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Court Administrator HATES Transparency!

Turn the camera off. >> Um, who are you? >> to record in here. >> Who are you, sir? >> I'm the court administrator. Turn it off. >> I'm going to tell you one more time and then you >> What's your name, sir? Arrested for what? >> Disorderly conduct. >> Is this not the United States of America? >> Turn it off. The phone's coming out of your hands. >> It's not. >> Really? You're asked to leave. >> There's a lot of government buildings that say you can't record. >> But this is the municipal code. This is all filed through the Ohio Supreme Court and is approved by them. >> Okay. >> And it's because of the size of our court, they said when you're going upstairs, there's a chance you could be filming victims of crimes and all that, which they have have to protect the victims. >> I just want to know if I'm detained cuz I'd like to get out of here. >> You're being detained. >> I'm still being detained. It doesn't work that way. Even if I'm arrested, you still can't go into my phone and erase it. >> Hey, what's up, guys? Long Island Audit, back to another one. Perrysburg Municipal Courthouse, Ohio. Walked in, clerk was professional, was about to show me the local court rules, then court administrator Scott came out, said this is not the United States of America, threatened to take the phone out of my hands. Then a female officer tried to get me to delete my footage. Even if I was arrested, you still need a warrant to touch my phone. Watch this. >> Excuse me, sir. >> Turn the camera off. >> Um, who are you? >> to record in here. >> Who are you, sir? >> I'm the court administrator. Turn it off. >> Okay, cool. >> I just want to know who you are. What's your name? >> Turn it off. >> Do you see the difference between Do you see the difference between you and the woman that just came out here? >> I'm going to tell you one more time and then you get arrested. >> What's your name, sir? Arrested for what? >> Disorderly conduct, obstructing official business. >> I'm not obstructing anything. This is my First Amendment right. You're not even a law enforcement officer, sir. >> a First Amendment right in this building. >> Of course I do. >> allowed to >> not the United States of America? >> Turn it off. >> Are you a law enforcement officer, sir? >> Yes. Yes. >> You are a law enforcement officer? So you can affect arrests? >> Yes. Turn it off. >> I would like to speak to the bailiff downstairs. I would like to speak to actual law enforcement officer. >> and I'm also a law enforcement officer. >> How are you a law enforcement officer and a court administrator? >> I Why does that concern you? >> Because impersonating a law enforcement officer is a crime, sir. >> Then you can go file charges against me. I'm a law enforcement officer. Why are you filming in the building? >> That probably would have been your first question that you could have asked me instead of coming to me so aggressively. What What's your name, sir? >> Scott. >> Scott, my name is Shawn. I'm an independent journalist. All I'm doing is >> allowed to record in this building. It's a local court rule. >> And the clerk is getting me the rule so I can look at it. There is no signage, Scott. There is no signage. >> There is no signage that is posted here for me to know. So she's getting me the court rule so I can look at it and be aware. I need to be advised of the But I need to be advised of the rule and see the rule. I just want to read the rule. >> You do not. >> Yes, you do. You have to be a made aware of the rule. This is not a crime. >> you what the rule is. >> Hey, sir. How are you? >> Turn it off. >> Sir, I'm going to ask you to de-escalate. There's no There's no law being broken here. >> you would like me to do. >> Okay. So why should I care what you I'm She's getting me the rule. She's getting me the court rule to read. >> Okay. The phone's coming out of your hands. >> It's not. That would be a violation of my rights. You have no I'm not breaking any law, sir. Why would the phone come out of my hand? >> I told you ask you something. What is What's your What's your business here today? >> Yeah, I was just going to ask some questions to the clerk and and I'm going to leave. >> I just did a minute ago. >> No, you did not. You said to turn off the phone. Can I Ma'am, can I see the rules? >> [laughter] >> I missed the chance to see the rules? Are you kidding me? All right, I'll wait for the PD. That's the first time I want to make it clear, the first time someone's asked me to leave. You told me a million times to turn off the phone. Sorry, ma'am. It's absolutely ridiculous the way you guys are acting today, really. Especially you, Scott. >> I don't