Update: Here is a video where Shia gives an interview. Her court date is set for Nov. 6.
By Carlos Miller
Nancy Shia, a 61-year-old elected official and freelance photographer, was arrested Sunday as she photographed Washington D.C. police making an arrest.
Police say she walked into a crime scene and refused a police command to stop taking pictures with her digital camera, and was then arrested.
According to Fox News, Shia was charged with “assault on a police officer” as well as disorderly conduct and failure to obey a police officer, the latter two charges of which I was acquitted in June.
Shia, an Adams Morgan advisory neighborhood commissioner whose photos are posted on a Website called Up Close and Political, ended up spending 16 hours in jail. Police have yet to return her camera.
According to her online bio, Shia has extensive experience as a photographer, an elected commissioner and neighborhood activist, which is probably the real reason she was arrested.
Nancy Shia has been a news and social documentary photographer for over forty years, as well as a poster artist, muralist and street artist in DC for the past twenty years. From 1986-2005, she was a reporter and editor for a Washington news service, where she covered thousands of press briefings, Congressional hearings and other media events.
Nancy is also a member of the photographers committee of the National Press Club, and received a National Press Club Vivian Award for community service in 2004. Her photography covers many subjects, including antiwar demonstrations and student uprisings, Adams Morgan community development, post-hurricane Honduras in 1998, Cuba in the 1990s, and an extensive collection of national, international and local political leaders available at www.upcloseandpolitical.com.
She was an Adams Morgan Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in the early 1980s, and was twice voted parent of the year by the Ward I Educational Council. Nancy graduated from City College of New York in1970, Columbia University School of Social Work in 1972, and the Antioch School of Law in 1978.
After reading her experience, it’s hard to believe the police report outlined in The Washington Post.
A police report said she impeded an investigation, took pictures within a crime scene and failed to leave when told. It also said she opened a police vehicle to photograph a suspect who was a juvenile.
Shia said she followed instructions, did not intrude on any crime scene and did not open the door of any police vehicle. She said she photographed two women who had just been arrested and were sitting in the street. A third person who was arrested was also there, but not in a car, she said.
If the police report states that “she took pictures within a crime scene” it is obvious they don’t even know the laws they are enforcing because there is no law in the books that states this is illegal.
The irony is that a police surveillance camera might reveal the truth of what actually took place that night.
D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who called Shia “a good soul,” said a nearby police surveillance camera might clarify events.
I have a feeling that Shia is not going to let them get away with this one.
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20 responses so far ↓
1 Hawkeye // Oct 16, 2008 at 1:31 PM
It sounds like Shia asked to be arrested. What business does she have taking photos of an arrest that doesn’t concern her?
2 Freedom // Oct 16, 2008 at 1:50 PM
@Hawkeye
Are you kidding me? doesn’t concern her? This is everyones concern. Wake up and smell the coffee.
3 Norm // Oct 16, 2008 at 1:54 PM
It sounds to me like Hawkeye asked to be arrested. What business does he have making comments on a story that doesn’t concern him?
The world is full of idiots. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to “Hawkeye.”
4 Ranma // Oct 16, 2008 at 1:56 PM
So the arrest did not concern her, so she should not have taken photos? I guess if you are getting arrested, and the police start abusing you, beating on your ass, I will just continue walking by. All your pleas for help will go on deaf ears, because your arrest does not concern me. I am not being arrested so why should I care that you are!
You are an idiot Hawkeye.
5 Hotspot // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Those who try to live at the expense of others, all get devine retribution some were along the line.
That’s the lesson!
Unfortunately, we forget the lessons we learn. Then we have to learn them all over again!
Think about it!
6 Hawkeye // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:04 PM
It says she was impeding the investigation. The police have enough to worry about than to worry about a curious onlooker impeding the investigation.
7 otakucode // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Hawkeye, do you believe that citizens should give up all rights? After all, isn’t every action done without direct consent of the government impeding their attempts to run an orderly society?
