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Arrested For Obstruction; Filming My Police Stop
The following was submitted by Andrew Ogiba.
While driving back home from school, when in Mcrae, Georgia, two police officers pulled me over. One of them cited me for loud music coming from my vehicle. I tried to ask the officer questions about how he concluded me to be in violation of the statute, but he was very unresponsive.
After citing me then walking back to his vehicle, I pointed my camera at him and said into it, “he refused to answer any of my questions.” At this point he came back and asked what I said. I told him, then he said I was free to go. He then said “If you will, please exit this private parking lot.” I said, “Okay.” He walked back to his vehicle and I again pointed the camera at him and said that he didn’t answer any of my questions. He then said, “Please leave the parking lot.” My response was, “I’m in the process.” (You could hear me click my seat belt and I put the key in at that time). He stood right next to my car, and I asked him his name. He failed to identify himself.
I went on to ask if the parking lot is open to the public; he said it was the church’s and to leave again. I said, “Aren’t we allowed to be here?” Then, he asked me to step out of the car. We went back and fourth and I asked what crime I had committed. He finally put me in handcuffs and told me he was going to lock me up for obstruction. In the backseat of his vehicle, I heard him say “Can we arrest him for this?” The other one said, “He didn’t move his vehicle.”
I was taken to jail and charged with the loud music violation and obstruction. The officer gave me an attitude and his tone was pretty optimistic as to why he arrested me. In the end: 498$ bail, 150$ impound charge, 2 and a half hours in jail.
Video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzim7eKJ6S4
The only reason I can conclude the officer asked me to leave the parking lot is because I was exercising my first amendment right to freely discuss governmental activities. Georgia does not have simple trespass laws, only criminal trespass – in any case I was not arrested for trespassing and the owner of the property never put me on notice to leave.
Arrested For Obstruction; Filming My Police Stop is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights
2012-11-27 23:03:21
Source: http://www.copblock.org/24141/arrest-for-obstruction-filming-my-police-stop/
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