really care. >> All right, that's fine. >> All you had to do was shut your phone off. >> All you had to do was show me the rules. She printed out the rules. She was very nice to me, and she said, "I will show you the rules." And I said, "Okay, no problem." And she has them printed out. You say, "Don't show it to him." >> No, you missed that chance. >> [laughter] >> She has the rules printed out, and you don't show them to him. What do you mean? I never saw the rule. >> I don't have to show you the rule. >> Hi, ma'am. How are you? I want to talk to you outside. >> Okay, well, turn off the camera, the recording. >> Yeah, I'm going to do Well, I'm outside, I can record. So, I'm just going to go outside and record. >> And what you not stopping your recording now? >> But I'm going outside. >> They asked you to stop the recording prior to this. >> Right, but that's not a But that wasn't a law. I would Listen, can I I'm going to explain to you outside. So, that way there's no confusion here. >> Well, it sounds like there's some miscommunication. >> Right. Sounds like somebody's lying, and that's why I record my interaction with law enforcement. So, you mind if I get your name and badge number? >> Yeah, name's Officer Lord, badge number's 33. >> Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. Thank you. Did you see the signs? >> Yeah, let me talk to you there, and then >> Okay, yeah, no problem, no problem. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just to make it clear to everybody, there are no signs posted anywhere. And like I said, ma'am, it's all recorded. So, if they want to say that they're If they want to lie against me and say like, "Oh, you know, we told him multiple times to leave." They told me multiple times to turn off the recording. It is not inherently illegal. I will admit that. They told me multiple times to turn off the recording, but it's not inherently illegal. And it And plus, if he's law enforcement, I have a right to form film law enforcement. You know that. So, he he said he identified himself as law enforcement. >> film law enforcement, I have no problem that. why I'm letting you record me while we're outside. The issue is that like I said, for all the city buildings, which this is attached to our city, the police department is attached to the municipal building, which is the city offices. Um there's postings saying that you cannot record inside. >> Right. >> So and that >> But there's not anything posted here. You have to advise people by by being posted. >> the there's um rules against the court that you don't have to have that posted. So he's printing off that information. We're going to get that information. And we'll go from there on what they want to do, but basically there's a lot of government buildings that say you can't record and they don't have to have postings inside or outside saying that. >> Well, they do. Okay. That's fine. I guess I I Like I said, I film in a lot of government buildings across the country and uh you know, it's it's just for transparency, asking questions of my government and um you know, some of them say you can't. In the NYPD, they say you can't. I got a federal judge to say you can. Again, if it has to go that way, it has to go that way. I left when told to leave. The the rule is not a statute that you can arrest me for. It's not a statute. It's not something you It's not a least that I know of. I've never heard of this rule, but it's not a statute. You don't get charged with it. >> have like their own rules. >> Right. But the judge is the ones that enforce it, not not lo- local law enforcement. The judge is the one that It would be a contempt of court charge. >> They don't be involved in this. Like their concern is that they ask you to leave, they would have >> That's not true. It's not true. >> That didn't happen, so then the court's going to call us. >> That's not true. So am I being detained at this time? I just want to know. Okay. >> Yes, that's what we're trying to figure out. >> Can I speak to a supervisor as well? That's all right. Is one available? >> 9183 >> 10-4 >> Are you available? To stop over here. He's requesting a supervisor. >> 10-4 >> The differences between the court administrator and the clerk. All All she said All she said was you can't record in here, sir. I understand. If you have any questions, I can answer you. I said, "Well, can I see the rules?" She said, "Yeah, not a problem." She goes to get the rules and it will In the meantime, while she's go getting the rules I can look at them and comply with the rules if they if I don't want to, you know, piss off a judge. It's not my intent. So, I wanted to make sure they exist. Some people say things that aren't true, right? Some people say things