By Carlos Miller
An Oklahoma photographer was thrown in the back of a police car last week and threatened with arrest if he did not delete the images he took of a crime scene.
Chris Owens, who was able to retrieve the photos using recovery software, is now considering a lawsuit.
The incident began last Monday in Oklahoma City when Owens, who was riding his scooter, encountered a high speed chase which ended in a crash.
As officers were making an arrest, Owens started snapping away, according to www.news9.com.
“That black SUV passed me doing about 120,” Owens said. “I stopped, pulled off on the median, had my camera and just walked around and shot a few pictures.”
Much to Owens’ surprise, when police saw him taking the pictures, they demanded he hand them over or go to jail. Owens said three troopers and an Oklahoma City police officer were present during the incident.
“I quickly opened the scooter seat, dropped my camera in and locked it, and said ‘No, I won’t give it to you,’ Owens said.
As professional photographer and a teacher at Casady School, Owens stood his ground, telling police they were violating his civil rights.
Finally, they handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a police car while police took his keys, unlocked the scooter and removed the camera. Then they passed it amongst themselves, pushing various buttons until they were content that they had deleted the images.
Thanks to recovery software, we can see the photos in the following news video.
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12 responses so far ↓
1 Chris Owens // Jul 8, 2008 at 11:42 AM
One thing…I did not unlock scooter…I was hand cuffed, locked in police car, and told to shut-up while the police unlocked my scooter (illegal) and took my camera out (illegal) and started passing camera around pushing butons and deleting photos. The deletions were random because they got some of the crime and some of the paid shoot photos I had just finished before the accident.
2 Carlos Miller // Jul 8, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Chris,
Thanks for the clarification. I will change it in the story. That makes it even worse because you had no say in the matter.
3 mad hatter // Jul 8, 2008 at 2:41 PM
A lot of clarification is needed here, Carlos.
I imagine that you sourced your post from the news report to which you link. That report also implied that it was the photog who deleted the pics in an attempt to avoid jail.
Furthermore, in the video he is shown inside of the “yellow line”. Did the POs place that yellow line subsequent to the arrest/detention of the photog? Where was the crime scene initially?
4 Carlos Miller // Jul 8, 2008 at 2:47 PM
mh,
I initially wrote that it was the photog who deleted the images, but the photog has since stated in the first comment of this thread that it was the cops who deleted the images.
I imagine he was inside the yellow line – or whatever you guys call it – after the cops placed him inside the car.
5 Roger // Jul 8, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Have the photos (and possibly the video of him in the squad car) been uploaded somewhere?
OHP never apologizes, so the best bet is a federal civil rights complaint.
Had they simply tried to move the photographer, the “interfering” complaint might have made sense, but the act of deleting the photos says they were afraid he had photos of something they couldnt afford to have public. Thanks for bringing this to the attention of fellow journalists everywhere.
6 Brian // Jul 15, 2008 at 10:48 PM
I live in Oklahoma, so this comes as no surprise to me. I about got arrested a month or two ago for stopping on the side of the road and asking if some people were okay after an accident.
7 Sarah Syrup // Oct 2, 2008 at 5:04 AM
I think this state is all jaked up it kind of reminds me of a Commenwealth State. I just recently moved here from Tx. I just wanna no my rights and wrongs around here
8 Eric // Nov 15, 2008 at 5:00 AM
Chris, I hope you got your apology, and i really hope those cops got a civics, constitution, and bill of rights lesson along with smack up side the head.
So glad I no longer live there. Oklahoma is not OK
9 OK Highway Patrolman chokes paramedic because ambulance didn't yield - Oklahoma City - Oklahoma - Page 2 - City-Data Forum // Jun 11, 2009 at 5:39 PM
[...] the state notorious for overzealous cops. Not necessarily just eastern OK, but I expect that… Oklahoma State Troopers delete photographer’s images While an OKC police officer watched this happen, no [...]
10 Adam Labonoski // Jun 18, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Amazing what the OHP is getting away with. Is anyone going stand up and file suit, or are they just going to continue letting them violate the fundamental rights of Oklahoma’s citizens?
11 Simon De Lao // Jul 23, 2009 at 5:50 PM
When will the people of Oklahoma stand up to these bullies with a badge? We all know what kind of disclipine the OHP hands out – NONE. Until the good people of Oklahoma stand up and expose these thugs for what they are, nothing will change. I hate to be dramatic, but the only way the LAPD changed was through federal lawsuits and tens of millions of dollars in payouts. Until OHP gets hit in the pocketbook, they will continue to do what they do and until you people realize they won’t appologize, nothing will change.
12 Mark // Jul 24, 2009 at 8:08 AM
If anyone would like help with making sure this doesn’t happen to them I would be willing to offer a “redundency” as I have a website with a large amount of storage space and some personal servers in my home. I don’t have any run-ins of this kind but seeing this crap makes me sick. Just drop me an email if you’re interested. – makr@makrit.net
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