• Four more journalists get felony charges after covering inauguration unrest
    14 replies, posted
[QUOTE]A documentary producer, a photojournalist, a live-streamer and a freelance reporter facing up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if convicted[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]Four more journalists have been charged with felonies after being arrested while covering the unrest around Donald Trump’s inauguration, meaning that at least six media workers are facing up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if convicted. A documentary producer, a photojournalist, a live-streamer and a freelance reporter were each charged with the most serious level of offense under Washington DC’s law against rioting, after being caught up in the police action against demonstrators. The Guardian learned of their arrests after reporting on Monday that the journalists Evan Engel of Vocativ and Alex Rubinstein of RT America had also been taken into custody by police and charged with felonies while covering the same unrest on Friday morning. Jack Keller, a producer for the web documentary series Story of America, said that he was detained for about 36 hours after being kettled by police at 12th and L streets on Friday morning and then arrested despite telling officers that he was covering the demonstrations as a journalist.[/QUOTE] [url]https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/24/journalists-charged-felonies-trump-inauguration-unrest?CMP=share_btn_tw[/url]
But... What?
So. Being arrested for reporting on the protests? What the fuck.
[QUOTE]The National Lawyers’ Guild accused Washington DC’s metropolitan police department of having “indiscriminately targeted people for arrest en masse based on location alone” and said they unlawfully used teargas and other weapons. ... [B]None of the arrest reports for the six journalists makes any specific allegations about what any of them are supposed to have done wrong.[/B] Keller’s report, which also covers the arrests of an unknown number of unidentified other people, includes a note that a police vehicle was vandalized. “I had absolutely nothing to do with the vandalism,” said Keller.[/QUOTE] There was a lot of shit going on that day in DC. Sounds to me like the police had so much to deal with it was more efficient to just round up folks and deal with the individual legal repercussions later--not the best way to be running things if so. Clearly these journalists did not intend to commit any crime. I'm sure this will get worked out before it goes to trial.
[QUOTE]after being caught up in the police action against demonstrators[/QUOTE] Sounds like shit got hairy and police just started scooping folks up. Just because they [B]can[/B] be convicted it doesn't mean they will be. When they appear before a judge and plead their case the shit will get dropped.
[QUOTE]“Based on the facts and circumstances, we determined that probable cause existed to support the filing of felony rioting charges,” William Miller, a spokesman for the office, said in a statement. “As in all of our cases, we are always willing to consider additional information that people bring forward.”[/QUOTE] Looks like the police have the evidence they think they need for the charges.
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;51721820]Looks like the police have the evidence they think they need for the charges.[/QUOTE] Seems pretty flimsy and like they're just lumping in everyone on these charges
[QUOTE=-nesto-;51721815]Sounds like shit got hairy and police just started scooping folks up. Just because they [B]can[/B] be convicted it doesn't mean they will be. When they appear before a judge and plead their case the shit will get dropped.[/QUOTE] You have far too much faith in the justice system. Think of all the cases of people exonerated 25 years into their sentencing.
[QUOTE=DOCTOR LIGHT;51721920]You have far too much faith in the justice system. Think of all the cases of people exonerated 25 years into their sentencing.[/QUOTE] Much different situations. A lot of exoneration are via DNA testing. Convictions were based on other factors. If the journalists got arrested as they where apart of the crowd its just charges. Once it goes to court (if it even does which I doubt) I'm sure it will get thrown out. To me it sounds a lot like mistaken identity which you can't really blame them because a lot of people didn't seem to have credentials. Also mix that in with nearly everyone has a camera I'm sure the police hear a lot of excuses like ~I'm a journalist~ from people who are not.
Nice to the usual posters are here pre emptively defending the crushing of free speech.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;51723442]Nice to the usual posters are here pre emptively defending the crushing of free speech.[/QUOTE] Um, people are just pointing out that the reporters likely won't face any actual consequences. Journalists get picked up by police during riots pretty frequently because the police just nab anybody that is on the streets when shit hits the fan. If the journalists actually get convicted I highly doubt you'll hear anybody defending [I]that[/I].
[QUOTE=srobins;51723474]Um, people are just pointing out that the reporters likely won't face any actual consequences. Journalists get picked up by police during riots pretty frequently because the police just nab anybody that is on the streets when shit hits the fan. If the journalists actually get convicted I highly doubt you'll hear anybody defending [I]that[/I].[/QUOTE] So its ok journalists are being arrested because dont worry they probably wont be charged probably!!!
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;51723483]So its ok journalists are being arrested because dont worry they probably wont be charged probably!!![/QUOTE] I mean, preferably they wouldn't be arrested at all, but I don't really think it's the end of the world if some people are mistakenly arrested in the midst of massive riots in Washington D.C. as long as they're rightfully cleared of those charges once the dust settles? Like, they're not sitting in cells, they're waiting to go to court (if it even gets that far) and go "hi, I'm a journalist, you have my camera, bye bye".
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;51723483]So its ok journalists are being arrested because dont worry they probably wont be charged probably!!![/QUOTE] It's not ok, but right now it looks like the police are just being heavy handed. If they actually get convicted in court that's when it's time to get really worried. Of course it's bad the police did this but that's a different problem altogether.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;51723483]So its ok journalists are being arrested because dont worry they probably wont be charged probably!!![/QUOTE] You are simplifying the argument too far. Folks here said that their arrest was an error, and their explanation makes sense considering the situation. If the journalists continue to be held after being reviewed, then something has gone amiss
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.