that aren't true. They'll say, "Well, I've been in that scenario a lot of times." They'll say, "You can't record in here." And I'll say, "Well, what's the law or the statute?" And they'll be like, "You just can't record in here." And then they call the police department. The police department says, "Well, actually you can record in here. It's a public building." So, if I just complied with anybody telling me something, I would never exercise my constitutional rights. Some people are ignorant and they say things that aren't true. Sometimes they are true. I just wanted verifiable fact that it was true or not. I just wanted to And And then clerk was so nice about it. And she comes with the paper to hand it to me and he's like, "No, don't give it to him." Does that make any sense? If you want to enforce a rule or if you're thinking that I'm breaking a rule, why wouldn't you want me to hear, sir? Here's the rule that you're breaking. Now, if you don't comply with breaking the rule, if you don't comply with it our rule our rule, then you're going to be in some sort of trouble or whatever. >> No, I get it. That's why I asked the other officer. >> Hey, sir. How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> Um my name is Sean. Do you mind if I get your badge number? >> It's Sergeant McGuffin, with number 83. >> Sergeant, so the problem I'm having here is that, you know, the I walked inside. I you know, I am a First Amendment activist. I ask questions. I'm an independent journalist. I told you my name is Sean. I was just asking some questions of people inside. Um a clerk came out and she was very nice. She said, "Sir, there's a local rule that you cannot record for the courthouse." And I said, "Okay, can I see the rule?" And she said, "Sure, let me go get you a copy of it." So, I waited where I was. While she's there, a court administrator says, "Turn off your phone now." Starts freaking out on me, escalating situation. >> Can I ask a question real quick? Where was your phone pointed? Was it in towards the windows where they have all the like paper >> Well, no, no, I was like far away. I didn't even go up to the windows. >> No, no, not in the courtroom. No, no, I and I asked her that. >> You're at the windows. >> No, not I was in front I was like when you first walk in from the elevator. That's it. And I you know, I asked her I said, "Can I see the rules?" Because I've dealt with this before. Sometimes it says the courtroom, sometimes it says different places. So, I just want to clarify what it was. Sometimes people tell me you can't record and they have no idea what they're talking about. So, I just said, "Okay." And the cops and the police come and they're like, "Well, he can't record, right?" So, I just want to see the rules. So, she said, "Yeah." She was very nice. She said, "Sure, no problem." Then Scott comes out and he's like, "I'm a law enforcement officer. I'm telling you to stop recording." And I was like, "Can I see the rule?" He's like, "No, you're not going to see the rule." The administrator comes out. The clerk comes out, excuse me, and she says, "Here are the rules, sir." And I said, "Okay, thank you." And he's like, "No, don't give him the rules." There's nothing posted, sir. There's nothing that would make me understand or know that there is a rule other than somebody telling me and they could be lying. It's not a law enforcement officer. It's not you. It's not somebody official. Some guy in a suit telling telling me that >> clerk court or the chief bailiff. >> Right. But again, no idea. So, I he told me he's a court administrator. I think he's some sort of administrator. And at the end of the day, all he's not a law enforcement officer. He can't affect arrests outside of the courthouse. >> He signs warrants and all that. He is a chief bailiff. >> Right. So, all I was saying is that and then once once one of the bailiffs inside said, "All right, until we figure this out, leave until we figure this out." And I said, "All right, no problem. I'll leave. I'll wait for law enforcement." He said, "We called law enforcement." The bailiff says, "I don't want to violate your rights. Let's figure this out. Let's you know, we can look at the rule." Because sometimes rules have specific areas in the courthouses. >> That would be my guess. My understanding would be not in a courtroom or anywhere in that window. >> Right. >> There's a lot of sensitive information on the back side of that window. >> Right. Well, going up to the window I did not do. Again, I I I was looking at the window. I was looking at different things that are on the window. I didn't go past the window. I'm not trying That My intent is not I get I didn't violate them. My name is Shawn. You know, I work with