For John, BLUF: A Question for the next time the Superintendent is on the show. Nothing to see here; just move along.
Here is the headline from MassLive:
Chicopee woman faces wiretapping charges after allegedly recording her own arrestHere is the lede:
SPRINGFIELD—A Chicopee woman apparently got a little too loud and belligerent while drinking on Chestnut Street Sunday morning, and refused to cooperate with police when they asked her to quiet down. When she was about to be arrested, police say the woman activated the voice recording feature on her smart phone, hid it in her purse and surreptitiously recorded the entire arrest. Now she faces the unusual charge of unlawful wiretapping.I think Host George Anthes should talk about this on City Life, and not just because he was originally from the Springfield area. Is this the only part of the nation where recording the police is illegal? Probably recording the police is legal and this is the police just trying to intimidate folks. If they are doing it by the book, what do they have to fear?
Hat tip to the Instapundit.
Regards — Cliff
This issue has already made its way through the Federal courts and as I recall, at the appellate level, the right to film and audio record police activity is declared NOT illegal.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, the police today have become a law unto themselves and while you can declare what they do is illegal, they will make that declaration so unpleasant and drawn out that you will never take up the gauntlet again.
I wish I could predict a better outcome for this lady, but given the state of MA jurisprudence today, I think she, like the Pelletiers, is just screwed.
As the old saying goes, you can't fight City Hall.....and don't even contemplate it. You will NEVER win.