Man Faces Up To 16 Years In Prison For Videotaping The Police »

azspot:

The ACLU of Maryland is defending Anthony Graber, who potentially faces sixteen years in prison if found guilty of violating state wiretap laws because he recorded video of an officer drawing a gun during a traffic stop.  In a trend that we’ve seen across the country, police have become  increasingly hostile to bystanders recording their actions.  You can read some examples here, here and here.

However, the scale of the Maryland State Police reaction to Anthony Graber’s video is unprecedented.  Once they learned of the video on YouTube, Graber’s parents house was raided, searched, and four of his computers were confiscated.  Graber was arrested, booked and jailed.  Their actions are a calculated method of intimidation.  Another person has since been similarly charged under the same statute.

The wiretap law being used to charge Anthony Graber is intended to protect private communication between two parties.  According to David Rocah, the ACLU attorney handling Mr. Graber’s case, “To charge Graber with violating the law, you would have to conclude that a police officer on a public road, wearing a badge and a uniform, performing his official duty, pulling someone over, somehow has a right to privacy when it comes to the conversation he has with the motorist.”

(via digby)

the balls of these cops, man. 

8.02.10.

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  1. vivalatiffanyyy reblogged this from unhealthyaffiliate
  2. femfeminity reblogged this from allyourragingglory and added:
    I saw this on the news and got super pissed. I’m respectful of police officers and I don’t think they all suck, but...
  3. allyourragingglory reblogged this from whitedrunkgirls
  4. egadsitskenna reblogged this from azspot
  5. calloutgouranga reblogged this from azspot and added:
    The ACLU of Maryland is defending Anthony Graber, who potentially faces sixteen years in prison if found guilty of...
  6. the-cyclopes-are-watching reblogged this from azspot
  7. marauderfang4931 reblogged this from earlyfrost
  8. randomblink reblogged this from skyghe and added:
    Can anyone say ‘Police State?’ We used to have a crime problem… now we have a Police problem…
  9. birdwise reblogged this from becoming-wave
  10. sheetstothewind reblogged this from postmodernista
  11. meghanreed reblogged this from azspot
  12. thepete reblogged this from website666 and added:
    I posted this over on website666com:...I should post my pics of police in NYC. I see them...
  13. website666 reblogged this from azspot and added:
    This is obviously not a free country if any citizen is arrested for video recording the actions of the police, whether...
  14. earlyfrost reblogged this from azspot
  15. jjarichardson reblogged this from jasencomstock
  16. continuum reblogged this from azspot
  17. drwh0 reblogged this from azspot and added:
    Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (“This is a phrase from the Roman poet Juvenal, which is literally translated as “Who...
  18. alwaysswimatnight reblogged this from azspot
  19. goddess-queen reblogged this from azspot and added:
    The ACLU of Maryland is defending Anthony Graber, who potentially faces sixteen years in prison if found guilty of...
  20. completelybackasswards reblogged this from itsjustallkindsofbullshit
  21. itsjustallkindsofbullshit reblogged this from azspot
  22. aeght reblogged this from azspot
  23. ions-anions-and-cations reblogged this from azspot and added:
    This a bit extreme. 16 years?
  24. camodjembe reblogged this from azspot and added:
    The fact that the state is even continuing to press these charges is disgusting. Fuck whatever loophole that got the cop...
  25. uneven reblogged this from azspot and added:
    lol, sounds like something that would happen in brazil
  26. newdaysahead reblogged this from azspot
  27. pavlovsstepson reblogged this from azspot
  28. sarahciraptor reblogged this from azspot and added:
    I hate the fucking police, man.
  29. coffeeatmidnight reblogged this from azspot and added:
    the balls of these cops, man.
  30. immalaysiansoisaylah reblogged this from azspot
  31. hayutherrre reblogged this from azspot
  32. kairoschronos reblogged this from azspot
  33. shaalif-ali reblogged this from azspot
  34. hellocheney reblogged this from notemily