[sandyacres]

ABC Reporter Arrested in Denver Taking Pictures of Senators, Big Donors
Asa Eslocker Was Investigating the Role of Lobbyists and Top Donors at the Convention
By BRIAN ROSS

Aug. 27, 2008—

DENVER -- Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel.

Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker, who works with the ABC News investigative unit.

A cigar-smoking Denver police sergeant, accompanied by a team of five other officers, first put his hands on Eslocker's neck, then twisted the producer's arm behind him to put on handcuffs.

A police official later told lawyers for ABC News that Eslocker is being charged with trespass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order. He also said the arrest followed a signed complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel.

Eslocker was put in handcuffs and loaded in the back of a police van which headed for a nearby police station.

Video taken at the scene shows a man, wearing the uniform of a Boulder County sheriff, ordering Eslocker off the sidewalk in front of the hotel, to the side of the entrance.

The sheriff's officer is seen telling Eslocker the sidewalk is owned by the hotel. Later, he is seen pushing Eslocker off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic, forcing him to the other side of the street.

It was two hours later when Denver police arrived to place Eslocker under arrest, apparently based on a complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel, a central location for Democratic officials.

During the arrest, one of the officers can be heard saying to Eslocker, "You're lucky I didn't knock the f..k out of you."

Eslocker was released late today after posting $500 bond.

Eslocker and his ABC News colleagues are spending the week investigating the role of corporate lobbyists and wealthy donors at the convention for a series of Money Trail reports on ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson."

LINK: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conven...5668622&page=1

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

[sandyacres]

Some interesting points from the above article:

1. They were taking pictures on a PUBLIC sidewalk.

2. Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker.

3. A cigar-smoking Denver police sergeant, accompanied by a team of five other officers, first put his hands on Eslocker's neck, then twisted the producer's arm behind him to put on handcuffs.

4. They have video of the sheriff's officer pushed him into the street.

5. During the arrest, one of the officers can be heard saying to Eslocker, "You're lucky I didn't knock the f..k out of you."

Ladies and Gentlemen, the police in our country need some checks and balances. One day there will be a landmark case that rules that police should be held PERSONALLY responsible for their actions. Their personal property, including their family home, should be put on the auction block to pay any damages for innocent parties. You don't shove American citizen and you don't threaten to "knock the f.k. out of them".

Maybe one day when government entities are tired of paying lawsuits for these "BADASS" cops, then they will make ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT liable. And then they AND their families will pay for their actions.

In the mean time, I hope ABC news SUES THE HELL out of the Denver Police Department and personally embarrasses their department, and these officers, in a public fashion.

[gopers]

Sandy, did you see the other videos from Brian Ross? All the corporate jets, all the expensive functions, all the feebies? Do you know that some big union bosses were in town. I bet you the Denver Police Department is associated with the AFL-CIO union. The dems. knew that ABC was reporting that the dems were being courted by big money and lobbyist. I bet the union told the police union local bosses, keep those fucking ABC guys away! So they did! Its the same tactic that has been around since we've had corrupt unions. Get real, this story is not about the cops, they were following orders from the union bosses! Those cops can't be fired, they are protected by the union! This story is about the DEMOCRATS are just as corrupt and morally bankrupt as the Republicans. ABC's Brian Ross has been doing a story about it and the powers to be with the Dem. party said enough! I hope that ABC does the same story next week. I've been saying on these threads that the two major parties are the same! Come on people! THINK!
They all get together in the cloak rooms in DC to do their deals, so that we don't hear what is going on. The only difference is what they lie, I mean tell us when they want our vote at election time. My company makes a profit when we perform well. Politicians should be the same! They all lie!

[OakSmokeMJA]

Eslocker and his ABC News colleagues are spending the week investigating the role of corporate lobbyists and wealthy donors at the convention for a series of Money Trail reports on ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson."

this story about our loss of rights, NOT about unions.

lets all say it together,

We live in a police state! Does anybody remember the Gestapo?

[Masonic Chronic]

I'm all for free press..


but seriously guys....

How stupid is this ABC producer?

How many times did they have to ask him to leave?

How many hours went by before they actually arrested him?


This isn't press coverage... this is Paparazzi tactics. I'm suprised they gave him 2 HOURS to comply before they arrested him....

seriously.... TWO HOURS without any comply. If I was the cop.. I would have felt the same way.

I know you guys want to cry "police brutality" and "big brother kills our free press" on this.... but this guy seems to be the most irresponsible news producer I've ever witnessed. 2 hours of cop talk before they arrested him! WTF!? If this was the GOP convention... they would have tasered him in 2 minutes! This is where common sense overpowers our political agenda..... I'm siding with the cops on this one.



EDIT: SERIOUSLY GUYS! They gave him 2 hours to comply! How many hours would you give a paparazzi moron?

[Jeffster]

I saw the video on the tv news last night of the police officer pushing the news producer into the street, for a moment I thought the news guy was going to get hit by a car, it looked that dangerous. Attempted man slaughter doesn't seem out of the question to me. We do need a strong police force to deal with crime, but we also need to make an example of potentially rogue cop situations where excessive force is used on citizens. I don't know which side of this case is more to blame, but i do know that a police officer should never push a citizen into a public street for cars. That's just plain old bullying tactics. Not what we hope for from a trained police organization.

[sandyacres]

Originally Posted by Masonic Chronic

EDIT: SERIOUSLY GUYS! They gave him 2 hours to comply! How many hours would you give a paparazzi moron?

Nice. Well, there is a big difference between a paparazzi trespassing on private property and a credentialed member of the national broadcast media standing on a public side walk in a journalistic capacity during the light of day, attempting to interview POLITICAL FIGURES.

Originally Posted by Jeffster

I saw the video on the tv news last night of the police officer pushing the news producer into the street, for a moment I thought the news guy was going to get hit by a car, it looked that dangerous. Attempted man slaughter doesn't seem out of the question to me. We do need a strong police force to deal with crime, but we also need to make an example of potentially rogue cop situations where excessive force is used on citizens. I don't know which side of this case is more to blame, but i do know that a police officer should never push a citizen into a public street for cars. That's just plain old bullying tactics. Not what we hope for from a trained police organization.

I completely agree. The problem with law enforcement professionals is that they get so pumped up before they ever go out in public, and the bond among them is so strong and exclusionary, that when they leave their station, office, or car, they are literally LOOKING FOR A FIGHT. This time it happened to be a journalist who get shoved and threatened with physical violence -- and he had a camera crew with him! I wonder how they treat the elderly homeless man sitting on the "wrong" sidewalk or the African American teenager who is walking through a parking lot at night. Neither one has a camera crew with them, and I'm sure these members of the Denver P.D. wouldn't have any trouble pushing them into traffic or "knocking the f.k." out of them.