Michaelann sez, "Four Springfield Mass police officers beat Melvin Jones in 2009 and the incident was captured on videotape by a resident. Now, one of the four officers involved, who was suspended for 45 days, is seeking a criminal complaint against the woman for illegal wiretapping. This article has a link to the original video, where the woman doing the taping pretty much said everything I would have said– "strong language."
The woman will be in court on Wednesday and some members of my group, Arise for Social Justice, will be there to support her."
Police Sgt. John M. Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said Sedergren filed the complaint personally, not on behalf of the Police Department. "If officer Sedergren feels his rights were violated under the law then he has the opportunity to make his case in court, just like everyone else," Delaney said. A lawyer for Jones – who was charged with shoplifting, domestic battery and drug trafficking on separate occasions since the 2009 incident – contends Sedergren can be heard on Greene's videotape calling Jones a racial expletive. "They're really just trying to intimidate and silence her, but whether she's charged or not (the tape) can still be used in court," said attorney Shawn P. Allyn, who represents Jones in a civil rights lawsuit against the police in U.S. District Court.
Ann Lambert, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union's Boston office, said although the ACLU opposes a "big brother" society, the law is designed to combat secret audiotaping of conversations, not amateur videographers, which are rampant.
Videographer of alleged Melvin Jones beating could be charged with illegal wiretapping
(Thanks, Michaelann!)
