It's Officer Morrell, shield number 20475. >> Okay, and you said what? >> Uh you can't record in a police facility, but you can record from outside of the police precinct. >> Excuse me, sir. >> Turn your camera off. >> Um who are you? >> in here. >> Who are you, sir? >> I'm the court administrator. Turn it off. >> When police treat the law as optional, the camera becomes the most dangerous evidence. >> Why can't you record? Is it the law or >> That is a a rule of department policy. >> Department policy? Okay. >> I'm going to tell you one more time, and then you >> What's your name and badge number? Arrested for what? >> Disorderly conduct, obstructing official business. >> One act of abuse of power in front of a camera can trigger consequences that a badge can't shield. A man filming arrives at the 47th Precinct in the Bronx to exercise his right to record. Just seconds after the words last warning, everything spirals out of control. He insists he has a federal court order, but what he gets back is anything but dialogue. >> From this sign, members of the public are prohibited from audio video recording in this facility. As you can see here, we have different badges, things like that. >> Officer Morrell. You can't record in a police facility. You can record outside if you want if you would like. >> Uh what's your name and badge number, sir? >> Officer Morrell. >> Uh one second, actually. Let me grab this. >> Yeah, sure. >> It's Officer Morrell, shield number 20475. >> Okay, and you said what? >> Uh you can't record in a a police facility, but you can record from outside of the police precinct. >> Why can't you record? Is it the law or >> That is a a rule of department policy. >> Department policy? Okay. No, I can definitely record um >> From the outside, yes, correct. >> No, I can record right here. >> No, you can't. I'm I'm telling you you can't. >> No, I can, sir. >> So, if you don't get out, you will be arrested for trespass. So, once again, please step out. >> I don't want to get in your way. Yeah, no, I definitely can, Officer Morrell. Um So, you're under a federal court order. I'm not sure if your supervisor would know that. It's the sergeant there. Uh you the NYPD's currently under federal court order. So, that way I'm I'm to by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. It's a preliminary injunction, so I am 100% No, no, no, sir. I can be here. Right. Sir, just don't I There's stairs here. There's stairs here. I'm trying to explain something to you. No, no, I can I can record here if you just I'm trying to explain it to you. I'm trying to explain But why? But sir, listen to me for 5 seconds. The NYPD is under No, no, no, because you're in violation of a federal court order. Sir, you're in violation of a federal Sir, don't Sir, there's stairs here. There's Why are you Sir. Sir, I have Wow. You're not allowing me to talk, sir. You just pushed me downstairs, dude. Oh, dude. No, it's your policy. Okay, sir. Okay, sir, you said you were going to allow me to speak. >> After a series of warnings, threats, and being forced out of the lobby, the story seems to end at the stairway. But it doesn't. Minutes later, when the main subject returns with the one thing they don't want to hear, the situation begins to shift. >> Here's my ID. You're not listening. I can record. Reyes v. City of New York. Well, that is I am Shawn Paul Reyes, and I'm able to record. So, are you a law enforcement officer? Okay, well, you're wrong. You need to do your educating. Reyes v. City of New York, there is a preliminary injunction, sergeant. There is a preliminary injunction. Sargent There is a I have every right to record in here. There is a preliminary injunction. Sargent, don't push me. Don't push I have a preliminary injunction from a federal judge. I have Do you know Reyes v. City of New York? Do you know Reyes v. City of New York? Reyes v. City of New York. I have a right to record in here. Yes, sure. That's what I'm told to do in the order. There is a court order. Because I'm in enforcing the injunction. There's an injunction that says I Shawn Paul Reyes am allowed to record in the lobbies of the precinct. If you're violating that right, you're violating a federal court order. By the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Are you kidding me? I'm here to record what the injunction says I can do, sir. That's what it says. If you arrest me, you're violating a court order. Well, I'm No, I'm free to go inside there and record. It says I have to hand you my ID so you could verify. Call legal, dude. What are you doing? Call legal. Get educated on what's going on. Yes, the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals, sir, says that I have a right to record inside of that lobby. I'm enforcing that. And if you do that, if you're doing this, you're violating a federal court order. Reyes, call legal. They'll explain it to you. There's signs in some precincts that says only Shawn Paul Reyes can record in this precinct. So, I'm just trying to enforce the law here. I'm trying to exercise my rights. Sir, I'm trying to >> When names, numbers, and the lawsuits start getting mentioned, the atmosphere inside the precinct lobby shifts noticeably. And just minutes later, a phone call is made. One that not every officer wants to face. >> You're going to Listen, you're going to stay