Denver Police Arrest ABC News Producer For 'Trespass, Interference, and Failure to Follow a Lawful Order'
Producers with ABC News' investigative unit are currently on assignment in Denver, looking in the role that big money donors play at the Democratic convention.
Today, one of those producers, Asa Eslocker, was arrested outside the swank Brown Palace Hotel, where Democratic senators were meeting with donors at a private party.
According to ABC News, Mr. Eslocker is being charged with "tresspass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order."
More from ABC News' report of the incident:
Eslocker was put in handcuffs and loaded in the back of a police van which headed for a nearby police station.
Video taken at the scene shows a hotel security guard, wearing the uniform of a Boulder County sheriff, ordering Eslocker off the sidewalk in front of the hotel, to the side of the entrance.
The sheriff's officer is seen telling Eslocker the sidewalk is owned by the hotel. Later he is seen pushing Eslocker off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic, forcing him to the other side of the street.
Welcome to the Democratic Party Police State!
Now, surrender your rights.
It is repulsive to see the Demos true colors. However, NBC is the champion of these liberals that believe in liberating us from our/any's rights and is the good thing to do because they know best. What do we know? The media including the NBC is controlled and measured. You have to go to EU media to find out what is going on inside America. Have I seen this jail episode on NBC. Not to my knowledge. That is a cover up for their buddies.
Shame on Denver- not the DEMS. Tho they could have stopped it. It is the City Of Denver who should pay. Plenty of free states to ski in---Apparently NOT Colorado.
They could fess up and apologize maybe.
Freedom of Speech?
I am astounded by the ignorance that surrounds free speech, The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled towards maintaing the integrity of the First Amendment. In fact it has called the press "The fourth branch of government". For those Conservatives railing against the "Liberal Reporter", remember ABC broadcasts Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and more Conservative voices. Would you want them shoved into the street too? All Conservatives, Liberals and Americans rely on freedom of speech. As far as the police, I think they're in need of some basic civil rights education. They didn't violate some obscure rule known only to those who it's important to, they shoved the FIRST AMENDMENT, along with the reporter, into the street! THE FIRST! What's up with that? They have a tough job yes but we don't give the hard working postal worker a pass after they shoot up the place do we?
As far as where the reporter was standing, the sidewalk, here's what the U.S. Supreme Court ruled about that. I think it's even simple enough for a thug to understand.
The more that a sidewalk or street resembles other sidewalks or streets, the more likely it is that courts will consider it a protected public forum. For instance, the Supreme Court found that the sidewalk surrounding the Supreme Court building itself was a public forum because it was indistinguishable from other sidewalks in Washington, D.C. Grace, 461 U.S. at 179 (“The sidewalks comprising the outer boundaries . . . are indistinguishable from any other sidewalks in Washington, D.C., and we can discern no reason why they should be treated any differently.”).
We need to demand that the police learn to respect the citizens, we're the ones who have empowered them and we actually have the ability to disempower them. They work for us, as much as they may not want to admit it, we're their bosses. Let's get that straight.
Mug Shot of ABC News Reporter arrested in Denver posted here:
http://www.ersnews.com
If you want to talk about our constitutional rights to question authority, whether that authority be Democrat (in this case) or Republican, check out http://www.photographyisnotacrime.org.
Cyberhatch, you obviously can't separate anyone's right to criticize the press vs the govt trying to censor it.
I'm very conservative and my first reaction to seeing that jackbooted cigar chewing cop with his fingers around the producers throat was hoping someone shoves that cigar up where the sun don't shine...what a sorry excuse for law enforcement.
and the moron security guard wearing a sheriff's uniform pushing the guy out into traffic...I'd grabbed any heavy object I could find and rearrange that guys dental work.
renegade cops have to be kicked out of public service whenever they are exposed...these two should never draw another paycheck from the taxpayer again!!
Why is the security guard not arrested for impersonating an officer?
Any experienced reporter knows the law on trespass. Sidewalks are public property, even though the majority of cops don't know this, and often have to have it explained to them. My husband is a reporter. He says the normal thing to do is tell the cop you have a right to be on the sidewalk, and if he doesn't believe it, he should call his sergeant. Hotels are private property, and while open to the public, if they tell you to get out, that's their right. Most of the times, when these incidents get out of hand, its because both the cop and the reporter are belligerent. If either one manages to stay calm, these situations are easily defused.
That being said, a high percentage of New York producers can be real jerks when they bring New York attitude to the flyover states.
It is unfair to blame the DNC for this. They just tell the hotel the meeting is private. The hotel hires off duty cops to do security. Sort of like when they took the McCain=Bush sign from a lady at a rally. McCain has no idea what they are doing in his name. And when they bring in small town cops who are used to people doing as they are old, reporters who mouth off to them are bound to trigger an over-reaction.
What the cops did was wrong, but i know Asa and he's a real prick. I'm glad this was done to him!