Activist John Kurtz Facing 6 Years for Filming Police in Orlando, Florida

Yep,.....my 2 bits ; fuck em . +^d

Good luck with that, brother. I was a KQED photographer in 1966 and with a press pass, clearly visible got clubbed at San Francisco State University, just doing my job. Got teargassed twice the same day in Berkeley and in Oakland at a Longshoreman's picket line. You still believing in the land of the free? Check out "The Power of Nightmares" and get ready to embrace the horror in the wasteland of the free.

everybody wants some of the Pie.

If your a photographer/videographer you should know you need consent on the subject and have the courtesy to seek there approval . Now police on the other had are civil servants . They should be able to be recorder to monitor performance as all the tax payers are there employers . Do you think walmat employees like being taped .. No but it sure keeps them honest

well if you recorded me for any commercial or for profit use and I found it . I would sue you for not following a protocol and having me sign a release.

We do need standards otherwise everything will be under a microscope. I for one do not appreciate every weekend photographer pretending to be paparazzi in the club and random creepers shooting without permission in our streets. Just cause your in a public place does not mean ones privacy should be compromised

I would admire and support him more for not being discreet. Why should any of us have to hide, whisper, or be discreet about our freedoms? Police misconduct is rampant and needs to be brought under control, or we simply have a police state. If we don't run it up a flagpole and make it a cause celebre, then these freedoms will be quietly and insidiously eroded away. Gandhi promoted nonviolent confrontation, believing that confrontation exulted the issue into public focus. He got international attention, which is what he wanted.

It is NOT a crime to observe and record police performing their duty. No one should be FORCED to stop filming the police as long as they don't interefere. But the police have been OUTED repeatedly for violating policy, or brutalizing suspects and detainees, so now they are trying to violate our constitutional rights in order to protect themselves.

I don't know all the details of this particular case, so I'm not defending is particular individual and this case. But there is a national trend: the police want the citizens to stop filming them, and whether one is liberal or conservative, we all need to join together and tell them to FUCK OFF. We have a right to record them and make them accountable for their actions.

There is NO LAW about filming the police. There is NO expectation of privacy while you are out in public. Police film people, so if it was illegal they would NOT be able to do it!

i'm starting to agree

Thats a Good Thing.

Right on! It seems it is quite alright for large corporations, some media groups and the state to film who ever they like, but we the public, are not allowed to film public officers.

Police are now kicking down doors and pointing guns at the heads of people who they know are not violent. They are dressing in uniforms designed to intimidate, while brandishing guns for simple search procedures that do not involve violent suspects. Quite often police are using tactics to strike fear into the minds of the public, rather than foster mutual respect and understanding. The number of police and citizens programs have decreased, helping widen the gap of mistrust.

Fear and intimidation are tools of terror. Western governments have played straight into the hands of Osama Bin Laden and his wish to see freedom and liberty removed from people on mass. None of the laws that have restricted freedom have stopped terrorist attacks and billions of dollars have been wasted that could of helped people instead.

How can We expect them to change if We don't say anything? Yet when We try to protect Ourselves and or them in some cases We are treated as though We broke the Law. That is not Freedom That is a police state.

Damn it, does this mean I have to brush up on my German? This is bad for us Jewish descendent's. Quick construct Golems for our protection. Are these storm troopers with Darth Vader or Hitler? Damn, now I'm a scared, and confused.

I really, really WANT to believe what you just wrote, but given the lack of confidence Americans are experiencing with the court system, starting with and ending with the highest court system in the nation, I just have trouble believing you can completely trust the police or the courts anymore.

Why sure you can trust them. You can trust them to screw you over every chance they get.

"The officers are arresting an unruly suspect and doing exactly what needs to be done, the guy comes along with a video camera-officers are frustrated already and tell the guy to leave-he rufuses. Now, (technically) the guy has by definition broken the law by obstructing. "

If the videographer remained a safe distance away, then he was NOT interfering or obstructing. We see video proof of this on a regular basis. Court cases have repeatedly supported the notion that Citizens have the RIGHT to observe law enforcement from a safe distance. It is NOT a crime to record those activities.

But it SURE can be inconvenient to cops who had hoped to plant evidence, brutalize someone they don't like, etc.

