September 9th, 2022, Joshua Roberts
films Dove Technologies from the roadway
in Florence, South Carolina.
>> You don't have my permission. You can
turn that off right now. I'll have I'll
have my face.
>> What was that? I can't hear you.
>> You don't have my signed authorization
to have my face on that camera. Turn it
off.
>> Can I have your signed authorization?
Under the First Amendment, recording in
a public place or traditional public
forum is protected speech. Citizens may
film public property and people in plain
view without a permit or permission.
This guy's coming up aggressive.
Everyone
Can I help you?
>> No. Can we help? Can you help us?
>> Yo, get away from me, buddy.
>> No. No, dude. Who are you?
>> Away from me, dude.
>> Why are Why are you here?
>> Back the
>> Why are you here?
>> I suggest you leave me alone.
>> Uh, you're on private property.
>> Uh, I suggest you do something about
that then and get back inside.
>> Really?
>> Yeah. Really? You like going around
people like this? You know,
>> you think that's fun?
>> Don't Don't touch my buddy.
>> Oh, go ahead.
>> Do it. Do it.
>> Touch. That's on camera.
>> Back the
>> What are we doing here?
>> Back the off, buddy. You touch You get
tased. Get the back inside.
>> [ __ ]
>> What's going on here?
>> Get the back inside. Do not touch me.
>> I didn't touch you.
>> Two employees confront Roberts. One
grabs his camera and pushes him. This is
thirdderee assault and battery under
South Carolina code 163600.
>> Offensive touching without consent is
enough.
>> No injury required.
>> Get in my face. I'll do something,
buddy. Get inside.
>> Call 911.
>> Get inside.
>> [ __ ]
>> Whoa, dude.
>> Whoa, dude. You just come up and grab
people. The is wrong with you? Your
homie did.
>> Don't Who you homie? This is This is
private property. You say you're
filming. This is an easement. I'm not on
your property. You see that? That
belongs to the city.
>> And why why are you here?
>> So, let me ask you a question. Does that
give you the right to come up and grab
my camera and almost break it?
>> Talking people here.
>> Hey,
>> you assaulted me, buddy.
>> Call 911.
>> Call the sheriff's department.
>> HEY, CALL YOUR HUSBAND.
>> Roberts draws a taser and states it is
for self-defense.
>> South Carolina law permits reasonable
force to repel an imminent unlawful
touching.
>> Oh, man. Wow. This guy's great.
>> Get in, Tubby. Yeah, he he's freaking
hopped off on freaking meth. Look at his
teeth.
>> Yeah, look at you, buddy. You come up
and grab me for [ __ ] reason. What's
your problem?
>> What did I do to you? What did I do to
you? I'm out in public recording and you
come up and grab somebody, dude.
>> Who are you with?
>> I'm with myself.
>> Oh, you you
>> And you're about to owe me a new camera
lens.
>> Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
>> We don't owe you anything.
>> Hey, how about this? I go up to you and
grab your phone right out of your hand
and snatch it. What are you going to do
if I do that?
What? You're going to beat the [ __ ] out
of me, right?
>> Touch it. All just
>> He grabbed my crap.
>> Yeah, buddy. I got your name, too.
You're going to get a You're going to
get a nice little talking to with the
the police.
>> Yeah. Yeah. You got my name. We got
something for you.
>> Yeah. Bring it, buddy. Bring whatever
you got. You come back out here and
touch me, you won't like it.
>> Roberts calls 911 and reports the
assault. Florence County deputies
respond.
Good old
nothing. Just going to assault it out
here. That's about it.
>> Getting assaulted.
>> Yeah. By one of their workers.
>> What? What happened?
>> I was just out here taking some pictures
and one of the guys came out here saying
he didn't want to be filmed and he ran
up to me, started circling me, grabbed
my camera, started pushing up on me.
>> So, that sounds like an assault to me.
And it's all videotaped.
>> You have it on video?
>> Oh, it's all recorded. Luckily, he
didn't break my camera. Otherwise, I
probably couldn't show you guys if you
want to see it
>> because I do want to press charges on
him.
>> Was there something involving a taser?
>> Oh, I pulled it out in self-defense.
>> Okay.
>> When you come out at me like that and
you're about to destroy my stuff and put
do bodily harm to me, you're damn right
I'm going to pull a taser on someone.
