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Hidden with code "Submitted as Feature"Hidden with code "Submitted as Feature" |
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News :: Civil & Human Rights |
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Local Activists Charged with Eavesdropping After Videotaping Champaign cops - Community Rallies Behind Them |
Current rating: 0 |
by Kimberlie Kranich
Email: kakranich (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified!) |
05 Sep 2004
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Two founding members of VEYA, Visionaries Educating Youth and Adults, Martell Miller and Patrick Thompson of Champaign, have been charged with eavesdropping by the state's attorneys office for videotaping Champaign Police traffic stops of African-American men and their white counterparts. A video that features these stops by police was to air on Urbana Public Television (UPTV) on August 25 but was turned over to police by UPTV staff and is being used as "evidence" against Mr. Miller and Mr. Thompson in the felony charges. |
The eavesdropping charges against Mr. Miller and Mr. Thompson are felony charges since they involve police and could land them in jail between 4 and 15 years or they could get probation. A grand jury indicted Mr. Miller on Friday, September 3 of three counts of eavesdropping.
Martell Miller and Patrick Thompson are African-American men from Champaign. They spoke up against taser electroshock stun guns when the police department wanted to purchase them earlier this spring. Part of their argument against tasers was the disparate treatment of African Americans by the cops. They did not want the police to have another weapon to use against black residents. Segments of the black and white communities organized and together defeated tasers.
Meanwhile, VEYA informed the Champaign Mayor and City manager that their organization was going to start video taping Champaign police stops of black folks. Citizen Watch, the name for VEYA's program to monitor traffic stops, was meant for accountability on both sides of a traffic stop. VEYA was filming these traffic stops to help build their case that a program for mentoring youth was needed in Champaign-Urbana. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Miller were filming a variety of stops to help illustrate the disparity in treatment. The city manager and the mayor did not respond to VEYA's letter.
VEYA started to make a documentary for UPTV about Citizen Watch.
On August 7, 2004, around midnight Mr. Miller was on North Bradley Street with his video camera and saw four police officers talking to a black man on a bicycle for not having a light on the front of his bike. From across the street, Mr. Miller filmed this "traffic stop." After the stop, the officers left. The suspect then came over to Mr. Miller's side of the street and Mr. Miller asked him if he could interview him. The man said "yes" and the interview began.
The cop who had pulled the suspect over and several other police officers then returned. As Mr. Miller was interviewing the suspect, one of the cops intervened and asked Mr. Miller if he was currently taping the officer. Mr. Miller had not intended to tape the officer, but the cop's question was now on Mr. Miller's tape. The two argued about Mr. Miller's rights and Mr. Miller told the officer to call his supervisor. The supervisor arrived on the scene and told Mr. Miller that he has recorded the cop without his permission. The police seized Mr. Miller's camera and tape.
Mr. Miller was charged with eavesdropping. Judge Heidi Ladd refused to allow the state's attorney to arrest Mr. Miller over the charge. Mr. Miller was released on his own recognizance. Meanwhile, the News-Gazette reported on the story and wrote an editorial against State's Attorney John Piland for bringing charges against Mr. Miller for a "crime" that is violated by many people every day.
VEYA finished its documentary and turned it into UPTV. UPTV staff willing gave the video to police without protest. It took another week for Mr. Miller to find out that UPTV had turned the tape over to police. Most importantly, Mr. Miller was issued an additional count of eavesdropping, bringing the number to three, based on the footage on the UPTV tape. Mr. Thompson has also been charged with one count of eavesdropping based on the confiscated documentary.
Mr. Miller's hearing is on Wednesday, September 8 at 3:30pm in Courtroom F (no shorts or sandals allowed in the courtroom) and the UPTV Commissioners meeting is on Monday, 9/13 at noon in the Urbana City Building, 400 S. Vine St.
If you would like to join the Citizens for Miller and Thompson, please e-mail kakranich (at) yahoo.com or cu (at) veya.org.
Kimberlie |
See also:
http://www.veya.org
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This work is in the public domain |
