Re: Boston police fight cellphone recordings

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Timothy Lyons <lyons () geekcq com>
Date: January 13, 2010 11:24:12 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] re Boston police fight cellphone recordings

Dave,

In response to Abe's comment, the defendants were concealing the recording device in all cases I've seen referenced as 
successfully prosecuted. The MA SJC even seems to rely heavily on the secrecy component in their 2001 Hyde ruling which 
would indicate that public recordings made openly in public places; however, I personally agree with Chief Justice 
Marshall - who dissented. "Citizens have a particularly important role to play when the official conduct at issue is 
that of the police,'' Marshall wrote. "Their role cannot be performed if citizens must fear criminal reprisals when 
they seek to hold government officials responsible by recording, secretly recording on occasion, an interaction between 
a citizen and a police officer.'' 

If in a public place, especially if a public servant or official is acting in their official capacity, there should be 
no restriction on recording of actions.  Besides, since the professionals have nothing to hide, they should have 
nothing to fear...  Isn't that what they tell us about traffic light cameras, speed traps, "homeland security" 
surveillance cameras, etc? 

As an interesting side-note to this thread, California police are have started to outfit thier officers with headcams 
to record "citizen interactions," and a significant number of Police departments nationwide already use in-car video 
with mobile audio transmitter so it would seem audio/video surveillance is only considered acceptable when leveraged 
against citizens.

--Tim
Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/29/taser_axon_headcams/

California cops don defensive headcams
Robocops on the prowl in Silicon Valley

A California police department is testing a high-tech defense against one of the most pernicious weapons used against 
them in recent years: the video camera.

Ever since Rodney King was famously videotaped (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROn_9302UHg) receiving what many saw as 
an over-the-top thrashing by Los Angeles lawmen back in 1991, video footage of alleged police misconduct has time and 
time again come back to haunt overzealous boys in blue.





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