Camera phones focus on police use of force in L.A

Once regarded as a toy for rich teens, the ubiquitous camera cell phone is becoming a powerful community tool in the debate about police (mis)conduct, according to Reuters who reports on three police brutality events captured on cameraphones in the last few weeks.

-- "One cell phone video shows Los Angeles police beating a man repeatedly in the face.

-- Another shows a handcuffed, homeless man being blasted with pepper spray in Atlanta.

-- A third grainy video has campus police using a Taser stun gun on a student who refused to leave a Los Angeles university library.

... The images recall the 1991 beating of black motorist Rodney King by four police officers, which was caught by on home video by an Argentine plumber."

Other incidents captured by citizen reporters which made headline news:

-- Amateur Videos Are Putting Official Abuse in New Light - Malaysian Police misconduct captured on tape with a cameraphone - of the humiliating and degrading treatment of Hemy Hamisa Abu Hassan Saari, an innocent woman - circulated to other phones, was posted online and ended up on national television news. High-level government inquiries into the scandal extended as far as China.

-- Police brutality captured on cameraphone in Italy (?) -A video of of purported police brutality where three strong police officers show undue force against someone wearing only his undwear.

-- Geneva has a "Rodney King" racial brutality scandal on their hands - The Geneva Police Department has a "Rodney King" racial brutality scandal on their hands, documented by an a eye-witness with a camera phone. The video has been broadcasted on all the TV news stations.

-- Cell Phone Video At Center Of Police Controversy - Bringing to mind the Rodney King beating videotaped by an amateur, an incident in Chicago involving police brutality of a traffic violator was recorded by a witness through the video of a camera phone.

-- Citizen captures police act of racism on camera phone - A blatant act of racism by the Portland police was snapped by a "citizen reporter" armed with a camera phone. The story and the photos were published in the Portland Tribune and broadcasted on television.

emily | 5:14 PM | Citizens as Camera Phone Reporters |
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