One of the primary responsibilities that police officers have is to serve as watchmen, keeping the state safe from any dangerous illegal activity while promoting public safety. However, both the public and Michigan criminal defense lawyers must ask the ultimate question: if law enforcement officials are watching us, then who is keeping an eye on them?
In recent weeks, several news media sources have published recorded videos and images of unnecessary police brutality occurring during routine arrests and raids. Using cellular phones to capture the brutal incidents, concerned citizens hope to bring attention to the behavior of police during in these situations and how it is not always appropriate.
However, many attempts to capture such incidents have been thwarted by law enforcement officials who are concerned with losing their jobs over the footage. Nationwide, numerous innocent people have been arrested for taping and publishing media highlighting police activity. According to an Examiner editorial, a perfect illustration of this occurred just this past weekend, where a woman was arrested by officers for recording on her cell phone while deputies were responding to a noise complaint.
Missionaries Land In Hot Water For Videotaping Police Activity
An example of this contradiction has also been seen in Michigan as well. While handing out copies of the New Testament at the Dearborn Arab International Festival, police arrested the missionaries distributing them within minutes of arriving on site. Even though the right to peaceful protest and freedom of speech is protected by the Constitution, officers still took them into custody on Michigan criminal charges because they were videotaping police activity on a small camera.
Another recent example: concerned citizen Anthony Garber videotaped a state trooper drawing his firearm during a routine traffic stop. After posting this footage to YouTube, the response from law enforcement officials was almost immediate. Police raided his home, and Garber was arrested and jailed for violating a wiretapping law. This statute is generally intended to protect deputies from dangerous threats and persons–does a person with a cell phone video camera count?
Even though police use a variety of security cameras to monitor the public, as seen in the aforementioned cases, they do not believe the people should monitor them. Even though the contradiction is blatantly apparent, it is still possible to face life-changing consequences for such an arrest. For example, if Anthony Garber is convicted of the crime he is accused of, he could face five years in jail. Because the punishment for such a crime is severe, it is important that an accused individual pro-actively seek the best legal defense for your case. Acting quickly to contact hard-working and dedicated Michigan criminal defense attorneys can ensure that you receive superior legal advice and representation, designed to protect your personal rights and freedoms from unfair persecution.