NAPA, Calif. - In these uneasy times following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, several railroad photographers have been stopped by police for engaging in an entirely legal activity, taking photos of trains. But not just railroad fans have been harassed. On July 11 Napa County Sheriff's deputies detained a television news crew from ABC-TV's Channel 7 while covering a grass fire in Napa.
According to the station, reporter Wayne Freedman, his photographer Craig Southern, and other members of the media were stopped at a checkpoint where they were told to stop taking pictures of the fire from that location. It seems a deputy didn't like the location Southern had walked to in order to get a shot of the fire. The deputy demanded that he move, even though under California law, he was allowed to not only be where he was, but could insist on being right at the base of the fire. In fact, a reporter and photographer from the Napa Valley Register were allowed to go to the base of the fire a quarter of a mile away. The deputy ended up confiscating Southern's camera and tripod and put him in handcuffs. When Freedman saw the arrest he began shooting video of the incident with his cell phone. Another deputy then took the phone away, broke it in two, and threw it on the ground. Freedman was also arrested.
Upon hearing what had happened, Napa Sheriff's Captain Gene Lyerla arrived on the scene, had the two released, and apologized for what happened. Both were released without being charged. Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Captain John Robertson told ABC7 they would be conducting a thorough investigation of the incident.
Since California State law allows the media to report and take pictures from within police lines, ABC7 plans to file a complaint against the two deputies. Station officials said they would also pursue all legal options.
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Wow...what a story, I can not believe what the police are doing now days, I remember somthing like this last year in CA. Amazing!
