Police: Man Took Hundreds Of Inappropriate Photos

[Murph]

Police: Man Took Hundreds Of Inappropriate Photos

KSAT news: Police: Man Took Hundreds Of Inappropriate Photos - San Antonio News Story - KSAT San Antonio

Again, Hmmmmm.

[CaptainTom]

If the report is to be believed (I'm not one to believe everything in the press) this seems like a pretty strong case of inappropriate photography.

[PhotoByLeal]

The Capt. needs proof!
Murph can we have the pictures sent to the Capt. for evaluation on this matter?

J/K....... by the way send us some donuts! LOWFAT

[KenJulio]

At first I thought this was about Angel as there was a news article about a man in Sugar Land/Richmond area who was upskirting and yet I cannot find that article

[Murph]

What, no hysterical outrage the cops are violating some poor photographer's rights?

[Dobick]

Nope -- they finally arrested someone with a cellphone camera instead of the very stealthy pro sized body and 70-200 mounted on it...

and even then -- I'll be surprised if this gets prosecuted as the law is written instead of a plea to a different offense. Not sure which ones -- but I expect that DA's across the state are a bit hesitant to bring this law in front of a judge, and would much rather leave it on the books as an excellent tool to use for arrest only. Once the person is arrested, they can do all sorts of search and seizures on computer equipment in the home, and find evidence of other crimes to charge them with, and never actually have to charge with "inappropriate photography" yet it will remain an effective tool for law enforcement to use.

[Murph]

This could end up as the "test case" for that law. I could not find any other prosecutions for it. As for plea bargains, they are a fact of life. I had one of my cases of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child plead to Injury to a Child, so the guy did not have to register as a sex offender. I was furious, but nothing I could do about it. His victim was seven at the time. He gets out of prison in October after having spent five years there (sentenced for 20).

Originally Posted by Dobick

Nope -- they finally arrested someone with a cellphone camera instead of the very stealthy pro sized body and 70-200 mounted on it...

and even then -- I'll be surprised if this gets prosecuted as the law is written instead of a plea to a different offense. Not sure which ones -- but I expect that DA's across the state are a bit hesitant to bring this law in front of a judge, and would much rather leave it on the books as an excellent tool to use for arrest only. Once the person is arrested, they can do all sorts of search and seizures on computer equipment in the home, and find evidence of other crimes to charge them with, and never actually have to charge with "inappropriate photography" yet it will remain an effective tool for law enforcement to use.

[sldi]

At least this was a legitimate use of a law that many of us think has large deficiencies.

[hotshot38]

I remember my son telling me he goes to that restaurant for breakfast/lunch most everyday. There's probably a good chance he has seen this guy.

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by Murph

What, no hysterical outrage the cops are violating some poor photographer's rights?

No, because up-skirt photography is a clear invasion of privacy, and not at all the same as taking pictures of things or people in plain public sight.

Personally I don't think they needed a new law for this, although I suppose it makes things a little easier.

[rowingbum]

I bought the book "Legal Handbook for Photographers" by Bert Krages, Esq., Amherst Media (publisher), and found that many laws in Texas are very vague, and open to much interpretation. Very subjective. In the book store I found an art photo book on Innocence (from England), that was very revealing of girls as young as twelve, topless, etc... While it wasn't porn, it sure seemed like something you would get arrested for if you had those photos in your possession. The entire book was little girls, and made me feel like I was being watched just for picking it up and thumbing through it. The guy with the camera phone seems like a moron to me. The legal book had me realizing there are many more ways to get in trouble than I had thought and we are expected to know the law.

[ggeen]

Just for my own edification I wanted to look up the statute regarding "improper photography". Texas Penal Code, Chapter 21, Article/Section 21.15

Sec. 21.15. IMPROPER PHOTOGRAPHY OR VISUAL RECORDING. (a) In this section, "promote" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.21.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person:

(1) photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of another at a location that is not a bathroom or private dressing room:

(A) without the other person's consent; and

(B) with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person;

(2) photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of another at a location that is a bathroom or private dressing room:

(A) without the other person's consent; and

(B) with intent to:

(i) invade the privacy of the other person; or

(ii) arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person; or

(3) knowing the character and content of the photograph, recording, broadcast, or transmission, promotes a photograph, recording, broadcast, or transmission described by Subdivision (1) or (2).

and Section 43.21 to promote means:

(5) "Promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, give, provide, lend, mail, deliver, transfer, transmit, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, or advertise, or to offer or agree to do the same.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by Murph

What, no hysterical outrage the cops are violating some poor photographer's rights?

He's not a photographer.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Murph

What, no hysterical outrage the cops are violating some poor photographer's rights?

It doesn't seem like a case where a dumbass power hungry cop violates someone's civil rights to show that he can.

It seems like this is a case of a pervert taking pics without the knowledge or consent of others with the intent to be sexually gratifing.


If you would like me to show you some examples of dumbass, power tripping cops that overstep their bounds and violate the civil rights of people just because they have a camera, I would be happy to. It is something that happens all over the country nearly every day.

[johnastovall]

The Art of Ninjashot Photography is common in Japanese photography.