Man Points Smartphone Camera at Cop, Gets Arrested for Brandishing “Weapon”

The San Diego Police Department is in hot water with photographers and First Amendment rights advocates everywhere this week over the way two of their officers handled a situation this last Saturday.

The story and the video that goes with it — which went viral after being shared by the website Photography is Not a Crime — shows one of the officers violently arresting a man for exercising his right to record the officer during the course of his duties.

Adam Pringle and two of his friends were walking down a Mission Beach boardwalk when two bicycle officers stopped to write Pringle a citation for smoking. Everything was ok until Pringle got out his Samsung Galaxy and began recording the officer.

After telling Pringle to put away his phone several times, to which Pringle replied several times that he had a right to record, officer M. Reinhold slapped the phone out of Pringle’s hand, slammed him onto the ground, and proceeded to arrest him. Pringle was bleeding so badly afterwards that an ambulance had to be called.

The officer’s only justification for his actions was when he told Pringle that “Phones can be converted into weapons … look it up online.” Cell phone guns, which were originally the subject of an email/video that began circulating in the early 2000′s, are in fact real.

However, it has been almost a decade since the devices were in the public eye, and even then a customs spokesperson is quoted on Snopes as saying that “there’s no indication that these are being mass produced.” It’s fairly obvious the officer was using the infamous cell phone gun as an excuse to stop Pringle from recording him.

Pringle and Photography is Not a Crime have both reached out to the internet for support in this matter, sharing the story/video and asking people to send San Diego Mayor Bob Filner emails voicing their opinions. So far, at least one major organization has come to Pringle’s support.

Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), has sent the mayor the following e-mail:

Dear Mayor,

As the general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) I have been in contact with you police department in an ongoing attempt to help improve police relations and avoid the type of incident that occurred yesterday. See: http://www.photographyisnotacrime.com/2013/04/09/san-diego-police-attack-and-arrest-man-video-recording-them-claiming-phone-could-be-a-weapon/

I spoke at the annual meeting of the IACP held in your city last September regarding the First Amendment rights of the press and public to photograph and record. Apparently more is needed. As I have done training with other police departments around the country I renew my offer to help yours.

Please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Very truly yours,

Mickey H. Osterreicher

General Counsel

National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)

Pringle wound up spending the night in jail and is set to appear in court on May 23rd to answer to charges of obstruction.

Springfield, Illinois: A woman eight months pregnant

Springfield, Illinois: A woman eight months pregnant was tased by police after she reported a car accident in a parking lot. The incident was captured on cell phone video. ow.ly/jI0WL

A resident was awarded $25,000 after she filed a civil lawsuit

Salisbury, North Carolina: A resident was awarded $25,000 after she filed a civil lawsuit against the city. She said she was manhandled and arrested by a police officer after she shot video of a traffic stop and high speed chase that happened in front of her house.

weasel cop caught on film

Port Authority Cop Charged With Rocking Out While on Disability

Christopher Inserra, a Port Authority cop, has been arrested and charged with fraud after collecting $31,486.66 in disability for nearly two years while claiming an arm injury. At the same time, according to investigators, YouTube videos and photos of his hard rock band Cousin Sleaze, show Inserra "repeatedly clutching a microphone during his singing performances; constantly and repeatedly jumping up and down; and flailing both of his arms in a rapid back and forth fashion." Adrenaline, man.

The police chief responded to allegations

Omaha, Nebraska: The police chief responded to allegations cops used excessive force during two arrests that were recorded and posted to YouTube. “I will get to the bottom of this. There is an internal investigation in full swing and the investigation will be conducted thoroughly, fairly, and as swiftly as possible.” ow.ly/jtyr9

Mom plans police misconduct filing in sons' videotaped arrests

Nearly 50 supporters chanting “No justice, no peace,” accompanied Sharee Johnson into Omaha Police Headquarters on Sunday afternoon as she obtained a form to report cop misconduct.

