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US Marshal Appears To Attack Pedestrian Photographer; Knocks Phone From Hands, Smashes It With Foot

by 37 Comments

These types of clips are popping up so frequently these days, it’s almost not even shocking to see anymore. But, this video posted yesterday on YouTube shows a heavily armed US Marshal charge a woman who was photographing a group of officers. The Marshal grabbed the phone out of her hand, then proceeded to kick and smash the phone as it hit the ground. The entire group of law enforcement officials appear to have then walked away from the startled woman.

The woman in the video does appear to be speaking to the officers, most of whom seem generally uninterested in what she has to say. I couldn’t make out all of her statements, but the woman is heard repeatedly telling the officers she “has the right to be here”.

We’ve contacted the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department asking for details of the event; however, at the time of publishing they have yet to respond. We will keep you updated as we hear new information. Upadte: It is now being reported the law enforcement official in question was a member of the US Marshals, not the LASD. This post has been updated to reflect the new findings.

lasd

I’d also like to personally thank Photography Is Not A Crime for so helpfully pointing out in the post which broke this news, the importance of holding your phone horizontally when recording video.

“… she did a great job of recording considering she held the phone sideways to obtain the horizontal video, which is much more superior than vertical videos, even though many citizens don’t seem to see this…”

Not to make light of a very serious situation, (though I admittedly–and probably a bit too self righteously–smiled at the PSA), but the fact the blogosphere is now just as focused on proper cellphone recording techniques of these types of situations as they are on the offense itself, speaks greatly as to just how popular it is becoming for law enforcement officials to overstep their boundaries. To quote PINAC, “hopefully that is changing” too.

[ via Reddit | Photography Is Not A Crime ]

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Colorado law makes police harassment of photographers illegal Here is the one thing you should say if police detains you for photographing Correctional Officers Threaten To Have Camera Crew Arrested While Filming on Sidewalk Sex offending suspects in Switzerland will have their pixelated photos published… And then unpixelated…
  • Adnan Wolf

    What the hell? oO Let’s be happy they didn’t shoot her!

  • While the officer’s action may have been extreme, I can’t help but think that if that woman would have simply backed away a bit and kept her mouth shut, she wouldn’t have had this happen.

    These guys were clearly trying to ignore her but she kept going on and on until they’d all had enough. Even the person filming the event had a decent vantage point but she was right in the scene and had no need to be.

    • heat_fan1

      Are you explaining or justifying the bad behavior of the cop?

      We don’t see the whole situation (i.e., what happened first), nor can we clearly make out what she’s saying. The other cops don’t acknowledge her in this clip either. But nothing she could have done would justifying destroying her phone and nothing else. This is a totally inexcusable move by the officer.

    • If annoying woman with a phone is enough, to lose your s.h-it – you have no place in law enforcement and/or customer support.

    • The police are citizens. They do not, do NOT, have the right to attack people or destroy private property. What we witnessed was the literal denial of the freedom of speech.

      US citizens have the right to say anything we want AT ALL to authority figures & NOT be punished for it.

    • While I agree with you in principal, sometimes people just need a smack. As a law enforcement officer it is imperative that you command a presence of aurhority and tolerance. To sit back and do nothing while your space is invaded and you get berated is not a sign of tolerance, it’s taken as a sign of weakness. A line must be drawn and this lady was crossing it.

    • That’s not how law enforcement works. If you can’t handle a woman talking and it’s interfering with your job enough that you react by throwing a tantrum like a 2yr old toddler, you’re a bad cop. A really bad cop who’s bad at his job. Someone in that video broke the law, it wasn’t the woman, as she would/should have been arrested then. If you can’t ignore this woman and do your job and react this way…. you. are. a. bad. cop.

    • You’re wrong, that means you are an impatient cop. If I were on a scene and shooting a crime investigation (which I’ve done plenty of times before) I would simply respect the police when they tell me to back away, this was clearly not the case here. We are not a society of petulant children who get to do whatever we want. Sometimes you just need to do what you’re told.

    • “impatient cop” – if you’re THAT impatient, you’re a bad cop. My kid is more patient than that.

    • She was out of the scene. The event was two houses down the street. The neighbor, across the street, the one we saw the video of, could not see the action taking place down the street, so her vantage point was only of the woman and the two officers away from the action, followed by a third officer that came from farther away then the two she was talking at. …

  • Are you for real fella or just wanna be controversial?

    • Are you an unbiased onlooker or just wanna jump on the “cop hate” band wagon?

      I’ve shot plenty of scenes with police presence and if you keep your mouth shut and stay out of the way, they don’t bother you.

      • heat_fan1

        What could she have possibly done that would justify destroying her phone and nothing else? The actions of this cop are totally inexcusable and he should be discipline for them.

