Some teens in Kentucky were playing Airsoft when Radcliff police with high-powered rifles arrived in response to a call from a concerned neighbor. After verifying it was only a game (Airsoft is similar to paintball and involves realistic-looking guns that shoot non-lethal rounds) one of the officers noticed a GoPro video camera was recording and ordered the teens to turn it off.
The teen was about to comply when 18-year-old Ryan Seaman piped in, telling his friend he was under no legal obligation to do so.
That got him arrested on several charges, including criminal trespass, assisting minors to commit criminal trespass and carrying a concealed deadly weapon, which was nothing but a pocket knife.
Now the local media is asking that same old question the media always ask after these incidents.
Do citizens have the right to record police?
It is a stupid question considering the issue has been settled in numerous court cases over the years, but the media can never come out and say police were in the wrong. Instead, they have to resort to the tired, old “he said, she said” routine to give off the appearance of being objective.
According to WAVE:
“The officers they came out of the trees with their assault rifles and I was right over there,” Anderson recalled.
A GoPro camera was recording, when an officer noticed it he asked them to shut it off.
Seaman, who was next to the camera, told Anderson, “You don’t have to.”
The officer is then heard in the video saying to Seaman, “You want to go to jail friend?”
When Seaman did not give the officer his name, he was arrested.
“It sounds like a possible retaliation by police, retaliation is a strong word, but that’s what it is,” First Amendment expert Attorney Jon Fleischaker said.
Seaman has pleaded not guilty and is now awaiting trial. And the Radcliff Police Department has refused to answer any questions from the news station.
It seems strange that the media is often willing to cast doubt on citizens’ rights under the first amendment of the Constitution when that is what offers journalists the freedom to do their own jobs! The charges the police dreamed up definitely seem to be retaliation for Seaman standing up for his rights.
wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather
Uncut footage from the GoPro is below:
Source: Photography Is Not A Crime
Photo: Photography Is Not A Crime
More gestapo tactics from the Radcliff Police Department. As long as they are not interfering the the performance of their duties, it is legal to record police officers. Then they arrest a kid on trumped up charges because the big bad cops, can’t handle the fact that citizens have rights in this country. The cops need to be reprimanded and thrown in jail for some of their own medicine.
when do we say enough is enough??–suspensions arrests–killings over what??–a stick that looks like a gun a cookie—maybe a piece of plastic that is 200 times smaller than a rifle–called a weapon—enough-this is just ignorance
IT BEGS THE QUESTION? WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE BECOMING POLICE OFFICERS?
Share America!
We have a right to record?
Yessir the issue has been to court many of times. Just like an officer’s dash cam is there to protect him. You are entitled to the same
im sure kids would play with real weapons–hahah–would be the shortest game ever–wtf?
rat$#%&!@* get the meaning
we are getting more toward a police state than most realize. I am so surprised that so many policemen are acting this way when they for one should know the laws. it seems they are more ignorant of the laws and the constitution. they should be made to read and understand the constitution before they are ever allowed to carry a badge.
THEM OFFICERS THAT DONT STAND FOR THE CONSTITUTION NEED TO BE LED OFF TO JAIL
I agree with Mr. Harris. We are becoming a police state and our Constitution is being ignored.