We joke about cops deleting videos of them doing (or screwing up) their jobs on citizen’s private devices, but it does reflect an unpleasant reality that those who are tasked with enforcing the law often believe they are above it. Police simply do not have the right to erase recordings of themselves engaged in protecting the public peace, and it’s a little depressing that we have to take our own peace officers to court to get them to understand this.
Unless it’s because they just deleted something on the camera and didn’t realize that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone. Then it’s hilarious!
So it is with Carlos Miller, an accredited photojournalist who was arrested for the crime of recording the doings of cops at Occupy Miami protests. Miller was arrested for one count of resisting arrest, which is odd since usually that charge accompanies other charges. When he was released, he found all the videos taken on his camera had been deleted, including the one of his arrest, which clearly shows him not resisting.
Unfortunately, the Miami PD had never learned the words “data recovery” in between all the bribe-taking, and Miller was able to retrieve portions of the video. He’s going to take it to a forensic specialist, and involve the Department of Justice, but we imagine the fine officers have learned their lesson.
…No, it’s not “smash the camera.”
Below, BTW, is the video of Miller’s arrest the cops tried to delete…
(Image via Shutterstock)