Dominic Holden has a very interesting post about how Q-13 Fox is threatening to sue the photographer and KIRO news over the video showing Seattle Police beating up an innocent man. The photographer is claiming that Q-13 refused to air the video in order to preserve their good relationship with SPD. He then turned around and sold it to KIRO, which Q-13 claims was illegal since the video was their property.
The photographer denies that, of course, but Q-13 sat on the video for three weeks. When it finally aired on KIRO, it caused such an uproar that the officer involved gave a teary apology at a press conference last night. Q-13 may very well be right that the photographer illegally sold the video, but what’s much clearer – and far more important – is that Q-13 tried to bury this important news story. I think we deserve to know why.
The photographer claims he was off the Fox clock in his own car with his own camera.
Q13 is obviously making the claim to obfuscate the fact that they’re corrupt. They’ll have to drop a containment dome over this one quickly.
As to why people are turning to the net and away from legacy news sources, stuff like this should go a long way in explaining it.
Although in this case KIRO ultimately picked up the slack in serving the public interest, in general it’s hard to turn on local TV news and not feel patronized and annoyed by the reptilian-level reporting style and histrionics.
too bad mcdermott didn’t get it; he would have released private property right away.
sounds like fox owned the work product, the rest was illegal.
of course since most of the press malfeasance in this area is about ignoring lefty crimes..i guess i should only hope for more acts of illegality in the future, when it helps us.
What doesn’t make sense is that the photographer claims that Q13 had the video for three weeks, but he then sold it to another station. Which tells me that he filmed it for them and was paid for it. At that point, it belongs to them. So he had no legal right to sell it to someone else.
Just because Q13 hadn’t aired it doesn’t mean that there was some sort of collusion between the station and the cops. Some will point out that KIRO aired the footage immediately, but KIRO’s reporters are such ratings whores that Chris Halsney would air footage of his grandmother hooking on Aurora if it got him ratings.
@3, 4
Depends on the contract. I’m a photographer and most of the stuff I sell, I sell the rights for it’s use, not the thing its self. And even if there was a contract there might be an over riding public interest that voids it.
I think the answer here is to disband the Seattle PD and leave the criminals free reign over the streets!
@4
Yep! It just means Fox is a bunch of slimy shit weasels and that news aint exactly breaking news.
Too much is made of private property in this country. Sure, I go along with the idea that everyone should have their stuff and feel secure about owning it, but we in this country elevate private property to the standard on an inherent, inalienable right, which I think is extreme. It’s a cliche to say that information wants to be free, but in some cases the collective interest trumps the individual interest. Particularly when the individual interest is to suppress the information. Good on KIRO for broadcasting this. Bad on Fox for trying to suppress it.
Regardless of the contractual issue, the photographer did the correct thing in turning over the footage to KIRO. The public interest was thereby served.
@3 LOL. Oh you’re just cute when you’re crazy (rustles crazy boys hair). No go along and play, the grown ups are talking. Get going before the death panels or Obama’s secret Muslim army gets ya! LOL
For the adults, the real question is about Q13 and their claim to be a “news” organization (which is very questionable with anything related to Fake News). Fine it was their property, or not, who cares, that’s an issue for the lawyers. The point is why didn’t they air it. Or if not show the video on TV, at least bring up the story. This is the sort of thing the “press” is supposed to exist for…to act as a check on government or private sector abuses. And Q13 failed utterly in this particular case. Shame on them. And shame on ANY news organization who does this, I don’t care if they have information that could embarrass the police, Democrats, Republicans, or the West Seattle Senior Center.
#8…come on Patty, you need to get back to the Senate for a vote; stop wasting time online
Republicans do not understand what the fuss is about. It isn’t like SPD tortured prisoners to death like the Bush Administration did at Gitmo, and even then, it is fine with them.
The near-suppression of this video deserves to become a major media story, up there with Jayson Blair, Rather’s fake-but-accurate documents, etc. Only time will tell if it does, but right now it looks like it’s just a side-note overshadowed by the beating itself.
If this video was nearly suppressed, the obvious question is, what else is being suppressed and papered over. My guess is: a lot.
I’ve always had a huge problem with the shows that mix entertainment and law enforcement, for the very reason of what almost happened here.
@9
Yep!
***********
It’s down right cute (and telling*) that the folks @ Fox thought that in this day and age that just sitting on a story like this would burry it. If that video hadn’t shown up on KIRO it would have shown up on U Tube or somewhere else. It’s like the old Hell’s Angels saying:
The only way three people can keep a secret is if two of them are dead.
