AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Austin police have suspended two police officers who blocked an activist from recording video of a traffic stop.
James Maufrais and Jesse Lane were seen on video in November obstructing and pointing a flashlight at activist Phillip Turner, who has filmed police in various Texas cities and sued at least three police departments in the state after being confronted over videotaping.
Maufrais received a 20-day suspension without pay, and Lane was suspended for 10 days.
Maufrais’ attorney on Friday told KXAN-TV (https://bit.ly/2mYVhTx ) that he was caught off guard by someone videotaping him and had returned less than a year earlier from Afghanistan.
Turner told the station that there was “no way” to justify the officers’ actions.
Texas law generally allows videotaping of police officers in a public space without permission.
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Information from: KXAN-TV, https://www.kxan.com
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