>> You're damn right. You need to tell that
guy he needs not put hands on people.
It's a short little fat guy.
>> I'm I'm going to address him.
>> Oh, yeah. We're going to do a report on
him, too.
>> That's fine. We can we can do that.
>> Oh, yeah. They're going to have to
learn.
>> Just I just need to give this deputy
your information for me. All right.
>> You have ID or something? I don't have
an ID.
>> Yeah, buddy. You're going to learn you
can't come outside and grab people, man.
That ain't right.
>> While we're handling that,
>> while we're handling this, don't yell.
>> All right. cause him to get up.
>> Is it free speech? Am I allowed to say
stuff?
>> Well, you have a freedom of speech, but
there's also something called breach of
peace.
>> Okay. I'd like to see you try that,
buddy. Those people put hands on me. I'm
the victim. So, you want you want to
turn it around on me?
>> I'm not turning it around.
>> Please do. So,
>> what I'm telling you is
>> you guys are known to be the biggest
pieces of [ __ ] in in South.
>> Let me explain something to you. All
right.
>> Yeah, sure. Explain to me public
photography and people coming up and
touching me. What did I do wrong? Well,
>> you going to let me talk.
>> Go on ahead. What I was saying is I
don't need you yelling while I'm trying
to talk to this man cuz that's going to
cause him to yell, call the scene, you
get mad, he's going to get mad, then it
escalates.
>> Okay?
>> Just talk to this deputy.
>> Let me tell you something. I'm allowed
to say whatever the hell I want.
>> If I want to say [ __ ] to him because he
came up and grabbed me and I want to
call him a dummy for doing that, I have
every right to.
>> If you yell across this parking lot
while you have all these people standing
around, that is called breach of peace.
>> You want to try that, buddy?
>> I will lock you up.
>> You want to try that? Yes, I will. You
want to try that? All right,
>> try it. We're not going that way. Try
it. Try it.
>> One deputy warns yelling across the lot
could be breach of the peace. Breach of
the peace is common law for disturbing
public order.
>> Robert's statements do not qualify.
>> Name and badge number.
>> Corporal triggers one at a name and
badge number.
>> Triggers 23.
>> Go do my assault charge.
>> I need you to give him your
>> You need to go talk to them.
>> I will do my job. All right. I'm one of
the supervisors.
>> Go do your job.
>> All right. Give this information.
>> Go do your job. I already told him I
would.
>> Go do your job. Go talk to them. I'm
done with you.
>> Yeah. Remember, I want that the charges
filed.
>> What's your first name?
>> Joshua.
And you better file charges if I'm
giving you my information.
>> What's your day, bro?
>> If you don't, believe me, you guys will
get complaints and this will be all
over.
>> Whatever you need to do, man. 6 and 12
hours later.
>> He needs to be talking that little short
fat guy, too. He's the one who put hands
on me.
>> You guys are going to have to learn
something about free speech. Florence,
I guess. Uh, who was it? Not Tony
Chavis.
>> Joshua Roberts.
Uh, but they they have to run me first.
Everyone, they can't run the actual
criminal. They have to run me first.
>> You got a good phone?
>> Uh, no, I don't. You
>> don't have a phone number.
>> I don't have a phone number.
>> So, you understand when they if you do
want to file a report when they're not
going to be able to contact you?
>> Oh, so I can't file a report then
because I don't have a phone.
>> Did I say that? I said they're going to
have to issue
>> No, I have an email address. Can I give
you my email address? Pepperoni Audits
atusa.com.
>> You said at usa.com.
>> USA.com.
All together.
Yeah. Like I said, he should be
questioning the guy, the short fat guy
who grabbed me. I don't know why he's
hiding inside. I just gave you my
information. Now, let's do this report.
Can you go tell him? Go question the guy
who assaulted me.
>> He's going to conduct his investigation.
It's not my job to supervise supervis.
>> So you can't tell him the information I
just gave you.
>> What? The description description of the
individual.
>> Okay. Do you see him up there?
>> No, he's not. He's inside hiding.
>> He hasn't left either. I've gotten every
license plate, every car that's come in
and out of here. I made sure of that.
>> What was he wearing?
>> Yeah, the blue shirt. player.
