State Senator Jim Ferlo of Highland Park says his application for use of Point State Park as a “free speech zone” before the G20 summit has been denied. Ferlo says police are planning to use the area next to the fountain as a helipad for security agencies. He says police may also apply to the state to allow them use of the Fort Pitt Museum as a public safety headquarters. Ferlo says as a board member of the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, there’s no way they would approve such an idea.
Ferlo says the decision “doesn’t leave much room” – he plans to team up with the American Civil Liberties Union and take his case to the Pittsburgh federal court early next week. He says it would be unfortunate to be forced to take demonstrations to the streets; earlier talks with police led him to believe using the Point would be a viable option.
Ferlo says a few similar efforts, such as a peaceful religious gathering and a demonstration from the Thomas Merton Center, have also had their permit requests denied.
Showing posts with label aclu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aclu. Show all posts
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
ACLU Sues Allegheny County for Man Charged with Wiretapping
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed suit against Allegheny County today on behalf of a Pittsburgh man who was charged for recording University of Pittsburgh Police. ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak says its perfectly legal for anyone to tape police or any other public official when they are in public.
Walczak says on April 29th, Hill District resident Elijah Matheny and his friend were retrieving items discarded in Oakland by Pitt students after spring semester. Police approached and demanded identification; Matheny's friend did not have any, so the officers put her in hand cuffs until she could be identified. Matheny was charged with violating the state wiretapping statute for taping the officers as they handcuffed her.
Walczak says the First Amendment guarantees people a right to record police officers' behavior in public places. He says Pennsylvania state wiretapping law, though relatively stringent, further ensures this right. Walczak says a lack of knowledge of the law is to blame. "It's not clear to us exactly why, but many law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania do not seem to understand this exception to wiretapping law, and obviously the Pitt police are among those who don't understand this exception," says Walczak.
He says it's vitally important that local police remember this rule, because the G20 will bring police encounters and it's very likely someone will tape them. Walczak says the suit, Matheny v. County of Allegheny, et al, has two purposes: to make police aware of this wiretapping exception before the G20 event and to provide Matheny with some consempation for undeserved jail time.
Allegheny County has released a statement refuting ACLU's allegation that their attorney's office has a policy of advising officers to arrest those taping them on official business. "In fact, no such policy exists," says the statement.
Walczak says on April 29th, Hill District resident Elijah Matheny and his friend were retrieving items discarded in Oakland by Pitt students after spring semester. Police approached and demanded identification; Matheny's friend did not have any, so the officers put her in hand cuffs until she could be identified. Matheny was charged with violating the state wiretapping statute for taping the officers as they handcuffed her.
Walczak says the First Amendment guarantees people a right to record police officers' behavior in public places. He says Pennsylvania state wiretapping law, though relatively stringent, further ensures this right. Walczak says a lack of knowledge of the law is to blame. "It's not clear to us exactly why, but many law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania do not seem to understand this exception to wiretapping law, and obviously the Pitt police are among those who don't understand this exception," says Walczak.
He says it's vitally important that local police remember this rule, because the G20 will bring police encounters and it's very likely someone will tape them. Walczak says the suit, Matheny v. County of Allegheny, et al, has two purposes: to make police aware of this wiretapping exception before the G20 event and to provide Matheny with some consempation for undeserved jail time.
Allegheny County has released a statement refuting ACLU's allegation that their attorney's office has a policy of advising officers to arrest those taping them on official business. "In fact, no such policy exists," says the statement.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
ACLU Files Suit Against County's Sex Offender Laws
The ACLU of Pennsylvania and the PA Institutional Law Project filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Allegheny County’s law that limits where convicted sex offenders can live. The suit asks that the county’s law be thrown out in favor of state laws. The county limits sex offends from living within 2,500 feet of places where children gather including schools, day care facilities and parks. ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak says that only leaves forested hilltops and a few high-income areas. The county was to have printed a map of acceptable areas 6 months ago. The lawsuit was filed in federal court on behalf of six sex offenders. Five are already living in the county and one is still in prison because he cannot find a place to live. Walczak says the laws prevent sex offenders from returning to society as productive citizens by separating them from their support networks. He says it also forces some to either be homeless or to not properly register their residence.
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