Motorcyclist jailed for videotaping gun-wielding cop

[DinoNuggets]

From the driver's side emerged a man in a gray pullover and jeans. The man, who was wielding a gun, repeatedly yelled at Graber, ordering him to get off his bike. Only then did Maryland State Trooper Joseph D. Uhler identify himself as "state police" and holster his weapon. Graber, who'd been observed popping a wheelie while speeding, was cited for doing 80 in a 65 mph zone. Graber accepted his ticket, which he says he deserved.

But then!

A week later, on March 10, Graber posted his video of the encounter on YouTube. What followed wasn't a furor over the police officer's behavior but over Graber's use of a camera to capture the entire episode.
On April 8, Graber was awakened by six officers raiding his parents' home in Abingdon, Md., where he lived with his wife and two young children.

Full story here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/15/AR2010061505556.html?sid=ST2010061505592

Edit: Video
skip to 3:30

[Key-J]

You have got to be kidding me...

So, pretty much now if a Citizen tries to defend himself by use of Video tape, so that the court can see what actually happened, he will be charged?

So, i can expect to see the guy who posted up the video of the cop punching the lady in Seattle a couple of weeks ago go to jail?

Seriously, America. WTF?

What about a couple years back, a Cop pulled out a gun during a Snowball fight, there were videos of that all over the net.

[asusi]

Only in

[Ganja]

As far as I know videotaping someone is not illegal. Now, if they had been having intercourse and the police officer did not know he was being videotaped, that would be illegal.

[DinoNuggets]

You have got to be kidding me...

So, pretty much now if a Citizen tries to defend himself by use of Video tape, so that the court can see what actually happened, he will be charged?

So, i can expect to see the guy who posted up the video of the cop punching the lady in Seattle a couple of weeks ago go to jail?

Seriously, America. WTF?

What about a couple years back, a Cop pulled out a gun during a Snowball fight, there were videos of that all over the net.

thats what i was gonna bring up about the cop punching the black girl.
i find this really stupid specially since the state police guy drew his gun without showing a badge or anything.

[Key-J]

I know,

Had the Motorcyclist not responded the way he did, to a guy wearing plain clothes, from a plain car, coming out with a gun... He could have been shot or something, and if he had acted back in self defense. He would of been charged with Assaulting an officer... But how the **** was he to know that the guy was a State trooper?

Btw, here is a good video news segment to check out
Code: Select all

I mean it even shows the freaking camera MOUNTED on his helmet.

There is no way for a person not to know they are being recorded. The state cops can't push that he was not aware of the video camera...

Well actually with the stupidity of the officer, they might be able too.../facepalm

[asusi]

I know,

Had the Motorcyclist not responded the way he did, to a guy wearing plain clothes, from a plain car, coming out with a gun... He could have been shot or something, and if he had acted back in self defense. He would of been charged with Assaulting an officer... But how the **** was he to know that the guy was a State trooper?

Btw, here is a good video news segment to check out
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30&NR=1[/yt]

[Sharp324]

You guys think all cops act this way. I'm not sure why he acted so aggressively and he obviously wasn't on duty, hints why he was doing a CCW. Looks like they dug down to the stupid laws to try to hold him, hopefully a jury will see through this and clear him. Though that officer should definitely have some type of overview.

[DinoNuggets]

I know,

Had the Motorcyclist not responded the way he did, to a guy wearing plain clothes, from a plain car, coming out with a gun... He could have been shot or something, and if he had acted back in self defense. He would of been charged with Assaulting an officer... But how the **** was he to know that the guy was a State trooper?

Btw, here is a good video news segment to check out

I really hope graber wins....

[Key-J]

Sharp,

I'm not saying all officers act like this. However, there are those out there who trully believe they are well above the law, and will act out to assert their "Authority".. The issue with this, is not only the individuals who belive this, but the institution who does not act to correct them.

I understand, that a police force must stand united, and back it's officer. Even if they did something, which in the public eye appears completely uncalled for (Gun at a snowball fight, Punching a woman in the face... brutality.. list goes on)..

What i would like to see, is some sort of reform.. The public needs to understand, that officers should not be feared, but respected. This can only come about when officers, and the institutions that back them stop using aggression and fear as their primary method of control.

It's out of pity that i write this, because i know some officers, they are friends, and they are good people. Yet some people will be quick to label all officers as horrible, power abusers, because of their fellow law enforcer, and the institution that does nothing to try and change the public image.