*Sorry Fox, some folk care about more than just the money you give them.
Yeah, this is way worse than terrorists, unmanageble deficits, socialism. It sounds like they hurt this poor guys feelings.
I wonder what our underpaid cops have to deal w/ 12hrs a day, versus an occassional slightly wrong deed on their part.
yeah, i know they should be perfect and respect this guy
15
Um, actually, it is worse. A society falls into chaos when respect for law enforcement fails. Also, I see you chirping all the time about constitutional rights (though it is apparent that you couldn’t distinguish the Constitution from a roll of asswipe). This guy was denied a number of constitutional rights. I would guess, though, that doesn’t bother you. Care to try to identify which rights were violated?
Righton wants to go back to the days when white cops were expected to beat up any brown people who didn’t “know their place”.
@17
Or gays or trash or…
In the article I had read, the photographer claims that Q13 refused to show it because they didn’t want the police to stop giving inside tips on crime stories.
At least we now know why KCPQ-13 News is such a lightweight operation. If ot was video of Lindsey Lohan, KCPQ would have aired it as breaking news. But cops bullying a worthless spick? Not so much.
Prediction: there will be a show trial and a lot of moaning and promises, but ultimately both Seattle cops will get off. That’s the Washington Way!
If this cop isn’t fired SPD will find itself in the incredible position of having even less cred than the King County Sheriff’s Office. At least with KCSO, the guy who beat up the young girl was brought up on charges and drummed off the force.
Already we’ve got the kissing cop and the biker-shooting cop both cleared to go back on the force and now this? If they bring back the stomping cop, stick a fork in SPD, they’re done.
@21
It’s making me regret not following the search for a new police chief closer than I have.
I would just like to point out that the guy who was stomped and kicked was released because he was innocent and mistaken, by the cops, for another person. If this is how they treat the innocent, i wonder what happens on the way to jail for the guilty?
The video also shows the chic cop kicking the guy as well. Big mistake that the idiot cops didn’t have the right person, but even if they had, there didn’t appear to be any reason for stomping and kicking by either Barney crys alot or the chic cop. Both should be fired. Of course, they will be cleared and shown to have acted appropriately.
As for Fox. What a joke. Clearly not a news source of any sort. Just the news that fits their narrow perspective. Losers.
In the looney-tunes world of rightwing media everything is for sale, including truth. Especially truth.
I hope to hell the guy who got stomped knows that he can sue the cops for civil rights violations. I agree with those above who opine that the two cops at issue will not face any serious discipline from the SPD. A civil suit against them, however, is likely to bear some fruit for the rights of all of us.
I think 5, 9, and again 14, are following the legal argument, over riding public interest is not just a choice to be made by the photographer, but the responsibility the broadcaster has to the community.
Unlike many other products, news that is of over riding public interest is more important than the hurt feelings and situational rights of a single broadcaster.
I think the FCC should be notified by a citizen that Q13 did, with intent, fail to serve the community.
I think that is really where this universe bends back around on itself.
Clearly we have NO need of a police department. I’m sure the criminals will show us mercy.
If the police act like criminals, what is the difference?
Lee, we are still waiting for your Craigslist murder post. Did you “bury” it?
Crusader
Tell me, if you would, whose interests were served in that little street altercation, were they those of law enforcement? What is law, then?
righton this very senior cop with about 20 years service is likely making over 100 large a year plus a generous pension. when he gets sued by the victim of his assault and racist civil rights violation in this case, guess who’s going to pay for his lawyer and even pay whatever judgment is obtained against him?
You think it’s him personally? No, that would be personal responsibility. rightwing righton dickwads aren’t for that, that’s why they like corporations, which are designed to avoid responsivility. limited liability. and here, that cop’s legal defense will be paid by us seattle taxpayers. it will only be about $500,000 I would think. then the settlement of the case? if they’re illegal aliens they will only get about $190 K if they are citizens and sort of upstanding folks they will get about $400K. If they are soldiers as was reported throw in another chunk.
in the end this MILLION DOLLAR cost will be borne by taxpayers. so add that MILLION DOLLAR BENEFIT and you will see that this cop isn’t exactly being underpaid.
oh by the way. given that he will be on paid leave for a few months and other cops will be investigating him…you have to add in all that time an cost, too. and you might want to focus on the fact that this wasn’t the assailant who did the crime? so we are wasting all this cop time becuse…the cop fucked up.
methinks if the cops didn’t fuck up so much
maybe we could find the dough for 20 more cops right there in the department.
now righton, go ahead, defend yourself. respond. tell me this cop makes only 60 K and has no pension and he’s going to lose his house. riiiggggggggt. this guy will retire and be able to start another whole career ANd pull his pension for the next 34 years so please, stopy your lying, ok?
