"Carlos Miller and his blog Photography Is Not A Crime has to be the best blog I have come across to date that documents the ongoing battle that photographers and videographers are facing in increasing numbers."Hodson Report
"Anyone who promises to 'mock, madden and maybe even muckrake' has my attention - especially when he's fighting for my right to plant my sticks wherever the Constitution says I can."Lenslinger
"With a seemingly increasing number of stories of police harassing and arresting photographers making headlines, one man has made it his job to watch the police."B-roll
"This is not a partisan issue. It's a police abuse-of-power issue, and 'security' is no excuse for this sort of totally unacceptable and unconstitutional behavior by officers of the law. Carlos Miller is a great source of information about these unfolding stories."Brendan Loy
I have a bunch of RSS feeds on my smartphone, and I tell ya, this is one i read constantly. Great info, and it is unbelievable what is going on right here in the USA.... Virginia Beach Photo Club
“Photography is not a Crime” is informative, well written and takes no prisoners. The Photojournalist
"If you read enough of his site, you start to understand that Miller has a bit of an ability to instigate. I don't blame him for this. I think that in order for society to progress, authority must continually be challenged. [Post] Modern College Life
The Bad
"This Carlos Miller character is just a jerk, no redeeming social or personal value."Conservative Cave
"You're a good writer, Carlos, but until you're able to recognize and acknowledge your biases, your quests for justice will be seen by most as little more than sour grapes by a man with a chip on his shoulder."South Florida Daily Blog
The Ugly
"You are a cockroach and boil on the ass of journalism in Miami and the sooner that responsible journalists in Miami disown you and repudiate your actions the better.""Hank"
"Your arrogant, crass, thug-like behavior crops up at every turn. One only need to read your blog to see that.
You can’t seem to cover anything without getting into a potentially violent confrontation.""Hank"
Recognition
The South Florida Daily Blog Post of the Month February 2008The South Florida Daily Blog Post of the Month June 2008The South Florida Daily Blog Post of the Month November 2008Some Cranky Guy
Uber Amazing BlogNovember 23rd, 2008
By Carlos Miller
Five weeks after my trial was delayed because prosecutors were unprepared to proceed in front of a news camera, my trial is set to begin again.
This time, the trial is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on Monday, June 16th, in Courtroom 2-11 in the Justice Building, 1351 N.W. 12th St.
Glenna Milberg from Local 10 said she will be there along with a videographer, so prosecutors were unsuccessful in avoiding the camera, which is ironic considering the actions that lead to my arrest in the first place.
Click here to read all that has happened in the 16 months since I was arrested after photographing Miami police against their wishes.
Regardless of whether or not photographers are aggressive or talk back to police or give attitude, the plain and simple fact is that in the vast majority of cases it does not need to escalate to the point of arrest. These are needless cases that clog our courts and waste taxpayer dollars. There is real crime in America that needs addressing.
And to the above poster, your argument would have been so much more effective if you hadn’t degenerated to name-calling. Why is okay to be so crude and classless in a forum like this?
Carlos, as I mentioned I was close by today. I couldn’t get down to your trial because I was in the jury pool room serving jury duty. Needless to say I didn’t get picked even as a panelist for your case (though I am sure they would have disqualified me because I know you and bought an image from you once). In any case I’m another panel and obviously can’t talk about it until it’s over. Anyway, I hope everything went OK and that your not sitting in the slam right now.
I am on your side. It don’t mater if you were confrontational. It is part of the job for police to try to prevent it from escalating to the point of arrest. Some officers want to confront you and show you their power. They don’t care if it clog our courts and waste taxpayer dollars. It would be easy to bow to them and avoid trouble for your self but that just makes them worse.
My name is Carlos Miller and I am a multimedia journalist who was arrested by Miami police after taking photos of them against their wishes, a clear violation of my First Amendment rights.
Since that arrest on Feb. 20th, 2007, I've fought a lengthy battle against the State of Florida to prove my innocence. After going to trial in June 2008, I was acquitted of all charges except resisting arrest without violence. I appealed that conviction pro se, meaning I represented myself, and I won a reversal.
However, I am now fighting another arrest for photographing cops against their wishes. On Memorial Day Weekend 2008, I was arrested on Miami Beach on a single charge of resisting arrest without violence after I photographed a couple of cops against their wishes.
Click here to read more.
Their side of story
Police “escorted defendant to the middle of the street and told him to cross to the sidewalk. Defendant for the fourth time refused the verbal commands and that’s why he was arrested.” Read arrest report.
A legal view
The general rule in the United States is that anyone may take photographs of whatever they want when they are in a public place or places where they have permission to take photographs. Absent a specific legal prohibition such as a statute or ordinance, you are legally entitled to take photographs. Examples of places that are traditionally considered public are streets, sidewalks, and public parks.(more).
SPJ’s protest letter
National leaders of the largest journalism organization in the United States have expressed their disappointment in Miami-Dade County Court Judge Jose L. Fernandez for violating my First Amendment rights.
Fernandez, as I mentioned in a previous post, gave me an extremely harsh sentence and criticized me for having blogged about my case.
Read the press release from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Sarcasm Disclaimer
I am a very sarcastic person in person. And I am probably even more sarcastic in my writing.
But if you’ve never met me, you might not see that sarcasm. After all, sarcasm depends on tone and delivery for pure effectiveness, something that is hard to do with the written word.
So if you are ever offended by something I write, whether you are a conservative, liberal, Catholic, Jew, atheist, American, foreigner, black, white, southerner, yankee, homosexual, straight or whatever, chances are, I am just being sarcastic.
Truth is, I am not a hater. I don’t even hate cops. I just want them to abide by the law.
Support the blog
Each time you make a purchase through B&H Photo by clicking on the ad below, they send a few bucks my way that goes toward operating this blog.
Jeremy Brooks » Carlos Miller - Trial Begins Monday // Jun 11, 2008 at 12:14 PM
[...] Carlos Miller, the photographer who was arrested in Miami for photographing police activity, finally has a trial date. [...]
It’s good to hear that you finally have a trial date. Many of us that enjoy photography are watching this with interest. Best wishes!
I was kind of in your corner when this happened.
I say kind of because it soon became evident that your behavior is the root of a lot of your problems.
You seem to seek out confrontations.
Your website is littered with stories of your confrontations.
Can you just once when confronted by some just shut the fuck up and walk away? I don’t think so.
I hope they throw the book at you … you’re an a** hole.
Carlos, Good luck with your trial.
Regardless of whether or not photographers are aggressive or talk back to police or give attitude, the plain and simple fact is that in the vast majority of cases it does not need to escalate to the point of arrest. These are needless cases that clog our courts and waste taxpayer dollars. There is real crime in America that needs addressing.
And to the above poster, your argument would have been so much more effective if you hadn’t degenerated to name-calling. Why is okay to be so crude and classless in a forum like this?
Hey Carlos,
Good Luck!
Good luck today!
well post something already
Carlos, as I mentioned I was close by today. I couldn’t get down to your trial because I was in the jury pool room serving jury duty. Needless to say I didn’t get picked even as a panelist for your case (though I am sure they would have disqualified me because I know you and bought an image from you once). In any case I’m another panel and obviously can’t talk about it until it’s over. Anyway, I hope everything went OK and that your not sitting in the slam right now.
I am on your side. It don’t mater if you were confrontational. It is part of the job for police to try to prevent it from escalating to the point of arrest. Some officers want to confront you and show you their power. They don’t care if it clog our courts and waste taxpayer dollars. It would be easy to bow to them and avoid trouble for your self but that just makes them worse.