Man arrested for taking photos of cop arresting someone

[Lethal]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/9574663/detail.html

A Philadelphia family said they are outraged over the arrest of one of their family members.

The family of Neftaly Cruz said police had no right to come onto their property and arrest their 21-year-old son simply because he was using his cell phone's camera. They told their story to Harry Hairston and the NBC 10 Investigators.

"I was humiliated. I was embarrassed, you know," Cruz said.

Cruz, 21, told the NBC 10 Investigators that police arrested him last Wednesday for taking a picture of police activity with his cell phone.

Police at the 35th district said they were in Cruz's neighborhood that night arresting a drug dealer.

Cruz said that when he heard a commotion, he walked out of his back door with his cell phone to see what was happening. He said that when he saw the street lined with police cars, he decided to take a picture of the scene.

"I opened (the phone) and took a shot," Cruz said.

Moments later, Cruz said he got the shock of his life when an officer came to his back yard gate.

"He opened the gate and took me by my right hand," Cruz said.

Cruz said the officer threw him onto a police car, cuffed him and took him to jail.

A neighbor said she witnessed the incident and could not believe what she saw.

"He opened up the gate and Neffy was coming down and he went up to Neffy, pulled him down, had Neffy on the car and was telling him, 'You should have just went in the house and minded your own business instead of trying to take pictures off your picture phone,'" said Gerrell Martin.

Cruz said police told him that he broke a new law that prohibits people from taking pictures of police with cell phones.

"They threatened to charge me with conspiracy, impeding an investigation, obstruction of a investigation. … They said, 'You were impeding this investigation.' (I asked,) "By doing what?' (The officer said,) 'By taking a picture of the police officers with a camera phone,'" Cruz said.

Cruz's parents, who got him out of jail, said police told them the same thing.

"He said he was taking pictures with his cell phone and that was obstructing an investigation," said Aracelis Cruz, Neftaly Cruz's mother.

The NBC 10 Investigators asked the ACLU union how they viewed the incident.

"There is no law that prevents people from taking pictures of what anybody can see on the street," said Larry Frankel of the American Civil Liberties Union. "I think it's rather scary that in this country you could actually be taken down to police headquarters for taking a picture on your cell phone of activities that are clearly visible on the street."

Frankel said Cruz's civil rights might have been violated.

"He was unlawfully seized, which is a violation of the 4th amendment the last time we checked," Frankel said.

Cruz, a Penn State University senior, said that after about an hour police told him he was lucky because there was no supervisor on duty, so they released him.

"They said if the supervisor was there I wouldn't be a free man and that he is letting me go because he felt that I was a good person," Cruz said.

Police told Hairston that they did take Cruz into to custody, but they said Cruz was not on his property when they arrested him. Police also denied that they told Cruze he was breaking the law with his cell phone. Cruz's famly said it has filed a formal complaint with the police department's Internal Affairs division and are requesting a complete investigation

 

[Karma]

proof positive that this country is FULL of corrupt, power mad, trigger happy pigs...aka police officers.

and as for their denials? like police departments don't LIE? i live in a metropolitan area with one of the few police departments that has been FEDERALLY scrutinized for the misconduct its officers has exhibited against the citizens of the city (detroit) and they have been slapped with many a lawsuit because of it.

if this kid was "impeding an investigation by taking one little picture from his own property (which a neighbor clearly saw) then why arent people who video tape police activity (like the person who captured the sickening footage of Rodney King's assault) taken into custody?

 

[Foxfire]

Wow, I agree with Farrah on that. That's insane, arresting someone for that and than trying to bully him. That police department is in for a lawsuit there, especially violating the forth amendment.

 

[Persephone]

Damn that IS insane. Last time I checked you can take pictures of anything you like while an event and/or situation is taking place on public property. That's so ridiculous. Look at the TV show COPS, that's been around since when? The late 80's? They freakin' document arrests, yet some 21 year old college kid can't take a picture on his camera phone of police cars out in front of his house. How idiotic.

 

[Nackereia]

Damn that IS insane. Last time I checked you can take pictures of anything you like while an event and/or situation is taking place on public property. That's so ridiculous. Look at the TV show COPS, that's been around since when? The late 80's? They freakin' document arrests, yet some 21 year old college kid can't take a picture on his camera phone of police cars out in front of his house. How idiotic.

Actually, Cops is another not!reality show. I'm pretty sure it's all staged, you know, over dramatized for TV. Otherwise, it's just not that entertaining, you know?

 

[Rampage]

Ther are so many violations that it is ridiculous. There was no expectation of privacy for the police in that situation. It was out in public. I hope he pays off his college loans and gets a freakin house, car, and trophy wife off their stupid asses.
Speaking of corrupt cops, is it me or is it true that about half of the racists, jerks, assholes, and misfits that go to an average high school end up as cops? Wassup with that??!!!