outside. What's going to happen is you're going to arrest me and you're going to be in violation of a court order and you're going to be held in sanction. Mr. Rico, you're going to be sanctioned. You're going to be in sanction. Well, I have every business that there's a Second Circuit Court of Appeals. I want to speak to a supervisor. Call legal. Call Call legal. You're going to be making a big You're going to be in violation of a court order. You're going to be Okay, call legal. Go ahead. I will While you call legal, stay here. No problem. Okay, but if you don't come back in If you don't come back out here, I'm coming back in. Okay. All right. Wow. Look at these guys. Absolutely ridiculous. You know, let me call my lawyer. >> Hey Sean, how are you? >> Hey Andrew, how are you? >> I am very well. >> I am I'm calling you right now because I'm at the 47th Precinct in uh New York City. I believe we're in the Bronx. This is the Bronx here. >> Yes. >> Um and they just violently pushed me out of the precinct. I'm trying to hand them my ID and explain to them that they're under federal court order. Uh the suit The sergeant and four other officers just violently pushed me out. They said if I go back in, I'll be arrested. Um because I can't record inside of the precinct. I'm trying to explain to them Sean Paul Reyes. I have my ID out ready to give to them. I'm trying to explain to them that they're under court order. >> Do you have time for me to call the guy that the trial court lawyer? >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm waiting outside. I'm not trying to get arrested, but they pushed me out. You know what I mean? So, I'm I'm I'm telling them that they're in violation of a court order and they're not listening. The supervisor, no one. >> Did anyone give you their name or their badge number? >> Um there's there was a Cario. I believe he's uh he's a sergeant. That sergeant here at the 47th. >> Okay. >> So, I'm outside right now. Yeah, you can call. No, right. But, if you could call that lawyer, I'm sure he'll call them and tell them they have to comply with all court orders, federal court orders. All right, thanks. All right. Just so you guys know, it was originally issued for every single citizen, every single person in the United States, here in New York, to record. And then the second circuit, that's what the district court ruled, that everybody can record because their policy was in violation. >> The call ends, but the pressure doesn't ease. As one side believes it has regained control, the other starts trying to save face. From this moment on, every action and every word leaves a trace. >> You got your call from legal? >> I I I think we're both right. So >> I know, I think I'm right. >> No, so you're allowed to come inside. >> Right, I know. And I'm allowed to record inside. >> Correct, but you cannot impede and block the door again >> No one's No one's doing that. >> we're blocking the door. >> Oh, stop it, man. Get out of my way. Get out of my way. Stop it. I'm not blocking the door. I'm not blocking anybody from doing anything. No, I don't want to listen to you guys no more. Get out of my way. >> When you sir, when you come in >> Get out of my way, please. Get out of my way. No, no, no. You put your hands on me unlawfully. You are so ignorant. You don't know that there's a federal injunction in place, and you were just educated. Now, get out of my way. I know how to conduct myself in public. Excuse me. Excuse me. I'm not listening to anybody. I'm not listening to anybody. >> Do not block the stairway. >> No one's blocking Oh, like that guy right there? >> No, and I'm going to have him come down as well. >> Ridiculous. Ridiculous. You got to got to be right about something, right? You got to get something in there to show that you're not a complete ignorant fool. Absolutely ridiculous. Guess they got educated. Let me call my attorney back. Oh, look. See, you guys got educated. Hey, um apparently he called legal or so I don't know what he did, but he was on the phone with somebody and um I just wanted to let you know they let me in. He said it's cuz I was blocking pathways of people and It was just ridiculous, but um I got back in. >> I've got the email ready to hit send. Do you want me to send it now? >> I I um I mean, I would send it just just like as a precautionary so it's just like a reminder documentation that, you know, this is still happening. >> alert attorney. >> No, right. Right. It's It's not like this is happening right now, but, you know, that this is happening and maybe they should do some more training and and get this memo out. >> Thank you. >> All great. >> All right, bye. >> Bye-bye. >> This sergeant here has no idea what he's talking about. He didn't even check my ID to make sure that I'm Sean Paul Reyes. What clowns these people are. What clowns that I just ignorant. A federal court order says I'm allowed to record in here. And they want to try and violate that. >> On the surface, things seem to have calmed down. No handcuffs, no raised voices. But what just happened can't be brushed aside. And when a piece of paper is requested, the story starts to take a different turn. >> Oh, and then he wants to try and copsplain to me like, "Oh, you know, don't block the door." I know how to comport myself in public. They just used excessive force