Will Grigg's Liberty Minute

February 26, 2008

In October of last year, Boston attorney Simon Glik used his cellphone to record an arrest in which police used what he considered to be excessive force to subdue a suspect. He made no attempt to conceal the recording, holding his phone where it could easily be seen.

Nonetheless, the police arrested him on a charge of ?wiretapping.? Out of pure spite the officers tacked on charges of ?disturbing the peace? and aiding the attempted escape of a prisoner.

Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to make a secret recording of a conversation. The charge against Glik has been thrown out by a Boston Municipal Court Judge, who ruled that Glik?s recording was not done in secret. This personal victory leaves a bad law on the books.

The Massachusetts law is just one of many dubious state wiretapping statutes. While wearing a badge, police have no reasonable expectation of privacy. They shouldn?t have the power to punish citizens who hold them accountable.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.