Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Cops Arrest Man for Videotaping Brutality
While many people never question the role that the police play in our lives until it directly affects them or their loved ones, one thing you should know: videotaping police will always get you in trouble, even though it is our constitutional right.
A locally-employed California man may have inadvertently stumbled onto a Rodney King-type incident the night before Fantasy Fest, when he turned his camera toward several Key West policemen in the midst of a violent arrest.
Tanner Dunlop is a skinny, shy, soft-spoken young man with choir boy looks, who says his only previous experience with police was a speeding ticket. He claims that all he did was videotape the cops in action in front of Sloppy Joes.
And this week, he'll get a chance to tell it to the judge, after getting arrested for resisting without violence. "I can't believe they would arrest a bystander. I've never been in trouble with the law," he said.
Police had been summoned to the sidewalk in front of the Key West landmark bar after receiving reports that a young inebriated woman was being sexually abused by a group of men.
"It was after the bars shut down and I was on my way to find a taxi home," he said. "A photographer friend and I stopped in front of a crowd. We didn't know what was going on at the time."
He said he began videotaping after "cops came out of nowhere, pulled a girl from the pile and threw one man with a walking cast on the sidewalk, chipping his front teeth. The officer was out of control, stepping on the guys back and elbowing him as he got his cuffs."
Dunlop said he taped the whole incident, moving across the street when he saw an officer throw another man to the ground.
"I was just watching from the corner, when an officer saw me with my camera in my hand and said something to me. I don't know what, but I think it was to stay back against the wall. Then, all of a sudden, he told me to face the wall and I did. He then threw me against the wall. My camera hit first and pieces flew out along with the battery."
Dunlop said he was then put down on the hood of the police car, his beads were ripped off, his camera and camera bag were taken, his pockets emptied and he was handcuffed.
Then, reportedly, the cops watched a little TV.
"Three of the cops put my battery back in the camera and played my tape," Dunlop said. "I could hear my voice saying 'That's F-ing police brutality," he said. "But when I was taping, I was far enough away so they could not have heard my comment."
When the girl was brought to the car and unable to identify either Dunlop or the other two men as "rapists," Dunlop said he was told -- after an hour-and-a-half of sitting in the police van -- that he would be charged with resisting arrest.
"I was never read my rights," he said.
According to the official report, Dunlop was arrested for interfering with an arrest.
"I didn't interfere in anything," he said. "I was just watching from across the street with dozens of other people. But I had a video camera and I was taping what the cops were doing."
Dunlop spent the day in jail, not getting out until 9p.m. Saturday.
"I got my camera back Monday. It was broken and scratched, with the tape in it. I couldn't get the tape out, so I went to the camera shop where the tape was removed."
The tape appeared to have been erased, he said.
Dunlop said a girlfriend told him afterwards that she saw the police throw the camera to the ground.
The police, however, have a different story to tell. Arrest documents say Dunlop "approached the prisoner and ignored the officer's order." Not so, said Dunlop.
"He continued to walk in very close proximity (to the arrestee)," the report stated. Dunlop then allegedly "grabbed (the suspect's) right arm." Dunlop said that never happened, that he never touched the man getting arrested.
He also disagreed with the contention that he "continued to resist (his own arrest) by not allowing (himself) to be handcuffed." The police further noted that "while resisting, defendant Tanner's video camera was damaged."
For the young man who says he's never been in trouble before, his fate will now be in the hands of a public defender. "I can't afford an attorney," he said.
Tanner Dunlop is a skinny, shy, soft-spoken young man with choir boy looks, who says his only previous experience with police was a speeding ticket. He claims that all he did was videotape the cops in action in front of Sloppy Joes.
And this week, he'll get a chance to tell it to the judge, after getting arrested for resisting without violence. "I can't believe they would arrest a bystander. I've never been in trouble with the law," he said.
Police had been summoned to the sidewalk in front of the Key West landmark bar after receiving reports that a young inebriated woman was being sexually abused by a group of men.
"It was after the bars shut down and I was on my way to find a taxi home," he said. "A photographer friend and I stopped in front of a crowd. We didn't know what was going on at the time."
He said he began videotaping after "cops came out of nowhere, pulled a girl from the pile and threw one man with a walking cast on the sidewalk, chipping his front teeth. The officer was out of control, stepping on the guys back and elbowing him as he got his cuffs."
