- #1
Galteeth
- 69
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It takes a lot to shock me when it comes to creeping authoritarianism in America, but this takes the cake. Ademo Freeman is an activist for Copwatch.org, a police watchdog group, as well as a member of the Free State Project.
What the story essentially boils down to: Ademo (a blogger and syndicated radio talk show host as well as an activist) was doing a story about an incident at a Manchester, NH high school. He identified himself as being from Copblock.org, said he was doing a story, and sought comment, which the officer agreed to provide. When the story came out, Ademo included in on his blog portions of an audio transcript he had recorded of the telephone interview.
Apparently, someone was upset, and because Ademo did not explicitly ask for permission to record the conversation, he is being charged with felony wiretapping. The relevant law contains a clause that make recording phone conversations illegal is there is "a reasonable expectation of privacy." What possible expectation of privacy is there when an on duty officer is called at the station and agrees to comment on a story? Had Ademo simply written the conversation down instead of recording it, there's nothing they could charge him with. It is clear this is an abuse of power and he is being charged because of his anti-police political activism. The trial is coming up next week. This is something one could have expected out of the old Soviet Union. Someone being arrested for publishing an interview with a public official who agreed to the interview!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/adam-ademo-mueller-journa_n_1748057.html
It is a shame this case is not getting more media attention, as it could set a terrible precedent for chilling the effects of the new media (bloggers and non-mainstream media) to hold public officials accountable.
What the story essentially boils down to: Ademo (a blogger and syndicated radio talk show host as well as an activist) was doing a story about an incident at a Manchester, NH high school. He identified himself as being from Copblock.org, said he was doing a story, and sought comment, which the officer agreed to provide. When the story came out, Ademo included in on his blog portions of an audio transcript he had recorded of the telephone interview.
Apparently, someone was upset, and because Ademo did not explicitly ask for permission to record the conversation, he is being charged with felony wiretapping. The relevant law contains a clause that make recording phone conversations illegal is there is "a reasonable expectation of privacy." What possible expectation of privacy is there when an on duty officer is called at the station and agrees to comment on a story? Had Ademo simply written the conversation down instead of recording it, there's nothing they could charge him with. It is clear this is an abuse of power and he is being charged because of his anti-police political activism. The trial is coming up next week. This is something one could have expected out of the old Soviet Union. Someone being arrested for publishing an interview with a public official who agreed to the interview!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/adam-ademo-mueller-journa_n_1748057.html
It is a shame this case is not getting more media attention, as it could set a terrible precedent for chilling the effects of the new media (bloggers and non-mainstream media) to hold public officials accountable.
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