against me. Had to be super careful not to fall down these stairs. You're just wrong, man. >> read that? >> Go talk to your sergeant, man. Go talk to your sergeant. >> Did you read it? >> Go talk to your sergeant. >> Okay. >> Reyes v. City of New York. It's a nice It's a nice read. Anyway, another ignorant law enforcement officer who has no idea what he's talking about. Again, there's no passcodes we can get in here, even coming up on the stairs. What can we get? Even zooming in, what is it What's the top secret nature? What is the public interest? The public interest is accountability and transparency by the people. The Right to Record Act says you're allowed to record law enforcement in the course of their duty. This is exactly what I'm doing. The First Amendment is the same way. >> No one is handcuffed, no shouts of arrest. What remains are what was recorded, what was denied, and the questions still hanging in the air. When the door closes and the camera stops, accountability remains. And this story may not be over yet. Up next, in just seconds, a cell phone is treated as a security issue. No posted signs, no clear warnings, yet the threat of arrest comes fast. >> Who are the government that talks about the First Amendment? No, man, thank you. I appreciate that though. Thank you. >> Um we do have a local court rule that uh we don't allow videoing in the courthouse. >> In the courthouse? >> Yes. >> Where is that rule? >> It's If you go to our website, which is perrysburgcourt.com, there when you're on the homepage, there's a blue box with things you can choose from. One of those says local court rules. It'll download a I think it's like 75-page PDF of the local court rules, and it will tell you in there I want to say it's >> And it doesn't it's not for the court rooms, it's for the courthouse. Why wouldn't that be posted anywhere here? >> Uh because it's on our local court rules, so you can get it on our website. So >> What if somebody didn't have access to the internet, you know, how would anybody know? Why wouldn't it be posted the rule here? >> Well, that's why we come out and tell people that. >> Right. >> That they're not permitted to have video in the courthouse. >> Is that a Is that a rule that the city implemented? >> Uh that would be a rule that the court the court or the judge implemented. >> The court or the judge? >> uh handle the court. The court is run by the judge. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, I it's just my opinion that that that rule is for anti-transparency. What's the purpose of the rule? >> That was not my rule. That's something you would have to ask the judge about. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> Well, I'm just going to continue. I'm I'm an independent journalist. What is your name? >> Um Carrie. >> Carrie. My name is Shawn. I'm an independent journalist. Yeah, I'm just taking some pictures and videos of the publicly accessible areas. I don't want to go in the courtroom or anything like that. So, I understand that there's some rule, but um I'm just going to continue exercising my rights. >> Okay. Well, I mean, if if the court bailiff comes up, then he'll take >> Okay. >> handle it with you as well. So, but yes, that is one of our local court rules. If you want I mean, if you want, I can pronounce the local court rules for you so you can see them. >> Um sure, why not? Yeah, thanks. >> Turn your camera >> Excuse me, sir. >> Turn your camera off. >> Um who are you? >> to record in here, today. >> Who are you, sir? >> I'm the court administrator. Turn it off. >> I just wanted to know who you are. What's your name? >> Turn it off. >> Do you see the difference between Do you see the difference between you and the woman that just came out of here? >> I'm going to tell you one more time, and then you'll be arrested. >> Arrested for what? >> Disorderly conduct, obstructing official business. >> I'm not obstructing anything. This is my first amendment right. You're not even a law enforcement officer, sir. >> have a first amendment right in this building. >> Of course I do. >> allowed to >> doing anything. >> What starts as seemingly simple questions quickly veer into unpredictable territory when someone merely asks to see the rules, but is met with orders and threats instead, it stops being a discussion. And just seconds later, an action no one expected takes place. >> How are you law enforcement officer and a court administrator? >> I Why does that concern you? >> Because impersonating a law enforcement officer is a crime, sir. >> Then you can go file charges against me. I'm a law enforcement officer. Why are you filming in the building? >> That probably would have been your first question that you could have asked me, instead of coming to me so aggressively. What What's your name, sir? >> Scott. >> Scott, my name is Shawn. I'm an independent journalist. All I'm doing >> You're not allowed to record in this building. It's a local court rule. >> And the clerk is getting me the rule, so I can look at it. There is no signage, Scott. There is no signage. There is no signage that is posted here for me to know. So, she's getting me the court rule, so I can look at it and be aware. I need to be advised of the >> Turn your phone off. >> But I need to be advised of the rule and see the rule. I just want to read the rule. >> You