Dunlop said he taped the whole incident, moving across the street when he saw an officer throw another man to the ground.
"I was just watching from the corner, when an officer saw me with my camera in my hand and said something to me. I don't know what, but I think it was to stay back against the wall. Then, all of a sudden, he told me to face the wall and I did. He then threw me against the wall. My camera hit first and pieces flew out along with the battery."
Dunlop said he was then put down on the hood of the police car, his beads were ripped off, his camera and camera bag were taken, his pockets emptied and he was handcuffed.
Then, reportedly, the cops watched a little TV.
"Three of the cops put my battery back in the camera and played my tape," Dunlop said. "I could hear my voice saying 'That's F-ing police brutality," he said. "But when I was taping, I was far enough away so they could not have heard my comment."
When the girl was brought to the car and unable to identify either Dunlop or the other two men as "rapists," Dunlop said he was told -- after an hour-and-a-half of sitting in the police van -- that he would be charged with resisting arrest.
"I was never read my rights," he said.
According to the official report, Dunlop was arrested for interfering with an arrest.
"I didn't interfere in anything," he said. "I was just watching from across the street with dozens of other people. But I had a video camera and I was taping what the cops were doing."
Dunlop spent the day in jail, not getting out until 9p.m. Saturday.
"I got my camera back Monday. It was broken and scratched, with the tape in it. I couldn't get the tape out, so I went to the camera shop where the tape was removed."
The tape appeared to have been erased, he said.
Dunlop said a girlfriend told him afterwards that she saw the police throw the camera to the ground.
The police, however, have a different story to tell. Arrest documents say Dunlop "approached the prisoner and ignored the officer's order." Not so, said Dunlop.
"He continued to walk in very close proximity (to the arrestee)," the report stated. Dunlop then allegedly "grabbed (the suspect's) right arm." Dunlop said that never happened, that he never touched the man getting arrested.
He also disagreed with the contention that he "continued to resist (his own arrest) by not allowing (himself) to be handcuffed." The police further noted that "while resisting, defendant Tanner's video camera was damaged."
For the young man who says he's never been in trouble before, his fate will now be in the hands of a public defender. "I can't afford an attorney," he said.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$50.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
Work with a partner. Stay seperated, one high profile and one low, with some kind of continual audio com. Look into both overt and covert video & audio surveillance gear. Pinhole CMOS 1" board cameras that pull 12V DC and put out clean med-res NTSC are as cheap as $30.
Think, plan, and execute like you are in enemy-controlled territy - heck, even watch some old Bogart movies about life under the SS and KGB. IT IS WAR out there, albeit "cold" war, so please start working accordingly.
Or would you rather just become yet another guy with a smashed camera and no evidence? Remember, cops smash cameras and erase tapes for only one reason - for all their bravado, they fear us.
*Sj
If a woman is being raped and you stand with a video camera taping the event and doing nothing, you are a horrible sickening worthless sack of shit.
I dont care the legality of these cops actions against this "choir boy". Stomp his fucking head in the ground. Stomp the heads of the fucking rapists in the ground first.
OK now everyone. Jump dannys dumb ass. I cant wait to see you all pile on to condemn me and defend this sorry piece of shit never been arrested choir boy looking coward.
"[We] stopped in front of a crowd. We didn't know what was going on at the time."
and
"..he began videotaping after "cops came out of nowhere, "
dont you understand?
Jeezie Chreezie! At least put some effort into your nonsense, man!
*Sj
To contact Key West The Newspaper for confirmation:
Editor/Publisher: Dennis Reeves Cooper, Ph.D.
422 Fleming Street
P.O. Box 567
Key West, Florida, 33041
(305) 292-2108
e-mail: office [at] kwtn.com
To contact Attorneys for Steven Lecklitner for more information and confirmation into events leading to the Florida State Attorney investigation into Key West Police Department excessive use of force and abuse of powers complaint:
Law Offices of Cornelius Shiver
3337 Thomas Ave.,
Miami, Florida, 33133
(305) 441-8202
I cant believe this guy admits to being a bystander to a gang rape.
"A photographer friend and I stopped in front of a crowd"
A crowd gathered to watch a gang rape !?!
