speakingofjustice

Second City Cop reports an embarrassing arrest guaranteed to result in a big payday for a freelance press photographer whose only crime is apparently being faster than an over-hyped, overpaid, and over-exposed Monique Bond, spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department.

The CPD has many “spokespersons” whose one and only job is that of a press liasion on part of the Department and to act as Public Information Officers in times of great distress / serious incidents. Spokespersons have no police authority and no arrest authority other than that stated in IL.C.S. 725 (107-3), and that applies to all Illinois citizens.

Monique showed up to a crime scene that was under on-going investigation only to find out that a freelance press photographer beat her to it, and ordered him to stop while citing some vague statement about there being a law against photographing police or crime scenes under investigation. She (Monique) then had the photographer arrested while he was standing on PRIVATE PROPERTY with the OWNER’S PERMISSION far enough away from the police activity that he could not possibly have been any element of interference.

Officers at some point asked the photographer if he would go to the station with them voluntarily due to a problem with his ID and he sat in an interview room for hours, then being told he was under arrest without having been read his Miranda rights and his video camera confiscated along with the tape inside, and hundreds of still photos were erased from his digital camera. Police state that the digital camera was returned.

Yet again, CPD Officers have abused their power for no other reason than to intimidate the media into submission as if to say “You can’t film us, you can’t photograph us, and you can’t show up at a scene to report the news.” This message directly gives the impression that the 1st amendment is dead in Chicago. Don’t be surprised if the charges get trumped up and yet another scandal erupts.

Chicago residents are not going to sit idly by as a police state takes hold, and our rights continually violated. Shame on Monique and shame on these Officers for knowingly, willfully, and maliciously following an order from someone without any authority to give such an order! 

Our city needs to cry out for the firing of Bond AND the Officers whom committed such a vile act! Absolutely disgusting, inherently evil! Where is Jody Weis in all of this and why hasn’t he done anything? Maybe there will be some luck in the end, maybe this photographer will get the charges thrown out. Let’s all keep a positive tone on behalf of our wronged comrade!  

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