do not. >> Yes, you do. You have to be made aware of the rule. This is not a crime. >> you what the rule is. >> Hey, sir. How are you? >> I'm all right. How about you? Turn it off. >> Sir, I'm going to ask you to de-escalate. There's no There's no law being broken here. >> you would like me to Okay. So, why should I care what you want? She's getting me the rule She's getting me the court rule. So, read. >> Okay. Okay. The phone's coming out of your hands. >> It's not. That would be a violation of my rights. You have no I'm not breaking any law, sir. Why would the phone come out of my hands? >> I What What's your What's your business here? >> Yeah, I was just going to ask some questions to the clerk and and I'm an independent journalist. I speak to Can I Ma'am, can I see the rules? >> online. >> I missed the chance to see the rules? Are you kidding me? All right, I'll wait for the PD. That's the first time I want to make it clear the first time someone's asked me to leave. You told me a million times to turn off the phone. Sorry, ma'am. It's absolutely ridiculous the way you guys are acting today, really. Especially you, Scott. >> I don't really care. >> All right. >> What seemed like it would end with a few heated words takes on a different tone. As the camera comes back on and each side starts telling the story in their own way, a key detail begins to surface. And from that point on, every word is chosen more carefully. >> But I'm going outside. >> They asked you to stop the recording prior to this. >> Right. But that's not a That wasn't a law. I would Listen, can I I want to explain to you outside? So, that way there's no confusion here. Can I get you any of my badge number, ma'am? >> That's Officer Purcell. Badge number 91. >> Okay, officer. I just want to explain to you exactly Well, I I was there, so I just want to explain to you exactly what happened. So, I just went upstairs. I'm an independent journalist. My name is Shawn. I'm an independent journalist. I was asking questions. A clerk came up to me very nicely and she said, "Sir, we have a local rule here, not a law, a rule, which judges enforce rules, not the law not law enforcement." So, she said, "We have a local rule here that you cannot record." I said, "Is that in the um courthouse or is it itself or is it in the courtroom? Because some rules say the courtroom, some rules say the courthouse. She said it's the courthouse. I said, "Well, would you mind if I take a look at that rule?" She said, "No problem. I'll go print it out for you." That was the interaction. She left. Scott, the court administrator, came out and said, "Turn off your phone." He started escalating the situation, started freaking out. And me doing nothing wrong, all I said was I'm waiting for the rule. I want to see the rule. I need to be advised of the rule. That's why usually when there's no recording in places they have signage. Due to local rule, blah, blah, blah, you cannot record in here. So, I said, "I was waiting for the rule. That's it." So, he starts telling me, "Turn off your camera now." He tells the bailiff to take my phone, all these other things. I said, "I have a First Amendment right." He said he was law enforcement. I don't know how court administrator is law enforcement. Something probably you should look into, somebody impersonating law enforcement. He said he was law enforcement. I don't know. But, all I said was I want to see the rule. That's it. The woman comes out, very nicely she says, "Here's the rules." He says, "No, don't give it to him." And then the bailiff says, "Well, now I'm going to ask you to leave." And that's when you saw me coming down the elevator and I said, "Okay, I'll talk to you. I'll I'll wait for law enforcement outside." That's all that's going on here. There's nothing I'm not being disorderly. I'm not doing anything unlawful. >> told you you need to stop recording and then when you didn't they told you that you need to leave. >> No, no, no. That's why I have it all recorded now. That's This is exactly why I record my interactions with government officials. And when I was told to leave, she All Scott ever did, the court administrator, was say, "Turn off your phone." He told the bailiff to take my phone. The bailiff said, "I'm not going to take his phone cuz I don't want to violate his rights. Let's wait for the local PD to come." So, I said, "Okay, let's wait for them." And then the bailiff says, "Well, you know, you can get >> Things seem to slow down, voices soften, words are chosen more carefully. But, the more explanations are given, the more inconsistencies appear. And as the exchange drags on, the situation moves beyond a simple misunderstanding. >> Hey, sir. how are you? >> Good. How are you? >> Um my name is Shawn. You mind if I get your name and badge number? >> It's Sergeant McGuffin, number 83. >> Sergeant, so the problem I'm having here is that, you know, the I walked inside you know, I am a First Amendment activist. I ask questions. I'm an independent journalist. I told you my name is Shawn. I was just asking some questions of people inside. Um a clerk came out. She was very nice. She said, "Sir, there's a local rule that you cannot record for the courthouse." And I said, "Okay, can I see the rule?" And she said, "Sure, let me go get you a copy of it." So, I waited where I was. A while