"We didn't know what was going on at the time"
"cops came out of nowhere, pulled a girl from the pile and threw one man with a walking cast on the sidewalk, chipping his front teeth. The officer was out of control, stepping on the guys back and elbowing him as he got his cuffs"
Ok at which point were they not knowing whats going on as innocent bystanders, and, seeing exactly what is going on as material witnesses to a rape that they make no attwmpt to stop ! ? !!
"taped the whole incident, moving across the street when he saw an officer throw another man to the ground", and, "I was just watching from the corner, when an officer saw me with my camera in my hand and said something to me. I don't know what, but I think it was to stay back against the wall. Then, all of a sudden, he told me to face the wall and I did. He then threw me against the wall. My camera hit first and pieces flew out along with the battery."
If I'm a cop or not a cop, and I'm watching a guy who has very likely just taped a gang rape without interceding, said guy is getting 6'2" 235 lbs of me taking away his camera and taking it to the cops for him. Because I'm thinking if he's the kind of guy who would do such a inhumane thing. Likely he isnt gonna take the tape to the authorities. Likely he's a gonna go sell it on the internet and try to get paid for it somehow. Because thats what people do.
"I didn't interfere in anything," he said. "I was just watching from across the street with dozens of other people. But I had a video camera and I was taping what the cops were doing."
And very likely taping a gang rape. Why is it not against the law to videotape a gang rape ? What if the girl had been twelve years old ? What if they were killing her ? What if choir boys got a hard on while hes taping ?
"The tape `appeared` to have been erased", he said.
Really. So it wasnt erased or it was erased ? Which one. ? If "choir boy looks" has this tape and knows if he admits it has the whole event and GANG RAPE on it, whats he going to do with it ?
Now remember its very likely he volunteringly taped a gang rape instead of attempting to intercede. Hes not a member of the press at a news event. Hes a member of a crowd of people who apparently were being entertained by this event.
"I stopped in front of a crowd". "We didn't know what was going on at the time." Sure.
I think junior has $$$$$ on his mind. Choir boy looks ...
"stepping on the guys back and elbowing him as he got his cuffs"
A rapist. Brutally restraining a rapist. A rapist who moments earlier was in a gang raping a woman. Who gives a god damn if the cop punches the rapist in the mouth a time or two. This is not a speeding ticket. This is a RAPIST. Its on tape. Choir boy said so !!
"when he saw an officer throw another man to the ground"
Oh, another rapist. I imagine these rapist arent going to go easily. Wouldnt ya think a rapist, even a nice one like the choir boy, aint ginna want those cuffs on. I believe strongly a punch or two to the head of a RAPIST who is resisting is a justified thing.
"say Dunlop "approached the prisoner and ignored the officer's order". "He continued to walk in very close proximity (to the arrestee),". "grabbed (the suspect's) right arm."
Why is it I dont find this hard to believe. That gang rape taping choir boy may be lieing is probable to me.
"continued to resist (his own arrest) by not allowing (himself) to be handcuffed."
This leads me to believe something more sinister may have been happening. If you believe it is possible tapeboy could be lieing. And if you have a one morsel of sense you musat know it is very possible. Who is to say tapeboy wasnt filmimg the gang rape the whole time. Who is to say tapeboy isnt best friends with the gang rapists. How is it one of you can not accept that this is possible ? If you have a right mind about you at all you must admit this is possible.
" life is as simple as danny
by lalala November 27 2001, Tue, 7:05pm
danny, if someone is being raped you attack the rapist. you dont show up and start grabbing *random people, *smashing videocameras, and *beating innocent people. you're the stupid one. "
*making shit up
Lalala. You are exactly right. That is precisely what I said. Why you want to jump on me ? My past sins here on the board ? Likely. Get over yourself Lalala.
Consider the world might exist independant of you "Spider Jerusalem". You exist behind your nose, not in front of it.
And contact info for the attorneys of the GANG RAPPISTS ?? Lordy lordy lordy.
as for rape, the police are really the last friend you have. i know. the police conduct what is known as a "Second Rape" by taking a victim, and basically acting like cops/pigs around them. cops are not the people who should respond to situations like that. we should get rid of cops and replace them with *educated* people who arent old schoolyard bullies.