United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: ABC News Reporter Arrested After Police Said His Camera Put “Their Lives in Danger”
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/lo ... ographing-mouthing-off-police/
Published: May 29, 2015
Author: John Vibes
Post Date: 2015-05-29 08:48:29 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 8346
Comments: 55
Baton Rouge, LA – WBRZ-TV reporter Brett Buffington was arrested on Thursday morning for attempting to take photos of a crime scene, and then later “mouthing off” to officer on the scene. Buffington was charged with interfering with an officer and intimidating a public official. The police claim that Buffington “interfered” with a burglary investigation around 2:30 in the early morning on Thursday. However, according to the police department’s version of events, Buffington was simply doing his job as a journalist and attempting to investigate a crime just as the police allegedly were. The police report stated that Buffington disobeyed police officers when they asked him to leave the area, but instead took photos. The officers said that the flash from the camera diverted their attention and put “their lives in danger.” After that Buffington was detained for a period of time, and given a summons to appear in court on a criminal offense and was again told to leave. Buffington did leave this time, however, as he was walking away, he said to the officers, “Hope you enjoy the rest of your career.” This seemed to damage the officer’s ego so bad that he arrested the journalist. Hopefully WBRZ will stand by their reporter, but the network has been unclear about their position thus far, making only the following statement: “WBRZ is working with our employee and the Baton Rouge Police Department to determine the full details of what occurred,” WBRZ News Director Chuck Bark said in an email response to The Advocate. The Baton Rouge police department has its share of unscrupulous cops. For starters, Buffington is the second person in 6 months to be arrested for recording or photographing police. In December, a Virginia man visiting a friend in Baton Rouge was thrown to the ground, assaulted and arrested after filming an officer roughing someone up. In February, the BRPD came under fire after they made a parade float mocking a woman for being raped as a child. ***** The officers said that the flash from the camera diverted their attention and put “their lives in danger.” The magic words that exonerate cops from any criminal action. First amendment? I guess these ignorant jackboots never heard of it.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 26.
#5. To: Deckard (#0)
There was a TV reporter at a burglary scene ... in Baton Rouge ... at 2:30 in the morning? Slow crime day? Gosh. What's his next, hard-hitting news assignment -- traffic court? Unless, of course, he wasn't on assignment. Rather, he was in the area, saw the commotion, and meandered over to take some pictures. Now that he's in trouble, he's hiding behind his "reporter" status.
Who ever heard of houses being burglarized in the middle of the night! Strange. But of course!! News events only happen between 9 AM and 5 PM, as everyone knows! Aha! Now we're on to his true sinister motives! Excellent work, detective! Of course, now that he's been uncovered as a fraud, there will be no escape for him THIS time!!! bwahhaahahahahaaa......
What's strange is that a TV reporter was there, at 2:30am, covering a simple burglary. With no TV crew.
Good grief man, are you serious? You appear to have no clue as to how news is gathered. Reporters go to a story no matter what time of day. That's what they get paid to do. Do you think they wait for the cops to call them before they go out? Most stations have a newscast in the early morning, did you know that?
A television reporter covering a simple burglary? At 2:30am? With no TV crew? This is in Baton Rouge, a city of 230,000 people. Are they that starved for crime news that they send a TV reporter to cover a burglary? Did they have to pull him away from that shoplifting caper he was covering?
What part of "doing his job" do you not understand?
The part where “doing his job” interferes with an officer and obstructs or hinders any officer in the performance of his duty.
However, according to the police department’s version of events, Buffington was simply doing his job as a journalist and attempting to investigate a crime just as the police allegedly were.
But that did not include setting of camera flashes in the officers faces.
Oh yeah, that's what he did - went right up to them and pointed the flash into their faces and set off the flash. Gosh, this reporter should be prosecuted as vigorously as the guy pointing a laser into airplane cockpits. Good god man. are you for real? What kind of coward fears for his life from a camera flash? What's more likely is that the cops didn't want the reporter catching them in the act of helping themselves to some off-the-books swag.
Oh yeah, that's what he did - went right up to them and pointed the flash into their faces and set off the flash. Nah, he was about 4 feet away.
There are no replies to Comment # 26. End Trace Mode for Comment # 26.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest"The police claim that Buffington “interfered” with a burglary investigation around 2:30 in the early morning on Thursday."
#6. To: misterwhite (#5)
There was a TV reporter at a burglary scene ... in Baton Rouge ... at 2:30 in the morning?
Slow crime day? Gosh. What's his next, hard-hitting news assignment -- traffic court?
Unless, of course, he wasn't on assignment.
Rather, he was in the area, saw the commotion, and meandered over to take some pictures.
Now that he's in trouble, he's hiding behind his "reporter" status.
#8. To: Pinguinite (#6)
"Who ever heard of houses being burglarized in the middle of the night! Strange."
#9. To: misterwhite, Pinguinite (#8)
(Edited)
What's strange is that a TV reporter was there, at 2:30am, covering a simple burglary
#12. To: Deckard (#9)
"Reporters go to a story no matter what time of day."
#13. To: misterwhite (#12)
A television reporter covering a simple burglary?
#18. To: Deckard, misterwhite (#13)
What part of "doing his job" do you not understand?
#20. To: Gatlin (#18)
The part where “doing his job” interferes with an officer and obstructs or hinders any officer in the performance of his duty.
#22. To: Deckard (#20)
#24. To: Gatlin (#22)
(Edited)
But that did not include setting of camera flashes in the officers faces.
#26. To: Deckard (#24)
But that did not include setting of camera flashes in the officers faces.
Replies to Comment # 26.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]