>> Short uh dark hair, fat. Probably the
only short fat one in there,
>> Kenny Boon. That's who it was. That was
your sheriff. Did you work during his
time?
>> No, I didn't.
>> Oh, well, that's too bad. You probably
would have made a lot more money if you
did.
>> Deputies confirm Roberts is on the
roadway and that he has the right to
film from public areas. They take
statements from both sides.
>> Somebody coming up here harassing
employees and pulling a taser on
someone.
>> Oh, cool. Did they mention that they
came out when I was just taking pictures
of their property and they came up and
grabbed me? Did they tell you that? Did
they tell you they circled me and
surrounded me? They mentioned that in
the 911 call.
>> Oh, they didn't mention the part before
though, right? The part where they
assaulted me. They forgot they left that
out. We got a call about a suspicious
person being on the property.
>> Oh, am I on the property?
>> I'm assuming you were if you were over
there.
>> Oh, you're assuming I was.
>> Were you over there? You said you were
filming that car.
>> You know what? I'm not going to answer
any more questions.
>> Walk around the vehicles filming the
cars. So, that means you was on
>> not going to answer any more questions.
That's how stupid you are. That's how
stupid you are.
>> Keep on.
>> Yeah. [ __ ] [ __ ]
This is called a career killer right
here. This camera.
>> Yeah. Yeah,
>> that's all you got to do in it.
>> Yeah, it it is. And you got to violate
rights and not uphold your propert.
>> How am I violating your right? You can
film all day.
>> Well, you just said I was on their
property.
>> You said you was on their property.
>> I never did once.
>> You said you was walking around the car
filming the cars.
>> I said I was filming every license plate
and every car going in and out. Does Did
I say I was inside their property?
>> You going to do this report? You need to
explain to me in detail
how it got to the point. Do you see
where I'm standing?
Do you see where I'm standing right now?
Hey, I'm over here.
>> I'm standing by the mailbox.
Technically, this is still their
property.
>> You're so dumb.
>> So, you're in the road.
>> I dare you, man. I dare you. Get me to
what?
>> Trespass me. If you think this is their
property, trespass me.
>> You need to explain to me what happened
to the point to where you say you got
assaulted.
>> How about I talk to this guy? Is this
your supervisor? Is you're not doing
[ __ ] man. You're just an idiot.
>> Walk over there and talk to him.
Hey, are you a supervisor?
>> Can I get your name and badge number?
>> My name and badge number?
>> Yeah.
>> Deputy Potion 229.
>> All right. I just got assaulted and this
guy really doesn't care. He's not really
>> He's just talking [ __ ] Running his
mouth. That's all he
>> I'm just talking [ __ ]
>> I'm trying to ask him. He said he got
assaulted, but he has yet to tell me
how. I was just out here taking some
pictures and one of the guys came out
here saying he didn't want to be filmed
and he ran up to me, started circling
me, grabbed my camera, started pushing
up on me.
>> He said he got assaulted, but he has yet
to tell me how
>> I got circled by this guy.
>> I've told him multiple times, this guy
is terrible. If you're a supervisor,
recommend him supervisor.
>> All right. Can you help me and do your
job? And
>> supervisor over there. Yeah.
Oh, why did I cuss him out? Because he
said he was going to arrest me after I
got
>> He said he was going to arrest you for
breach of peace if you didn't shut your
mouth across.
>> How about you shut your mouth? How about
you do that, buddy?
>> Just shut your mouth.
>> Do anything you say.
>> You're useless, bro.
>> Okay.
>> You're a useless public servant.
>> That's all you are.
>> Um I didn't hear him at first. He
started screaming and I said, "What' you
say?" He said, "You don't have
permission to film me." And then he just
started circling me, surrounding me, and
then he went boom, grabbed my camera,
and twisted as hard as he could. He
almost broke the lens off.
>> So, I'm just curious if he's allowed to
do that. Can I do that to anyone? Like,
if I see a girl in public and she has a
purse on and I'm like, "Give me that
purse. Let me see it for a second. I
just grab it."
>> Okay. Okay. So, that's that's illegal.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Just making sure.
>> Do you film for yourself or who who do
you film for? No, I just film anything I
see in public. Man,
>> you origally prom?
>> I'm around. I've been all around.
237.
I spoke with the two gentlemen that came
out and dealt with you. All right. All
their information is going to be entered
into the report as well as your
statement that you gave this deputy. All
right. All right.
