There is a new report of police arresting a citizen because she videotaped them (below) — this time from her own front yard. According to his report, a woman named Emily Good was arrested after videotaping an arrest of a man at a traffic stop in Rochester, New York.
What is most disturbing is that the officer is clearly manufacturing a reason to stop her from videotaping and arresting her. They clearly can see that she is not armed and she responds clearly to their statements, including saying that she will step back a foot as demanded by the officers. From the fact of it, it appears an abusive arrest and another case of punishing citizens for filming police — which is not a crime.
After the woman correctly states that she has a right to videotape the arrest. The officer then thinks about it and says “I don’t feel safe with you standing behind me, so I’m going to ask you to go into your house.” The police officer is identified on some sites as Officer Mario Masic.
Notably, at this time, the man was already in cuffs and being put into the cruiser. This exchange occurred after he was put into custody. The officer then adds “You seem very anti-police … due to what you said to me before you started taping me.” When she asks what statement he is referring to, he then escalates further to say that she will be arrested for failing to obey his commands.
We have seen continued arrests of citizens for videotaping police — viewed as a more resource in addressing police brutality and abuse. This trend has continued (here) despite court rulings in favor of citizens. Politicians have done little to reaffirm the rights of citizens in these cases and officers are rarely subject to discipline for such arrests.
There is no report of any investigation by the Rochester Police Department in light of this disturbing video. Clearly, other officers and presumably at least one prosecutor participated in bringing this charge, which appears both meritless and retaliatory. We will continue to follow the story to see if any action will be taken.
Source:
WHAM
Jonathan Turley
http://www.facebook.com/trapperhunterMario
mario masic’s facebook account.
CHECK OUT MY FULL VIDEO THAT I FILMED OF THE ROCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT’S RETALIATION AGAINST EMILY GOOD’S SUPPORTERS!
It’s making us sick too, but in a different way.
she is trouble, lets see she loves to keep it going, lets have her help destroy the gangs of dealers in the city, thats helping, lets have her help clean up the empty houses the crack headds living in them, she should have the empathy for her fellow man or woman, lets see her really help out in areas that she would work well in, don’t worry about being shot Emily these are your streets that you protect so your untouchable, your trying to start something big and so is Mr Lightfoot, oh , Mr Lightfoot give up the Fireman job please I can’t trust you to work with fellow officers and that could mean someones life is in danger ,like theirs, the CNN report was idiotic the guy tall , glasses, African American, busted for Jay Walkin, they kept the part about the dope on him low key on CNN , there is more to that story, which he was interfering with police work. You supporters want to get the RPD to back off then quit calling when your in trouble call Willy and Emily they will know what to do. This country has no respect for authority anymore and thanks to nit wits like these two, who want to destroy all that is right and good, you will continue to have a couple murders a night, don’t worry Emily or Willy unless you have young black men as children, they will kill each other with no hope of help thanks to anyone daring to get involved, the police ought to go on strike, and have the Emily’s and Willys drive the patrol cars for the time they are on strike, we will allow an ambulance or 2 but that is dangerous too, they may want RPD, but you explain Emily and Willy why they have to put their lives on the line for you.
I need to stop this makes me sick…………………………..
Did this really happen in the USA or was it some city in Afghanistan ??
Black Water; move away, Rochester police is coming.
The f*ing cop and the police Department should be sued and the cop put in jail for the following reason:
1) Wrongful arrest
2) Wrongful imprisonment
I saw 2 people in this tape handcuffed without any guilty.
One question: Is there not any laws against the police who handcuffs someone who apparently creates no danger to the police?
@kerra and ryan brokaw your statements would have had some validity. if the guy they originally arrested wasnt already handcuffed and seated in the police car. and if the woman didnt have a video camera in HER HANDS. keep on being blinded. your already enslaved to the government and i can hear both of you now yelling IM NOT A SLAVE TO ANYTHING OR ANYONE. just a few examples to prove my point.
1. you have to ask the government for permission for everything. to get married via license, to work a job, via degree or certificate, to drive a car which is a right not a privilige, via license.
