Guy Arrested, Threatened With 15 Years For Recording Traffic Stop In Illinois
Found on Techdirt on Friday, 30 September 2011
With Illinois planning to appeal the Michael Allison case, in which the state wants to put Allison in jail for 75 years because he recorded an interaction with the police, it's worth pointing out that this is not the only such case in Illinois. A few people have sent over this ABC report about another guy, Louis Frobe, who was arrested and told he was facing 15 years in jail for daring to turn on his Flip cam during a traffic stop.
In this case, prosecutors eventually dropped the charges, but Frobe turned around and sued them for the arrest in the first place. The Illinois Attorney General -- who still insists there's no First Amendment right to record the police -- has said Frobe's case should be dismissed since he has no standing.
Frobe's case should not be dismissed, since there is a good chance that it will result in a sane ruling and tell cops that recording their public service is perfectly legal while threatening citizens is not.