Any police officer who sees someone taking pictures of them and stops their investigation to mess with that person is the one impeding the investigation – she should file a countersuit against them for impeding their own investigation. Instead of doing their job like they are supposed to, they concentrate on the fact that a citizen is doing something they have every right to do and which law prohibits them from infringing upon.
8 Hawkeye // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:53 PM
I don’t believe citizens should give up their rights.
But I don’t believe citizens should impede an investigation where they open the door to the police car.
9 Cigars // Oct 16, 2008 at 3:07 PM
The cops are becoming militarized sooooo much in this country it’s just crazy.
We need laws that directly restrict their interactions with any citizen journalist.
We also need to remove their level of immunity that allows this kind of abuse to happen in the first place.
10 Carlos Miller // Oct 16, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Hawkeye,
If you believe everything that is ever written in a police report, then I suggest you check out the video in the following post.
http://carlosmiller.com/2008/08/12/nyc-council-members-urge-probe-against-nypd-as-second-video-emerges/
Or even my arrest report, which contradicts itself and police later testified that they had made a “mistake” when they said they escorted me to the middle of the road.
http://carlosmiller.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/arrestreportredactjpg.pdf
I don’t believe for a minute this woman opened the police car door. That would be a stupid thing to do and this woman has too much experience to do something like that.
11 Ricky Rodriguez // Oct 16, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Carlos great job spreading the truth!
You have no idea what rage i have against the Police State. If i do decide to run for office u can be assured I will Speak 110% against the police state and lists all these abuses and attacks on our constitutional rights!
12 Scott // Oct 16, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Well although I don’t agree entirely I do believe that generally police try to do what is best for the people. She might have been impeding, maybe not. I will wait for the inquiry.
And as for you Mr Rodriguez this is not a police state. It’s when we don’t hear about the abuse is when I get worried.
13 dzent1 // Oct 16, 2008 at 8:04 PM
You know, on every site documenting these outrageous abuses against our civil liberties, you get these “she DESERVED it!” comments from cops and the agents of government. The economic disaster and the civil unrest that is sure to follow was anticipated years ago and these boorish, unthinking dolts are being trained to hurt and attack citizens as often as possible to frighten them into absolute obedience to “authority”.
As a citizen who believes in the governing principals of the constitution, I intend to protect my rights by whatever means are necessary, especially since these thugs have no compunction about lying under oath in court. Apparently, the days of government legitimacy on every level are over; police have become the paid agents of corporate force, and citizens should re-read the constitution NOW and resolve not to be grist for the mill.
14 seconded // Oct 16, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Hawkeye, you are wrong.
The day a citizen cannot record the police doing their business is a tragic day for democracy.
I have tremendous respect for most police officers, but the ones like this give them all a bad name.
15 You're doing it wrong // Oct 16, 2008 at 11:19 PM
I’m using Firefox 3 and can view the embedded video with no problems.
16 Carlos Miller // Oct 16, 2008 at 11:22 PM
I fixed it but I don’t know what the issue was. I was just seeing an empty white space but when I opened it up in Safari, I saw it fine.
Either way, it’s up.
17 Bubba Zed // Oct 17, 2008 at 1:54 AM
Cigars: “The cops are becoming militarized sooooo much in this country it’s just crazy.”
You’re not wrong. Watching video from the RNC, the police looked like a cross between Judge Dredd and something from 1930s Germany. It needs to change.
18 Thetruth // Jan 10, 2009 at 3:28 PM
I think you are a ridiculous bastard that should have learned his lesson not to interfere with the cops and be a dumb asshole after the first beatdown.
Are you looking to get other people beat up too by encouraging them to be as dumb as a fuck as yourself when it comes to respecting the law officers?
19 Tom Jones // Aug 4, 2010 at 10:08 PM
the video does not work for me.
20 TonySprout // Aug 6, 2010 at 10:49 AM
I support your work completely. AmeriKa has become a police state with far too many police and judicial abuses. We need to fight to get our judiciary to respect the Constitution AS WRITTEN, not interpreted using legal-weasel terminology. The Constitution belongs to The People, not black-robed thugs.
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