ABC reporter arrested in Denver (page 2)

undercover

It's not quite 1968 yet still amazing that some people didn't learn anything from that fiasco...

BurnTheShips

They told me that if George Bush were re-elected, news crews would be arrested for photographing fat-cat political donors.

And they were right!

Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic Senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown's Palace Hotel. Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker, who works with the ABC News investigative unit.

You can't make this stuff up.

BTS

thats the greatest thing that ever happened to that reporter. he is no doubt thrilled to death that he was arrested on camera. how many times was he asked to leave the area before they arrested him? did he come back after being moved to the other side of the street?

a citizen can use public property as they see fit, as long as it doesnt interfere with other people. if enough people complained to hotel management about being photographed when they really didnt want to be, for whatever reason, then the hotel management had a right to complain to the police about him. and if the reporter repeatedly ignored the officers orders to stop what other people felt was an intrusive act on his part, well, there you go i guess.

we need to see all the footage, i think.

Satanus

Betamale

Thanks for bringing in an additional thought.

S

BurnTheShips

This looks like part of a pattern to me:

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Protesters_denied_access_to_attorneys_forced_0828.html

Protesters denied access to attorneys, forced to march in leg shackles, ACLU charges
John ByrnePublished: Thursday August 28, 2008

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In the letter, obtained by RAW STORY, the ACLU revealed that the police refused those arrested access to attorneys. Police did not let detainees use phones unless they posted their own bonds, and even failed to provide shoes, in one case marching a protester into court in bare feet and leg shackles, according the ACLU.

What's more, police are said to have tricked protesters into pleading guilty, by giving them the impression they had to plead guilty in order to post bond. This meant that no one was allowed to make a phone call unless they plead guilty, thus making it impossible for arrestees to even call a lawyer until admitting guilt.

Most ominously, the ACLU letter claims that protesters were told they would be "facing 'years' in jail for a conviction of a single particular charge."

"In fact, all the charges were municipal court violations that do not carry such penalties," the ACLU added in a footnote.

Charges for arrestees were issued on pre-printed forms, where police were told to "cross out" charges that they were not facing. In many cases, police failed to cross out inappropriate charges, and so the detainee would be charged with "begging, loitering and throwing stones and missiles," the ACLU said.

Nor were protesters even given the chance to back down before they were arrested.

"It is not clear whether any order to disperse was given. No Legal Observer [sic], witness or arrestee on the scene we've debriefed heard any order to disperse," wrote Taylor Pendergrass, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Colorado. "Numerous persons, including Legal Observers, asked to be able to leave the blockaded area and were refused."

"After the arrests, attorneys from the People's Law Project and the ACLU arrived at the [Temporary Arrestee Processing Site to conduct confidential attorney-client consultations," Pendergrass continued. "The City refused to provide any access to allow these persons to meet with attorneys."

Perhaps the most outrageous charge, however, is that one protester was forced to march barefoot into court in leg shackles.

"Arrestees were kept barefoot at [the detention center]," Pendergrass wrote. "I personally saw one such arrestee later at the City and County Building. I saw her marched from the elevator to the courtroom in bare feet and leg shackles. I saw her appear in bare feet and leg shackles."

"Some arrestees who could not make their own bond spent 6, 7, 8, or more hours waiting at TAPS before being transferred to court," he added.

Pendergrass also elaborates on the detainees being kept from being able to talk to a lawyer. The only opportunity lawyers had to speak with those arrested was in front of the jury gallery or in open court in front of the judge.

"The only access we were given to those clients was to whisper," he wrote.

Among the seemingly more minor complaints, Pendergrass also notes that many detainees weren't able to eat because they were vegetarian or vegan and the city mostly provided meat-based food.

In addition, he said that the city was well aware that the ACLU and other groups had arranged for attorneys to be present. "Attorneys were at the court from 11 pm on the night of Aug. 25, 2008 and were staying until each and every arrestee came to the City and County Building."

In conclusion, the ACLU demands the City permit attorney access at the detention facility; provide blankets, shoes and slippers; allow phone calls immediately upon entering the facility; permit detainees to use restrooms individually and privately; and permit confidential attorney-client consultations in the City and County Building.

Last week, New York City agreed to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit claiming 52 Iraq war activists were unjustly arrested.

The activists were arrested in April 2003 outside the Manhattan offices of a military contractor, the Carlyle Group.

Lawyers for the activists charged that the tactics used by police at the demonstration were similar to those used a year later when hundreds of activists were arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden.

The city of New York and police department faced backlash after the convention, with critics claiming the aggressive response showed a blatant disregard for the demonstrators' civil rights.

PDF OF FULL ACLU LETTER CAN BE READ AT THIS LINK

knock knock

I agree with Beta Male. The reporter is telling the cop to "hold on" as the clip starts. How many times was he told to move on first. The video is inconclusive as is. "Don't taze me bro'."

White Dove

What about right to free press?

Public sidewalk.

Paparazzi-like photo journalist.

No harm done by camera shutter umm...shutting.

Cop orders person not disturbing the peace (physically or noise) to get off that public piece of concrete.

I don't know what the law is about paparazzi.

james_woods

I'd just say this cop is going automatically the second most disgraced U.S. cop for quite a while now.

He just bumped the guy in Georgia that made the BigFoot out of a halloween Gorilla Suit.

He may be closing in on the Chicago cop that killed two succesive (ex)wives, but that is some big feet to follow. Literally.

Rooster

These police officers were just protecting the public. A passer by could get an eye put out from that mic. They were obstructing the entrance to the hotel!

Further a murder/robbery was happening across town that went unsolved.

Beta Male

well, um, youre welcome i guess, satanus.?

ABC reporter arrested in Denver

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