32
Much of your analysis is correct. But, no chance with regard to those big figures you reference. Juries don’t give out dough in this state, doesn’t happen.
Typical Proud Goaty Leftist response
Laws don’t pertain to leftists.
Crusader @6 and 28. Your witty sarcasm is right on. Because you know what criminals fear more than anything else and keeps society safe and civil? Yep, cops beating innocent citizens.
It’s a pretty sad commentary on our current grasp of basic human rights that the innocence or guilt of the citizen unfortunate enough to have been subjected to felonious assault at the hands of a sworn police officer should matter at all.
If he was tried, convicted, and sentenced, it would still be a felony to physically assault a compliant and non-threatening prisoner in custody. These two police officers lost their minds. I’m sorry for that, I suppose. But in doing so they each committed very serious crimes. They should already be arrested and awaiting trial right now. If a half dozen police were to witness any one of us acting in this way we would certainly be awaiting trial on assault charges right this minute. The precise circumstances would not matter at all.
There is something very, very wrong with our police department when upon witnessing this kind of criminal behavior right before their very eyes, the most any of the by-standing police officers can do is fold their arms and begin pacing nervously. They are witnessing felony assault. Among properly trained police that triggers a certain response, and it isn’t shuffling back and forth and whistling. As police they have a duty to act. Their first duty is to the public, not to a felon who happens to share their uniform. In this instance their first duty was to the individuals in custody who were offering no resistance and cooperating with their orders.
Each and every one of the officers who witnessed these events, failed to intervene to protect, and failed to report the assault should lose their jobs. And the two officers who attacked this man should already be charged with felony assault. We all know perfectly well that nothing like that will result from the OPA investigation. And that’s precisely why none of us are safe so long as our city is preyed upon by this vicious occupying army of thugs and their enablers. This is not effective police work. The only people it protects are the handful of un-indicted felons who wear the badge.
@33,
The award he suggests might be high, but Stafford-Frey don’t work for free and they seldom settle early. When you consider their billings the total cost is probably in the ballpark.
Puddy is glad to see Brenda Helverson displaying respect for arschloch’s peeps. Thanks for displaying that progressive racist attitude!
“. proud leftist spews:
…the two cops at issue will not face any serious discipline from the SPD. A civil suit against them, however, is likely to bear some fruit for the rights of all of us.”
Explain to me how is a big transfer of cash from taxpayer pockets to the victim (& lawyer) going to ‘bear fruit for the rights of all….’ Cops couldn’t care less that taxpayers have to hand over a wad of cash. Unless cops are fired, they go on just as before.
Yes I’m sure that all cops are rotten and beat “innocent perps”. I say just get rid of the Seattle PD this instant and let the criminals have their “reign of terror” over you stupid stupid liberals.
No, all cops are not “rotten”. And appealing to such extremes is merely weak rhetoric to avoid facing the obvious.
We will never have an effective police force that is entirely free of racial animus and occasional loss of emotional control leading to violence. The fact that we pretend that this is attainable is a large part of the problem.
Because the real problem here is not the racial epithets, the verbal abuse, or the loss of emotional control leading to assault on an innocent citizen. The real problem is the immediate and subsequent response on the part of the organization employed to protect those citizens. When a dozen police officers stand idly by, pacing nervously, while another officer beats a suspect in custody, that’s the problem. When the top candidate for leading their department responds to a requests for criminal discovery arising from unlawful arrests by concealing and attempting to destroy evidence that’s the problem. And when our elected government, the media, and the public ignore these circumstances to focus all their attention on bashing a FOX affiliate for partisan political purposes, or stirring racial resentments for political gain that’s the problem.
@38 – Poor puddy can’t recognize obvious sarcasm. That seems to be a trait that Righties are particularly prone to–almost as frequently as their pitiful lack of a sense of humor.
@28;
Obviously you have mistaken a police officer overstepping the bounds of the law with an innocent person for actual law enforcement.
Brenda was expressing the point figuratively.
An intelligent person can tell the difference.
You lose – moron.