Johnson is alleging police brutality in the arrests of her sons Octavious Johnson, 28, Juaquez Johnson, 23, and Demetrius Johnson, 22, on Thursday near 33rd and Seward Streets.

She said she already has been interviewed by detectives from the internal affairs unit, and they advised her to file a formal complaint.

“We need real change in the Police Department,” Johnson told supporters outside the headquarters.

“I want you to have an encounter with police where you feel like justice is served. I want you to have an encounter that does not look like you might die.”

Sharee Johnson and members of the Omaha Justice Alliance said they were outraged by a video of the arrests taken by a neighbor and posted on YouTube. The video shows Octavious Johnson being taken down, handcuffed and apparently punched three times by an cop.

Cops can be heard on the video yelling at Juaquez Johnson, who was on the sidewalk videotaping the incident.

Police say Octavious Johnson became combative after his car screeched to a halt in front of cops who were investigating cars with expired license plates that were parked on the street. After Juaquez Johnson went inside a nearby house, several cops raced after him and placed him under arrest on suspicion of obstruction.

Sharon Johnson, the men's aunt, told The World-Herald that police told Juaquez Johnson to stop videotaping the incident. He ran inside the house to get away from them, and police followed to get the video, she said.

Demetrius Johnson was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police and having an outstanding warrant.

Sam Walker, professor emeritus of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, was among those gathered at Omaha Police Headquarters on Sunday.

He told the crowd that he emailed the video of the incident to a unit at the U.S. Justice Department that investigates police departments.

“They very quickly acknowledged they had received it, and I got a strong sense that it has already been looked at,” Walker said. “I am optimistic because I got such a quick response.”

Walker said what happened Thursday was a microcosm of problems within the Police Department. It was “a small incident that quickly escalated out of control” because of a lack of supervision, Walker said.

Willie Hamilton of the NAACP and Black Men United encouraged the crowd to engage city leaders and to demand changes in the department.

Hamilton also said he was thrilled by the turnout on a cold and windy day. “I'm really pleased with this diverse group of individuals here,” Hamilton said. “This is bigger than a north Omaha problem. There are people here from all over.”

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer promised during a press conference Saturday to oversee a thorough investigation of the allegations of brutality and intimidation.

Three cops, whose names have not been released, have been reassigned until the probe is concluded.

Trial date set for former HPD officers charged in videotaped beating of teenage burglar

HOUSTON—A trial date has been set for three former Houston Police Department officers who are charged in the videotaped beating of a 15-year-old burglar.

Phil Bryan, Raad Hassan and Drew Ryser are due in court on April 29. A judge denied a previous request for a venue change.

The three men were among six HPD officers who were captured on surveillance cameras in March of 2010 arresting Holley. After Holley jumped over the hood of a police car, he fell to the ground and put his hands behind his head. Several officers pounced on Holley and proceeded to kick and hit him both before and after he was handcuffed.

Once released, the now infamous surveillance video caused a firestorm of controversy.

Civil rights leaders and Holley supporters rallied and protested for justice. The incident also resulted in the firing of seven officers, four of whom were charged.

Ex-officer Andrew Blomberg was the first to stand trial for misdemeanor official oppression. His defense attorney, Dick DeGuerin, told the jury during opening statements that Blomberg was a “hero” who was simply trying to help restrain a burglar who was resisting arrest. A jury in May of 2012 acquitted Blomberg of the charges.

Two of the Houston police officers who were fired, Lewis Childress and Guadencio Saucedo, regained their jobs through appeals. Neither was charged.

Holley was convicted of burglary in juvenile court and put on probation for the 2010 case. He was arrested again in June 2012 for allegedly burglarizing another home with three of his friends.

The teen pleaded guilty for that offense on January 9, 2013 and his sentencing date was set for March 14. But when he arrived at the Harris County courthouse to hear his judgment, he was taken into custody for an outstanding warrant.