law enforcement across the country on First Amendment activism rights on on on our rights. >> And you still have yet to see those rules? >> No, I've not seen the rules. And I've not When the clerk But when the clerk came out to to give me the rules, he said, "Don't give it to him." That doesn't make any sense. >> Like I said, the only other thing I think might be an issue is if you somehow were interfering with court proceedings or anything like that. >> I mean, I think I was just That's it. I mean, I I I wasn't being I was talking in the same level as I'm talking to you. I'm a very respectful person. I'm not trying to break the law. I'm not trying to, you know, agitate anybody. I'm here to peacefully exercise my First Amendment right. That's all I'm doing. And if there's a rule, I just wanted to see it. I mean, it it should be posted. I said it should be clear and conspicuously posted for the public to see. You know, you can't just say, "Oh, there's a rule that, you know, no hats allowed." But then there's no rule posted. Like it it needs to be clear and conspicuously posted. You know, I've dealt with these kinds of rules before. >> but I think that's more of a dress code for court appearances in that office. >> Right. And then I saw I saw a sign on the courtroom door that says there is no um electronic devices allowed in the courtroom. So again, everything I'm seeing is not telling me that I'm doing anything wrong. >> From everything you told me, I don't see how any laws that I'm violating, but court rules, I mean, if you're in violation of some sort of court rule, they would have to charge you with contempt, which is a judge's >> Right. And that's what I was explaining That's what I was explaining to the officer here that I'm not breaking any laws. You know, if there's a rule, then sure, the judge can do contempt of court. Right. Right. >> So, I can go inside, see where Officer Lore is. >> Yeah, and and again, you could take a look. There's no signs or anything. All I I think it's reasonable to ask. I'm not in a courtroom. I'm not filming anything confidential. I think it's reasonable to ask, can I see a copy of the rules? That's it. And I mean I I I think that's a pretty reasonable request. But the But the court administrator, Mr. Scott, he just didn't want to He He was letting his ego get the best of him. I I deal with law enforcement all the time. I'm not anti-law enforcement. I'm just pro-rights. That's it. And and pro-transparency. Hey, sir. >> So, this is the municipal code. This is all filed through the Ohio Supreme Court and is approved by them. And it's because of the size of our court, they said, when you're going upstairs, there's a chance you could be filming victims of crimes and all that, which they have have to protect the victims of crimes. >> Well, couldn't you film victims? Just I I understand what you're saying and I no problem with it. I'm just saying you could film victims of crimes on the sidewalk walking into the court, right? >> There's a higher higher chance that you're going to be videotaping a victim in that room than out here, I guess. >> Well, anybody that walks in could potentially be a victim. That's what I'm talking about. You How would I know up there? >> No, I'm saying how would you know that they're actually going into the court? >> Right. Well, I mean, this is the courthouse, right? >> Well, I mean, if they're just out here >> I'm saying I can film anybody I'm just saying the reasonableness of it, you know, I understand I'm just saying the reasonableness to me too, you know, that I can film everybody walking in, but once they're in you can't film them anymore because I can film right here from the sidewalk, right? I'm just saying. Go Go ahead, sir. I didn't mean to interrupt you. Go ahead. >> Go ahead, sir. >> In this this I mean, they They said they don't normally have give it to you. They said that you can find all this online. >> Yeah, that's what they told me. >> Ohio Supreme Court and all that. You can find a local law local codes and all that, okay? Um so, in this packet, rule 9.04, video recording prohibited. The use of video recording or video taping devices and the use of still photography devices inside the So, court shall be prohibited. >> Right. >> Okay? So, under that code right there, that's their That's the reasoning for why you can't be up in there, okay? All this is approved and everything by the Ohio Supreme Court. So, it's coming down from them. It's not just >> And that's all I wanted to see was the actual All I wanted to see was the the rule. >> have this. >> Okay, perfect. >> a sticky note here. >> want to have it. I don't need to have it. >> For your concerns, I'm going to go speak with them and see if they can maybe post