[ApocalypticDeath]

Ha Ha I live in Maryland too and the cops on I-95 are pretty strict and don't hesitate pulling someone over

[TOloseGT]

hm...denver cops are pretty nice, must be the air

[-.-]

so why did the cop initially get out of the car???
if he didnt want to be recorded with audio, why not stay in the car... not like anyone could tell it was a cop and he would have rode past when traffic started moving

[DinoNuggets]

so why did the cop initially get out of the car???
if he didnt want to be recorded with audio, why not stay in the car... not like anyone could tell it was a cop and he would have rode past when traffic started moving

the cop didnt know the guy was recording. I dont think he even noticed the helmet camera.

[Azilius]

so why did the cop initially get out of the car???
if he didnt want to be recorded with audio, why not stay in the car... not like anyone could tell it was a cop and he would have rode past when traffic started moving

...................................
how does he give him a ticket without pulling him over and making sure he doesn't drive away?

[TheDrop]

thats stupid

[-.-]

how does he give him a ticket without pulling him over and making sure he doesn't drive away?

from way video looked... they pulled up to traffic stop, cop got out of car with gun... on the away there you don't even see that cop on road when he was speeding. If it was the cop that came up behind with cop car... it didnt have seirins on that I could make out from clip.

[XemnasXD]

He's out in public, there's no reasonable expectation of privacy. I wonder if it would've been legal to pull a gun on the cop because he hadn't announced he was cop.

[Reise]

Love how it's not illegal at all for police to tap your phone, but as soon as you listen in on them it's a federal offense.

If the citizens of Maryland have any sense they will work on that stupid shit law.

Hopefully someone else doesn't accidentally record other police while they're minding their own business. They could end up having their property invaded and stolen.

[nohunta]

**** DEM COPS!

DEY BEEN HOLDING MY PEOPLE BACK SINCE DA 60's!


Jk lol. But i dont respect cops because they havent earned it. Im not gonna respect somebody because they have a status in society. Type of shit is that. I just wont be disrepectful, but that doesnt mean i respect them either.

[CeLL]

There is protocol. It is there for the safety of citizens and officers alike. The motorcyclist could have had a gun (being part time military he may have) and may have retaliated out of fear of his life. I could hear, nor see any sirens anywhere. He failed to appropriately identify himself as a law officer. The officer was fully in the wrong, and im honestly guessing was on coke. He was way to nervous to be toting a gun around that’s for sure.

[Vuesters92]

the biker could have killed himself doing that wheelie move at around 127mph.

[Vuesters92]

the video didn't show anything the cop did wrong. but showed that the motorcyclist was doing illegal moves and speeding + he muted the audio until the cop came.

[*BlackFox]

Well, motorcyclist did a stupid thing.
But seriously, did he really have to pull out his gun?

[Blindfire]

he muted the audio until the cop came.

I guess you have never heard a recording of air passing quickly by a microphone.

[Vuesters92]

he muted the audio until the cop came.

I guess you have never heard a recording of air passing quickly by a microphone.

i thought the cam was like inside the helmet. until i saw the other video for it.

[Reise]

It's not the fact that the guy had his gun out, it's the fact that this guy is gonna get possible jail time for unintentionally recording a plain-clothes officer while he was being pulled over. All because it was posted and done without his precious consent. (Gee I wonder how many people are in other peoples' home videos that they made without their consent, too)

It's seriously the most bullshit exploitation of the law I've ever heard of, and then to hear that the DA authorized a warrant to have the guy's parent's house ransacked for it is just ridiculous.

Maryland needs to straighten its shit out.

[Jstar1]

why don't people just follow the fcking laws? its funny because those who hate the police are usually the ones who frequently break laws. Like the video of the officer punching that fat black bitch and the skinny one who was being arrested..you do something wrong (jaywalking) then you pay for it, its simple. And she just dug into a deeper shithole by resisting arrest. what a loser.

but yeah, the guy deserved a ticket for speeding but why does he have to go to jail for unintentionally videotaping his own arrest?

everyone brace for the republican nuts who are going to say thie police are obama's cronies preparing for the new world order..

[Fiction]

Something doesn't add up here. I wouldn't say its the "undercover". He only pulled the gun for a sec and never aimed it directly at anyone...

First this guy was clearly endangering himself and others on the road.

Graber, who'd been observed popping a wheelie while speeding

Then the fact he lives with his parents and was sleeping!..

Graber was awakened by six officers raiding his parents' home in Abingdon, Md., where he lived with his wife and two young children.

Next thing you know they'll find out that he was killing hookers in the Detroit area...

*To Be Added*

[Mirosuke]

we are all doomed!!