I made them aware that yes, you can view
video from a public area, which the
roadway is public, but if you cross over
into the
>> I've checked the property lines. I don't
need directives.
>> But well, I I still got to tell you.
Okay.
>> You don't have to tell me.
>> Well, I'm going.
>> Well, you know what? Their property, you
will be arrested for trespass.
>> If you masturbate, wash your hands
afterwards. Just wash your hands. Has
>> nothing to do with
>> I just don't want semen all over your
hands. So, make sure if you ever
masturbate to wash your hands
afterwards, okay?
>> You go on the property, you're going to
go to jail.
>> If you smoke crack, that's not good,
man.
>> This is crack. Rock cocaine.
>> So, please don't smoke crack. Please
don't do heroin. Please don't.
>> It's the most addictive kind of cocaine.
>> All right. You You guys good? Don't
smoke crack.
>> And it can kill you.
>> I don't know.
>> All right. All right. Do I get a report
or something?
>> Oh, great. This guy.
Oh, there'll be a big protest here,
buddy. I'm going to have big signs that
say [ __ ] up. And I'd like to see you
come try do something then. We're going
to have a nice little protest out here.
Peaceful protest. Case number is 226
2262.
>> Bet you're upset I didn't have any
warrants.
Hey, remember wash your hands, man.
Just wash your hands.
Look at these clowns, everyone. Bunch of
clowns.
We
It's an education process, everyone.
You learn not to touch people that you
don't know.
Here
you go, buddy. All right. My name, badge
number beside it, and your case number
as well. You can get a copy of the
report in 35 minutes. So, have a good
day. Thank you.
I get back to work.
Thanks for being the only cool one, man.
You in the back. I forgot your name
already.
See how the cop tried to spin it and say
I was in their parking lot.
They always try to make the victim into
the criminal.
It's whoever calls the police first.
Whoever calls the police first is like
always the winner no matter what in
their eyes.
This could have went a lot worse. My
camera could have got broken.
I could have got arrested knowing these
guys.
[laughter]
It's crazy.
No emergency lights, too.
They rolling up deep on me.
Hey everybody. Today I'm in Florence and
I'm doing a First Amendment audit over
at this place
and they just uh assaulted me and called
the cops on me.
How you doing, sir?
How you doing, sir?
>> Uh, not too good.
>> Wow. What's going on today, buddy?
>> I had some dude inside. Oh, you're
getting really close, man.
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, I like to get close. I
like to talk to people.
>> Can you stop?
>> No, sir. I I want to talk to you. What's
going on, my friend?
>> Stop [ __ ] getting so close to me,
dude.
>> What's going on, man?
>> Dude, stop approaching me,
>> sir. I I'm allowed to approach off,
dude. Give me some space, dude. Give me
some space back. No. GIVE ME SOME HELP.
>> OH MY. Sergeant Paul Morrison arrives,
stands very close, and continues to
advance despite Roberts repeatedly
asking for space.
>> God, put your hand behind your back.
>> For what?
>> For what?
>> For you.
>> Absolutely.
>> Oh, yeah. Very nice, dude. Very nice.
Enjoy the lawsuit. Enjoy paying for my
camera, too.
>> Absolutely.
>> Enjoy paying for my camera.
>> Now you getting resistant arrest.
>> Resisting. I'm not moving.
>> Nope. When I went to put my hands on
you, pulled away from you.
>> Yeah, because you have no right to
arrest me. I
>> sir, you're under arrest. You have the
right to attorney approaching me. You
>> sir, you have the right attorney have
him or her present before questions
asked. You decide any time to exercise
these rights and not make any more
statements.
>> Do you understand these rights?
>> I don't answer any more questions
without a lawyer present.
>> Absolutely. All right. Go ahead. Stand
them up.
>> Morrison tackles Roberts and places him
under arrest for resisting arrest. No
charges were ever filed against Joshua
Roberts. Internal affairs found Sergeant
Morrison violated multiple policies and
he resigned days later. Bottom line,
under South Carolina and US law, filming
from a public roadway is protected first
amendment activity. Grabbing or pushing
a camera is thirdderee assault. Citizens
may lawfully resist an unlawful arrest
in this state. Document every encounter.
Rights only matter when they're
enforced.