Federal judge strikes down Louisiana's 25 foot police barrier law

[airplanemechanic]

This is yet another whacky law in LA that I knew was a violation of our right to film police. Now a federal judge has agreed.

https://www.brproud.com/news/louisiana-news/federal-judge-gives-ruling-on-25-foot-buffer-zone-law-louisiana-ag-murrill-responds/

You cannot effectively film police from 25 feet away. You have a right to film police. You cannot be forced to comply with some arbitrary law like this.

 

[Zincwarrior]

I am personally ambivalent about this. Thats only 8 yards. With the rise of professional "auditors" getting in the way, and inversely technology advancing at such a rate, that does not seem especially restrictive.

 

[airplanemechanic]

I am personally ambivalent about this. Thats only 8 yards. With the rise of professional "auditors" getting in the way, and inversely technology advancing at such a rate, that does not seem especially restrictive.

Yes it does.

You can't film the police with a regular phone from 25 feet away. It won't pick up the audio. Had GF been filmed from 25 feet you might not have heard him even say "I can't breathe."

How is being 24 feet away from the cop a threat but 12 inches further back is fine? It's absurd. Where did they pull this number from? Thin air? Can a study be shown to have been done that shows that 25 feet is the optimum distance to film police for their safety?

The original suit was filed by some media outlets saying that they couldn't effectively do their job with this restriction. A federal judge agreed.

 

[Zincwarrior]

You can't film the police with a regular phone from 25 feet away. It won't pick up the audio. Had GF been filmed from 25 feet you might not have heard him even say "I can't breathe."

I believe that was form that distance actually. To be clear I am supportive of being able to video an incident. There has to be a reasonable distance for officer safety and insurance the crime scene is not tampered with.

How is being 24 feet away from the cop a threat but 12 inches further back is fine? It's absurd. Where did they pull this number from? Thin air? Can as study be shown to have been done that shows that 25 feet is the optimum distance to film police for their safety?

I would imagine the Tueller Drill.

 

[Godboy]

I am personally ambivalent about this. Thats only 8 yards. With the rise of professional "auditors" getting in the way, and inversely technology advancing at such a rate, that does not seem especially restrictive.

From what ive seen, these auditors pretty much always say nothing and do nothing other than film, until the cops start barking orders at them.

 

[Zincwarrior]

From what ive seen, these auditors pretty much always say nothing and do nothing other than film, until the cops start barking orders at them.

Sometimes. There are many instances otherwise on Youtube. Plus you have the inevitable relatives/ friends.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

You can't film the police with a regular phone from 25 feet away.

25 feet is not far.

It's a safety issue for the officers.

 

[westwall]

From what ive seen, these auditors pretty much always say nothing and do nothing other than film, until the cops start barking orders at them.

The good ones do. There are quite a few who are incredibly obnoxious though.

 

[Zincwarrior]

25 feet is not far.

It's a safety issue for the officers.

Again, there is a fair middle ground here. I am not sure what that is.

 

[Mac-7]

I am personally ambivalent about this. Thats only 8 yards. With the rise of professional "auditors" getting in the way, and inversely technology advancing at such a rate, that does not seem especially restrictive.

Is it the courts right to overrule the will of the people?

 

[Zincwarrior]

Is it the courts right to overrule the will of the people?

You mean the law? If it violates the Constitution etc.

 

[Mac-7]

You mean the law? If it violates the Constitution etc.

The Constitution says nothing about photographing police officers

 

[Zincwarrior]

The Constitution says nothing about photographing police officers

First Amendment.
I don't know why you're arguing with me.

 

[Mac-7]

First Amendment.
I don't know why you're arguing with me.

Because the judges frequently overstep their authority

Is La preventing citizens from the police?

No

 

[Zincwarrior]

Because the judges frequently overstep their authority

Is La preventing citizens from the police?

No

Again, you're arguing with the wrong person on this thread.

 

[airplanemechanic]

25 feet is not far.

It's a safety issue for the officers.

Really? Says who? Why not 24? Why not 26? Whose gonna measure? Is it 25 feet from the scene or from the cop? What if the cop starts walking towards YOU, you have to take off running in the other direction? What if doing so puts you within 25 feet of ANOTHER cop on scene?

It's so arbitrary its absurd. There are already laws in place that make it illegal to interfere with a police officer doing his duty. If this cop is that scared of someone holding a camera a few feet away, then they shouldn't be a cop.

 

[airplanemechanic]

The Constitution says nothing about photographing police officers

No, but MANY MANY COURTS have. In the ruling "Smith v. City of Cumming" it ruled that, "“the First Amendment protects the right to gather information about what public officials do on public property.

What courts have recognized the right to film police?

• First, Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals: Have recognized the right to film police officers performing their duties in public
  
  
• Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals: Has recognized a broad right to film matters of public interest
  
  
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals: Has recognized the right to film police conduct at a protest
  
  
• Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals: Has found that livestreaming a police traffic stop is protected by the First Amendment
  
  
• Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals: Has ruled that people have a First Amendment right to record on-duty police

Why is the right to film police important?

• It promotes police accountability
• It contributes to public discussion of important issues
• It's a form of public oversight over the government

 

[Anathema]

This is yet another whacky law in LA that I knew was a violation of our right to film police. Now a federal judge has agreed.

https://www.brproud.com/news/louisiana-news/federal-judge-gives-ruling-on-25-foot-buffer-zone-law-louisiana-ag-murrill-responds/

You cannot effectively film police from 25 feet away. You have a right to film police. You cannot be forced to comply with some arbitrary law like this.

Gee, it’d be terrible if you accidentally got clubbed, sprayed or shot because you were too close to a police officer… NOT!!!

Leave the cops alone to do their jobs, or be assumed to be on the side of the criminals and treated likewise.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Gee, it’d be terrible if you accidentally got clubbed, sprayed or shot because you were too close to a police officer… NOT!!!

Leave the cops alone to do their jobs, or be assumed to be on the side of the criminals and treated likewise.

Leave the cops alone? Have you ever SEEN one of the youtube channels that shows just how bad cops are at their jobs? They cannot be trusted in any way, shape or form. They MUST be held accountable. Fuck they recently had several instances of cops BUSTING INTO THE WRONG HOUSE with a warrant and SHOOTING THE HOMEOWNER DEAD. Leave them alone? FUCK YOU. I don't trust these fucking pigs any further than I can throw them. You need to watch the civil rights lawyers channel or audit the audit on youtube. YOU WILL BE FUCKING SHOCKED.

When they do something wrong, suddenly their body cams weren't on or aren't available. FUCK THAT. These pigs need accountability if they're going to walk around with a gun and a badge and a right to arrest anyone they want to and ruin their lives at the drop of a hat.

Its already illegal to interfere with a cop doing his or her duty. So what is the point of the 25 foot rule? Why not contribute something useful to this thread? Why are you so against making gov't accountable for their actions? You can't do that if you're two and a half stories of distance away.

 

[TNHarley]

I love it when the people and the constitution win!