From: rkeller@netaxs.com (Rod Keller)
Date: 7 Feb 2000 17:48:08 GMT
Message-ID: <87n0go$76d@netaxs.com>
I got some clarification on recent issues related to the white lines zone on Watterson Ave. in Clearwater. First, according to spokesman Wayne Shelor, the police are hoping to avoid any incident in which they would have to arrest anybody in the zone. People who wander in unaware of the restrictions are not going to be arrested without a good amount of warning. Trust members are not going to be arrested without warning. Even if somebody is found to be in violation of the zone, the officer has discretion to issue a citation to appear in court, basically like a ticket, instead of arresting them and taking into custody. So anybody who wants to test the zone may get less dramatic tape footage than you had hoped, perhaps just a piece of pink paper. I asked him to clarify his comments on Channel 13 news about stepping over the line being "obstruction of justice", which was not the charge he described to me last week. The context of his answer is that the Fox 13 reporter asked him what would happen if somebody got in the zone and either pushed or interfered with a police officer. That is obstruction of justice. The charge for just staying in the zone with no pushing or interfering is still "failure to obey a lawful order from a police officer." I asked him what the policy is on audio taping with or without notification or consent. Officer Kelly is under administrative review for his actions in the infamous hammer episode. An officer can only insist that taping stop if he is trying to interview a witness or victim in privacy. He can make his own zone to conduct these interviews without recording. People can continue to tape and record audio on the streets of Clearwater except under that special circumstance. I have another question that I'm waiting for a response. More later, I hope. -- Rod Keller / rkeller@voicenet.com / Irresponsible Publisher Black Hat #1 / Expert of the Toilet / CWPD Mouthpiece / Killer Rod The Lerma Apologist / Merchant of Chaos / Vision of Destruction Bigot of Mystery / OSA Patsy / Quasi-Scieno / Mental Bully