    • Unbiased onlooker and photographer who has had good and bad dealings with our police force.that copper has committed an offence and should be dealt with as you or I would be if we did thhat

  • Agree with David Pinsent. She was running her mouth off non-stop aggravating the officers at a location that looked like some sort of a drug bust operation going on.

    • That’s not how law enforcement works. If you can’t handle a woman talking and it’s interfering with your job enough that you react by throwing a tantrum like a 2yr old toddler, you’re a bad cop. A really bad cop who’s bad at his job. Someone in that video broke the law, it wasn’t the woman, as she would/should have been arrested then. If you can’t ignore this woman and do your job and react this way…. you. are. a. bad. cop.

    • She was a couple houses away from the action. Running your mouth is not a crime. And, quite frankly, although we have no idea what was being said, words to not grant the police the right to attack. … Also, we saw the three police officer quickly turn and walk away. … Kinda like they were running for cover. …

  • Rick

    This was a setup. Her last words were “did you record that”, calling to the people across the street taking the video. She new there was a second camera recording this and she was doing everything she could to piss off the officers in order to get a response. You’ll note she wasn’t even aiming her camera most of the time. She wasn’t there to record anything, she was there to antagonize the police so her accomplices could get some anti-police video.

    While I firmly believe in photographers’ rights I also believe in the arrest and prosecution of those interfering with the police doing their lawful duties. And that should have been the outcome of this incident, not a smashed phone.

  • I have read some comments here that say things like,
    “She was running her mouth off.” … That is not a crime, unless it interferes with their work.
    Or even, “This was a setup.” … Still, not a crime.
    Yet, it is a crime to physically assault anyone. It is a crime to take their property. It is a crime to damage other peoples property.
    That officer should have been fired on the spot, and then arrested. … Let his lawyers and union appeal if they wish.

    • Rick

      Interfering with an official police operation is a crime, something which she was not only doing but doing with intent.

      • TByte

        How was she interfering with anything?
        What a load of crap.

      • Peter

        She might be interfering with the officers, that it debatable, but they are officers of the law, they should give an example of how to behave and ultimately be accountable for their actions.

      • She did not interfere with the officers doing their duty. … She was saying something. … I do not know what she was saying, perhaps she saw something we, in this view do not see, or we do not see because her recording device was destroyed.

        As a matter of notice, the two closest police officers did nothing. The one that should be fired came from off camera with the intent of taking her down.

  • Burt

    It was obviously a setup, intended to provoke the police. Why else would there be someone else taking of video of her. Note that video we see is NOT of the police, but rather of the woman. Who would have done that, unless they were expecting (and probably hoping for) trouble? I have no sympathy whatsoever for anyone TRYING to cause trouble with the police.

  • Both parties were wrong but the officer was excessive in his reaction. The woman should have stood there quietly and recorded the events instead of obviously taunting the officers BUT the officers reaction to her was uncalled for and he should be disciplined.

  • MC

    Another “I have the right to be here” until the first one gets shot by a criminal -then it will be can’t believe the police never told me to move

    • Frank Nazario

      I totally agree.
      Well said MC…

  • COPS deserve the same treatment they give out!

    • Frank Nazario

      Really bro… why dont you get your white but out in the streets and deal with all the trash taking, drug infested and violent citizens every freaking day of the week. and then have eyes on your back because some imbecil that you arrested 2 years back wants revenge… and live that day in and day out worrying not only if this is the last time you are going to see your family but, also protecting your family from potential agression because of you..
      YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT to make the statement you did above… if anything this cop was out of order and there are methods and process to deal with this… NOT what you say above A”hole…

  • There is no excuse for the officer’s violent conduct.

  • She was just lucky the cops didn’t shoot her, or do you have to be black for that to happen?

  • I really wish we could get an audio of what she was saying. I noticed in the whole clip she did not stop talking once. Was she talking to the camera or was she baiting the police?

  • breezanemom

    Her fault entirely. She was purposely trying to get something like this to happen so she could say, “see how bad the police are”. She should have kept her mouth shut, backed off and let the police do their jobs.

    The police officer might have been a bit excessive in his actions, but she started it. People have to learn that they can’t antagonize others just to prove that they are, somehow, superior and/or “in the right”.

    Discipline the officer for excessive force and toss her in jail for interfering with the police.

  • Itsamee

    Not saying what the marshal did was right or legal, the woman was clearly provoking them for the sake of a short 15 minutes of fame. I have no respect for the “F the authority” “sticking it to the man” sentiment on display here. If I pull a dogs tail I should at the very least expect it snap and growl at me, but when it bites me I won’t be surprised and angry at the dog… Only myself.

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