Federal Appeals Court holds that citizens can record police freely.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Da link:
http://www.universalhub.com/2011/court-says-state-law-banning-recording-police-offi
There are some restrictions like this only applies when said public officials are on duty, so you can't just take a camera and record your favorite cop in his house.

Nevertheless, excellent ruling. 99% chance it would be held up by SCOTUS if it got sent there and now citizens have all the tools they need to reverse the tide of police brutality and corruption.

Full decision here: http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/pdf.opinions/10-1764P-01A.pdf

QUICK EDIT: I see the ACLU was active in this case. Tell me again why all my right leaning friends hate the ACLU with a passion? Just because they skip over the 2nd amendment doesn't mean that they are not fighting for you all of the time.

[Major Robert Dump]

Out-effin-standing. This was seriously one of the few laws in this country that really, really bothered me deep down in my gut because it seemed so utterly contradictory, so utterly unconstitutional and so donwright unwise from the perspective of law and order. Not being able to record a government employee whose word is tantamount to law doing his/her public duty was appalling.

I'm sure dirty cops will be upset, as well as the NFOP

[ICantSpellDawg]

Wahooooo! I can't wait to irritate POs. It was infuriating that people were being arrested for doing this

[Banquo's Ghost]

If only the United Kingdom had a constitution like yours. You can still get arrested for filming the police or even a public building, and even though Parliament has clarified the law to discourage wanton application by bored coppers, the aforesaid coppers have no qualms about forcing you to justify their actions in court having smashed your camera.

[drone]

Excellent decision. Lesson #1 for police, don't arrest a lawyer on questionable grounds.

QUICK EDIT: I see the ACLU was active in this case. Tell me again why all my right leaning friends hate the ACLU with a passion? Just because they skip over the 2nd amendment doesn't mean that they are not fighting for you all of the time.
When I was younger (and more right wing), I used to think of the ACLU as the commie-pinko organization it is painted as. Once I got out in the world, my view changed fairly quickly. Give them time, they will soon realize their views on smaller government coincide nicely with the personal rights the ACLU protects.

[Ironside]

A good decision for the US.


When I was younger (and more right wing), I used to think of the ACLU as the commie-pinko organization it is painted as. Once I got out in the world, my view changed fairly quickly. Give them time, they will soon realize their views on smaller government coincide nicely with the personal rights the ACLU protects.

Not necessarily, they could be focusing on the Nordic model, where the strong state is rather used to further enhance personal rights.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Seems fair to me. My public behavior is photographed frequently and regularly and I will be punished for public misbehavior revealed in the photos (at nearly every traffic light in northeast Orlando). Cannot see why our public servants should be subject to less scrutiny of their public behavior.

[classical_hero]

QUICK EDIT: I see the ACLU was active in this case. Tell me again why all my right leaning friends hate the ACLU with a passion? Just because they skip over the 2nd amendment doesn't mean that they are not fighting for you all of the time.Just because they are right in a few instances does mean they are always right.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Just because they are right in a few instances does mean they are always right.

Pretty sure they are right on 9 out 10 of the bill of rights. That makes it a bit more than a "few" instances.