Story Archive

He Persisted

“Hey bud, turn that off, OK?” a Wilmington, N.C., police sergeant said to Jesse Bright. The cop had just pulled Bright over, and Bright had turned on the video recording on his cell phone to create a record of the interaction. As for the request, Bright replied, “No, I’ll keep recording. Thank you. It’s my right.” Sgt. Kenneth Becker dropped the “Bud” and got pushy: “Don’t record me. You got me?” and, when Bright persisted, added, “There is a new law. Turn it off or I’ll take you to jail.” Bright was pretty sure there was no such “new law” — he’s a defense attorney, and informed the officer of that fact. Becker escalated his intimidation, ordering Bright out of his car. “You’re being a jerk,” Becker says before searching Bright’s car without a warrant. But in response to Bright’s recording, Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous confirmed it’s a legal right to record the police, and “we invite citizens to do so when they believe it is necessary.” He demoted Becker, a 17-year veteran (lowering his pay 5 percent), and Becker has been reassigned to the department’s Planning and Research Division. (RC/WECT Wilmington) ...Where he should be “researching” the law, and “planning” classes to teach officers citizens aren’t “jerks” for exercising their rights.