@JOHN AND WOW both of you are bare faced liars. 1. if the known criminal was in violation then the charges against him wouldn’t have been dropped. 2 if the woman threatened the cop then why would he walk over to her asking can i help you? and who died and made him boss to tell an adult to go in the house. and he also showed himself to be a punk. he has a night stick,mace, taser and GUN, all she had was a video camera so what reason did he have for not feeling safe? and if there is no respect for cops WHO’S FAULT IS THAT? cops are civil servants paid by our tax dollars to protect us. not harass us. our tax dollars aren’t meant to give them a pay check while they are running around committing worse crimes then convicts.
Now that the charges have been dropped, the LEO who made the arrest must be fired and lose all of his benefits.
I then suggest that if he wants to stay in the ‘field’ that he apply for a security job without carrying a firearm—however, he is unqualified for a Wal-Mart greeter position.
Charge Dismissed Against Woman Who Videotaped Rochester Police, Lawsuit Planned
“A Rochester, N.Y., woman who was arrested after videotaping police at a traffic stop had the charge against her dismissed Monday after the county prosecutor declined to pursue the case. Emily Good had been charged with a misdemeanor for obstructing governmental administration.
While the criminal case against her over the disputed May 12 traffic stop is over, Good told HuffPost that she is planning to bring a civil lawsuit against the Rochester Police Department and Officer Mario Masic, who arrested her.
Good said the dismissal of the charges “felt really good,” but that she was still concerned that “the officer who ordered me inside my house has not been held accountable for anything.” She said she is not hopeful that the Rochester Police Department’s complaint process or the internal review that it has promised will yield results.”
John, your comment does not pass the smell test. One of the officers involved or a supporter or the officer in question, perhaps?
Or are you just an authoritarian who had a poor understanding of civil rights?
This is a BS article and the people who support her are idiots. I live in Rochester and this women began by threatening the police as she knew the criminal that the police had pulled over and were questioning. She then grabbed her video camera and began recording the police response to her earlier threats, hoping to incite the police into violence against her. This is clear entrapment by Emily. In addition, the man the police pulled over is a known criminal with previous weapons and drug charges who had also served time. This is not racial profiling, it is the police exercising caution when dealing with a known violent criminal. In this case, when the police asked her to step back it is not only because of her previous threats and that they did not feel safe, but for her own safety as well since they did not know for certain if the guy being questioned has weapons. Get offer your liberal soap box and do some research so you know what you are talking about. I guess the liberal mantra here is that it is best to open your mouth and have the world know you for a fool than to keep it shut and have them think you a fool. Emily Good should be in jail for threatening police officers, endangering police officers, obstruction in the process of making an arrest and for endangering every other citizen in this city with her idioting behavior and law suit. I hope she rots in hell.
That would be appropriate. Maybe they think they can get away with giving them out because people were parked over 12″ away from the curb though. I’m still advocating a group lawsuit. At it’s heart it was a measure to punish and intimidate.
lK, now all they need to do is drop those bogus parking tickets they laid on her supporters for parking 12 1/2″ from the curb.
UPDATE
the charge against her has been dropped:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110627/NEWS01/110627014
The officer appeared emboldened by his anger, or fear; perhaps issues with women… this is notable by the way he struts away from his squad car after detaining her victorious. Not good. The is the sort of person one worries would support a fascist state. There is no real excuse for his actions yet I wonder if she knew he would arrest her? Did she hope for such an outcome? The whole incident is disturbing on so many levels.
Hey wow,
I noticed you didn’t sign your rant. Typical hippocrite. It’s funny how most police officers originally opposed the dash cams until it proved that many a career were saved from exemplory officer service. They now all love it. It is not also strange that an officer can audio record an arrest but an arrestee can’t. Grow up and grow a pair. That officer’s opening remark negates all accusations of previous conversations of anti police statements. Officer Masic’s opening remark on camera should have been a reiteration not a can I help you guys. What a buffoon. Fire him, take his pay,pension and dignity. Next job, sweeping her sidewalk. unlike you wow
Ronald Jones
She’s an idiot. She was being obnoxious to the officer on purpose and playing ‘stupid’ when being asked to go inside. What if something were to go wrong during the arrest and the suspect had a weapon? She could have been accidentally killed or kidnapped. The police officer was looking out for her safety…he just didn’t word his instructions right. She just wanted something to upload onto youtube, her petty excuse for racial profiling is lame.