge or credentials. I would fear for my life. Seems to me the "officer" did quite a few things wrong.

07-20-2010, 02:02 PM	#7
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	A cop isn't a cop until they identify themselves to you. If they are wearing a uniform or a badge, they are a cop the instant you see them. If a plainclothes cop waives a gun around for a few seconds before identifying themselves, they are risking being shot by a law abiding person in fear for their lives. Cop would have been wise to identify himself with the first words out of his mouth. But he did nothing wrong by waiting a couple seconds. All he did was put his own life at risk. Motorcycle dude did not break the law when he recorded the audio of the cop without his permission. It wasn't a private conversation. The cop was acting in his official capacity. The Maryland law was passed in order to protect private conversations between citizens. Not to protect police from embarrassment. If the cop, Maryland State Trooper Joseph D. Uhler, is behind these charges, then we can only conclude that he has a small penis. This is especially true since we saw him pull a gun on someone when there was no weapon visible. The prosecutor who is pushing for putting a National Guard staff sergeant in prison for 16 years for this is the true villain. State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly is a first rate prick. Remember his name. If you live in MD and he is ever up for election, vote against him.

07-20-2010, 04:03 PM	#9
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	In case you guys didn't notice, it wasn't just 82 MPH, it was also 127 MPH. At those speeds, motorcycle is definitely a deadly weapon. Trooper should have flashed his badge before flashing his gun, however. As for wire tap, trooper cars have dash cams, why isn't the ACLU protesting those? __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

07-20-2010, 04:26 PM	#12
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	A cop needs a warrant to wiretap. If a dash cam is wiretapping, I wonder if they'd like to have to get a warrant every time they left the parking lot. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

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