she's there, the court administrator says, "Turn off your phone now." Starts freaking out on me, escalating situation. And Yeah. >> Um where was your phone pointed? Was it in towards the windows where they have all the like paper >> Well, no, no, I was like far away. I didn't even go up to the windows. No, no, in the courtroom. No, no, I And I asked her that. >> You're at the windows. >> No, not I was in front I was like when you first walk in from the elevator, that's it. And I you know, I asked her I said, "You know, I can I see the rules?" Because I've dealt with this before. Sometimes it says the courtroom, sometimes it says different places. So, I just want to clarify what it was. Sometimes people tell me you can't record and they have no idea what they're talking about. So, I just said, "Okay." And the cop cops and the police come and they're like, "Well, he can't record, right?" So, I just want to see the rules. So, she said, "Yeah." She was very nice. She said, "Sure, no problem." Then Scott comes out and he's like, "I'm a law enforcement officer. I'm telling you to stop recording." Um and I was like, "Can I see the rule?" He's like, "No, you're not going to see the rule." The The um administrator comes out uh the clerk comes out, excuse me, and she says, "Here are the rules, sir." And I said, "Okay, thank you." And he's like, "No, don't give him the rules." There's nothing posted, sir. There's nothing that would make me understand or know that there is a rule other than somebody telling me and they could be lying. It's not a law enforcement officer. It's not you. It's not somebody official. Some guy in a suit telling telling me that >> clerk of court or the chief bailiff. >> Right. But >> After a long stretch of explanations and back and forth dialogue, the line between rules and rights becomes clear. But just when it seems everything is finally understood, another demand is made. And that's when the story enters its most uncomfortable chapter. >> This is all filed through the Ohio Supreme Court and is approved by them. >> Okay. >> And it's because of the size of our court, they said, "When you're going upstairs, there's a chance you could be filming victims of crimes and all that." Which they have have to protect the victims of crimes. >> Okay. Well, couldn't you film victims? Just I I understand what you're saying and I no problem with it. I'm just saying you could film victims of crimes on the sidewalk walking into the court, right? >> There's a higher higher chance that you're going to be videotaping a victim in that room than out here, I guess. >> Well, anybody that walks in could potentially be a victim. That's what I'm talking about. You How would I know up there? >> No, I'm saying how would you know that they're actually going into the court? >> Right. Well, I mean, this is the courthouse, right? >> Well, I mean, if they're just out here >> I'm saying I can film anybody. I'm just saying the reasonableness of it, you know, I understand. I'm just saying the reasonableness to me, too, you know, that I can film everybody walking in, but once they're in, you can't film them anymore. Because I can film right here from the sidewalk, right? I'm just saying. Go go ahead, sir. I didn't mean to interrupt you. Go ahead. Go ahead, sir. >> In this this I mean, they They said they don't normally have give it to you. They said that you can find all this online. >> Yeah, that's what they told me. >> Ohio Supreme Court and all that. You can find the local law, local codes and all that, okay? Um so, in this packet, rule 9.04, video recording prohibited. The use of video recording or videotaping devices and the use of still photography devices inside the municipal court shall be prohibited. >> Right. >> Okay? So, under that code right there, that's their That's the reasoning for why you can't be up there. Okay? All this is approved and everything by the Ohio Supreme Court. So, it's coming down from them. It's not just >> And that's all I wanted to see was the actual All I wanted to see was the the rule. >> this. >> Okay, perfect. >> And I have a sticky note. >> I didn't want to have it. I don't need to have it. >> I'll take your concerns. I'm going to go speak with them, see if they can maybe post that. >> Right. You know, I again, I don't I don't even need to have it. I'll take it, but you know, it's I I I didn't want to keep it. I just wanted to see the actual rule because a lot of times people lie to me. They say, you know, you can't record in here." And then, you know, I turns out I can. >> In the end, it doesn't conclude with handcuffs, but with a piece of paper presented too late. When rules only surface after tension escalates and rights are acknowledged only after confrontation, the question is no longer who was right or wrong, but why things always have to go this far. Citizens may sue police under 42 USC Section 1983 for violations of constitutional rights. Officers who violate the law may be held liable for damages and face discipline or termination. A civilized society is not measured by the number of security cameras or rules posted on the walls, but by how those in power behave when they are being watched. Hey everyone, what do you think about this situation? If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and support us with a donation. Thank you so much.