Officers Detain Man For 48 Hours For Taking Pictures Of A Train

Seriously, thug cops acting like thug cops yet again.

MTA Officers Detain Man For Taking Pictures

The Maryland Transit Administration says more training may be called for after three MTA officers detained a man for taking pictures at a light rail station.

Pat Warren has more on the incident.

According to the ACLU, this isn’t the first time MTA Police have overstepped their bounds.

In a YouTube posting, Christopher Fussell left the camera rolling when he was confronted by three MTA officers for taking pictures at the Baltimore Cultural Light Rail Station.

“It is my understanding that I am free to take pictures as long as it’s not for commercial purposes but for personal use,” Fussell said in the video.

“Not on state property, not without proper authorization,” an officer said.

Fussell: “From who?”

Officer: “Nobody’s allowed to take pictures.”

The MTA admits the officers were in error.

Well duh. Fire them.

And those bastards cite the Patriot Act for their crap.

In addition to being wrong about MTA and state policy, the officer incorrectly cites the Patriot Act.

“Listen, listen to what I’m saying. The Patriot Act says that critical infrastructure, trains, train stations, all those things require certain oversight to take pictures, whether you say they are for personal use or whatever, that’s your story,” the officer said.

“So why don’t you have any signs posted to say I cannot take pictures?” Fussell said.

“Our officers have become very sensitive post 9/11 and we’re trying to see that they understand our passengers and citizens also have a right to take pictures,” Wells said.

Very sensitive = thugs who trash the constitution.

The officer eventually threatened to take Fussell into custody.

“Do you have Maryland state identification on you?” the officer asked.

“I am not committing a crime,” Fussell said.

“Sir, I’m going to ask you one last time, then I’m going to take you into custody. Do we understand each other?” the officer said.

The ACLU considers it harassment by the MTA.

“This is not South Africa under apartheid and in this country, police do not have the right to walk up to you and demand you produce identification to them,” said David Rocah, ACLU.

Good thing the ACLU is on the case.

They don't need more training, they need to be fired. The others officers need more training.

Video at the link.

Officer: “Nobody’s allowed to take pictures.”

SS

I just watched this after a friend posted it on facebook. He handled their harassment very well! At one point he looked down to show he was tapping his foot in frustration. I would have done a lot more and probably been arrested. They were way out of line. Then when he told them he didn't have any problems while doing the same thing in Washington D.C. they acted really surprised.

Useless, untrained officers on a power trip. Seems to be an epidemic in our nation.

This does not suprise me as i have had my fair share of run-ins with cops that dont know the law. it seems knowing the law is not a requirment these days, just enforcing and figuring out what laws you can say someone broke later on. departments dont hire peace officers any more.

on a side note, in NYC you must have ID on you at all times and if an NYPD officer asks you for your ID and you do not have one or do not show one, you get taken into custody. It has been that way since i was young.

Interceptor

poor train watchers are not hurting anyone. now if it was someone of middle eastern decent, and it was an Amtrak line *cough*, I'd be worried

Pretty sick indeed.

If it was possible to sue them for a nice sum of money maybe these things wouldn't happen so much.

Well I can say is not many years ago I was almost shot for taking a photo of a B1B bomber...
of course back then it was still a super top secret air force black ops program...

still MP's got no sense of humor either... i didnt think it was at all funny having weapons drawn on me...

Just another example of how those that are charged with keeping the laws don't know anything about the laws they're supposedly are protecting.

Not that it really matters, but the title of the thread says 48 hours while he was only detained for 40 minutes (still way too long). At first, I expected to read about him being held without charges in a cell for two days. Just an FYI.

Its sad to see what america has come too. everything is so corrupt now, the patriot act shouldnt have been passed again. hopefully things will get better soon.

RON PAUL FTW

They're always just making it up as they go along.

If they see something they dont personally like they just call it "illegal" in their head and go into tyrant mode.

I recall an incident in high school when I smoked cigarettes getting run down by a couple of cops in a cruiser for smoking a bidi.

They went all crazy driving around me several times. Turning their lights on and off. Stopping in front of me then peeling out and speeding away and coming back around the other side of me.

I just stood there like "wtf, are these clowns doing?"

Then finally they pulled up behind me, got out of the cruiser and started making comments to each other about the way I looked and walked. Like it was some kind of game or something.

Finally I turned around and said "can I help you officers with something?" and they got in their cruiser and drove off.

I couldnt for the life of me figure out what the hell they were doing.

Then there's that poor guy in PA who got a gun drawn on him because he was open carrying. The cop knew open carry was legal. He just didnt care or didnt like it. Then the whole department comes out and says "if you open carry we will harass you." What the hell is that? Well, that's typical cop behavior.

Yeah sorry about that... I watched that video of it :



And misread 48 minutes as 48 HOURS... Sorry....

reply to post by Vitchilo


I have noticed how the police and courts are getting very aggressive in regards to audio and video recording what they do in their everyday standard operating procedures. If they are not doing anything wrong why are they so concerned about how they go about doing their so called jobs. Such as the case in Illinois where a man is looking at 75 years for recording a judge in a court room after being denied a court reporter. The wiretape statues were used. Wiretap statues kept being thrown up to this person as well. The demand for ID is another issue. Here in Iowa when ever a person comes into contact with police for any reason ID is always demanded. If ID is not furnished you will be detained until someone comes to identify you. I also noticed the way the Patriot Act was used to make the cops right in what they were doing. That law was just extended for 4 more years. Even if it were recinded today life in the US will never be the same. THere has been too much precident case law and over lapping authorizations to ever turn back the clock. The longer it is in effect the more permanent the effects.