Our entire legal system is based on DISTRUST of government! It is NOT our civic duty to "do what we are told", but to question authority and to ensure by vigilance that our leaders, officers, elected officials, perform their duty and do not violate our rights. This is why the constitution clearly states what the government SHALL NOT do, and the rights that the citizens have that CANNOT be violated.

Observing and recording officers without interfering fits nicely under ensuring the citizen's right to due process.

Your comment is PURE SPECULATION! John Kurtz harmed NO ONE! In order for there to be a CRIME there has to be a VICTIM! The only VICTIM HERE is John Kurtz. NO VICTIM, NO CRIME!

With or without a reach around?

the reach around cost ya extra

Story of my life, not enough green for a happy ending.

Yep!

agree

Speculation.

I can. Can I get an amen to that ?

I see it now, Yul Brynner robots every were, tracking us down slowly without mercy.

No.

there is a link, with details. You should probably follow it.

More speculation.

Wow!!! I wish you would comment like that more often!!! Expressing an opinion and not just going after Shanky... Keep it up :) I think the bottom line is of course he doesn't deserve to go to jail. It's 100% legal to video tape in a public place where there is no expectation of privacy. That is the law. Sure and coincidentally the cops lost the video but they weren't doing anything wrong... Their mere incompetence of handling evidence should get this case thrown out right away. John is a activist who is aware of the consequences. He is fighting this fight for all of us and deserves our support.

I wish you guys would post real news more often, and not silly propaganda and spam.

WTH is wrong with you he is standing up and holding the police accountable. I know John Kurtz he is a pacifist. He was well away from the police. This is NOT the first time this officer has done this. This officer has a power damaged brain.

If you were being abused by the police and being arrested, wouldn't you want someone recording these atrocious actions of the police?

I don't think there there is a law against taking a picture of a regular citizen on public property. Even if there is somewhere it would only be a local law like No Spitting On The Sidewalk ! !

Man you are not even close to being right. when ANYONE steps out in public you lose some of your right to privacy. When a police officer is in public it is your legal right to make certain he/she tows the line. WE CAN CAPTURE EVIDENCE AS THEY CAN ON CAMERA. NOT ILLEGAL.

You speak as if in the whole United States you cannot take a picture of people in public. The Federal Government could care less about this non issue. If you are a professional photographer taking pictures of people individuals or not, walking down the street in a city like say New York, you owe the subjects absolutely nothing. Otherwise 500 strangers would have claim to rewards you might receive for your artistic work. That would be ridiculous would it not?.

Of course someone taking pictures of someone they are stocking is part of their stocking. But again that's entirely different from a professional photographer taking pictures on a busy street. That's a different category. They cannot be considered as doing the same thing when taking their pictures. It's illegal too stock to begin with whether you are taking pictures or not.

There is no expectation of privacy while you are in public. Police do not want to be held accountable for their actions and that is why they don't want to be video recorded

It's 100% legal to film anywhere in public. That's the law. When you exclude cops... that's tyranny.

its one of the only ways to make sure police do not overstep their boundaries. way too many people have been beaten and killed by police for no reason.

The only way it would be an issue is if you sold the picture and made money or was shown in a public setting, such as a movie, then you have to get signed releases. As far as filming/shooting a crowd, if you don't sell it or faces are to distorted then you don't need a release.

It's clear that he had no intention of capitalizing on them. He is a reporter and would use the content for editorial purposes. That's fair use. That's fine. And there is no prohibition regarding the reporting of public servants.

Freedom is a bitch isn't it?

You are part of the problem. That mentality is what is ruining America.

Proof please.

I see so tell us what you know to be fact.

He is a republican who is tied to a republican who is in jail for campaign fraud and voter abuse in Orange and Seminole Co. This IS Not a victimless crime- it is a case of self- inflicted wounds..

Thats a lie and you have no idea what you are talking about.

Lets see some proof please.

Really...hmmm...where is your proof of this allegation?

Please explain.

Sorry Anna, but the US is not a "free society". That stopped when corporations and the rich started to run this country. "Free society" only works for the people that keep their mouth shut and follow in order without complaining.

Every single news station in that area should be reporting this and attorneys foaming at the mouth for a chance to go after this cop. But because we live in a society were cops can do what they want, unless there's a HD Video of a cop doing something wrong, we can't do much, but sit back and hope... yes, hope, that the jury or judge, would do the right thing.

See above!