it. >> Right. Yeah, no. I Again, I don't I don't even need to have it. I'll take it, but you know, it's I I I didn't want to keep it. I just wanted to see the actual rule because a lot of times people lie to me. They say, you know, you can't record in here and then, you know, I turns out I can. So, I just wanted to see the rule, be advised of the rule. I'm not trying to get held in contempt of court by a judge. You know, I'm never going to win that. >> contempt. They said maybe like a disorderly cuz you'd have to be in front of the judge for it to be contempt. But >> Right. But but you can there's such thing as indirect in There's indirect contempt and it's definitely That's what he told me. He says I said, "Sir, what do I be arrested for?" He said, "Disorderly conduct." I'm like, "It's not disorderly conduct." I mean, you know, it has to be some type of conduct that's actually disorderly. I know the statute. I mean, but again, I've worked with officers here in Ohio. >> I'll go discuss that with you. >> It could be because he told you that there was a rule against you recording and you continued to record. >> Right. But that's not dis- That's not in and of itself disorderly conduct. It's It disorderly conduct is actually my conduct that would be disorderly, not just not listening to some random guy who says that there's a rule. You know, again, I Like he said, like Right. He's the court administrator. Right. Right. Right. But to me, I didn't know who he was at first. He's like, "I'm not telling you who I am." At the at at the end, sure. But he came up to me very aggressively. And again, all I wanted to see was the rule. I didn't think it was a big deal to see the rule. >> Well, now that we're done with that and you have the >> Am I Am I being detained any longer? >> No, but um since you were in violation, are you able to just delete the video that when you were inside? You can keep the recording of when you were outside talking with us. >> Well, no. Unless I Unless I'm being forced to under threat of arrest or threat of contempt, I'm not going to. Just it's it's my right to record. >> It's not >> Not I mean I think it was there was nobody in there that was >> Yeah, I was just speaking with him again because of the victims being up there potentially being up there they might >> Well, it's fine. I just want to know if I'm detained cuz I'd like to get out of here. >> You're being detained. >> I'm still detained. >> We're going to figure out what they want to do. You were in violation. They provided that >> Right. So, what is So, what is Sir, I just don't want to put down my phone. What is the What does it say on there the consequences of the violation? The What are the What does it say that the consequences would be? >> what the consequences are It just shows the the rule. >> Normally they in the rules they'll say something of along the line of >> Uh you still maybe approved pursuant to municipal court local code if you get approval from through them. Um >> So, it doesn't say. >> say. >> Normally it will say, you know, this would this is a violation of Again, if it's I just know it's not disorderly conduct. So, that I mean, if you want to arrest me for disorderly conduct, go ahead. That's an easy charge to beat cuz I didn't do it I wasn't I wasn't disorderly. He's cursing. He was cursing and screaming and raising his voice. I I've been talking the same thing the whole time. >> The issue was you have the recording where you're not supposed to be recording in >> That but but again, I did not know. I did not see a rule. No one showed me a rule. There's no rule posted conspicuously. >> you now. >> Now, right. And now I'm already out of the courthouse after you showed me. >> You have the recording that was inside that >> Right. >> why they prevented you >> It just doesn't work that way. It doesn't work that way you can't just, you know, erase Even if I was to erase Even if I'm arrested, you still can't you still can't go into my phone and erase it, right? You still can't. You need a warrant. >> She just wants to charge you >> All right. I've been even saying even if you arrest me, it doesn't solve the problem of the recording. It's not going to get erased. Can't just go into people's phone and erase their footage. I'm not going anywhere. You tell me I'm detained, I'm staying right here. Tell me I'm under arrest, I'm not going to fight you. I'm not going to run. Not a threat to you guys. All right. I just want to make that clear. Thank you. Have a good day. Camera malfunction during part of the Scott encounter. Won't happen again. Body camera from now on. But we got enough. Scott is exposed. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Stay safe. God bless. Long Island audit. Thanks.