Re:He Disparaged the Police on Facebook, So They Arrested Him
by darkpuma on Monday January 07, 2019 @04:26PM
(#18850308)
Yes, that's obscene. It should be legal for private citizens to call a cop dirty without first launching a huge FBI investigation into the police department to prove it. Often times those FBI investigations only take place because private citizens bring federal attention to the local situation by calling cops dirty loudly and often.
Re:He Disparaged the Police on Facebook, So They Arrested Him
by convivialdingo on Monday January 07, 2019 @04:39PM
(#18850445)
Sometimes when one person speaks out, all the others that were afraid to speak come out as well.
Shield laws and other legal protections are already incredibly strong in the USA. It would be a mistake to make police practically exempt from public restraint.
I would also be afraid that the media would face more targeting legal attacks and restraints from investigating possible corruption. They operate under the same laws as everyone else.
Re:He Disparaged the Police on Facebook, So They Arrested Him
by cruella_deville on Monday January 07, 2019 @04:29PM
(#18850334)
proof doesnt matter, they have immunity from prosecution, and its near impossible to prove they are acting beyond thier legal authority or as an unreasonable person.
They should have consequences to fear when they screw up just like everybody else does.
Is it? If he can't prove his statements were true (eg. if he doesn't have hard facts baking him), then why was he making them?
That said, often those things (dirty police, dirty corporations, etc) are right there obvious to most, and you can't prove them because of course they're careful -- e.g. they might even admit it to your face, but never on record.