2 years ago
Share
A newspaper photographer, arrested while covering a story, has filed an official complaint against the state trooper who arrested him.
Photographer Bill Lawson was taking pictures for a Maumelle newspaper at a house fire when it happened.
The 59-year-old photographer had parked his car about four houses down from the fire and was walking up to it when he was allegedly ordered to stop, still about two homes away.
Lawson has been in the business of taking pictures for 40 years. He's even befriended many state troopers and has never run into a situation like Monday night's. Lawson was covering a chimney fire at the time. It was a fire that didn't do any visible damage to the home.
Lawson says, "He started yelling at me and screaming at me, telling me to get back or he was going to arrest me and I said sir you don't understand, I?m a member of the news media, I have every right to be here to take pictures."
Lawson was arrested right after he took a picture of the trooper. That picture made the cover of this week's Maumelle Monitor.
Lawson says, "After I took his picture and turned around he yelled you're under arrest and grabbed my left hand and twisted it back."
Today?s THV contacted the state police to find out why the trooper was at the fire in the first place. The Maumelle fire chief said troopers don't come to their fires. A spokesman for state police said as part of an internal investigation, he would not release any details about Monday's incident.
Lawson said he filed his complaint on behalf of journalists across the state, and other troopers who say this alleged behavior damages their reputation.
Lawson says, "While he had me handcuffed he got up in my face and was verbally abusive. I think he was really trying to pick a fight with me."
During the incident, Maumelle firefighters called Maumelle police to try to ease the situation. The police chief told Today?s THV when he arrived on the scene the arrest had already taken place. The citation had been written, the court date set, and there was nothing he could do.
Here is the full written response from the state police:
"The Arkansas State Police endeavors to routinely provide the news media access to incident scenes which are under the direct supervision of the department's troopers. However in this instance there are allegations from a news reporter which have caused the State Police to initiate an internal review. Therefore it is essential that adequate time and resources be provided for the department's internal mechanism to effectively work by collecting evidence and statements of witnesses, including those of Mr. Lawson and Trooper Weindruch. It is for that reason that until all of the facts of the incident are collected and reviewed, the Arkansas State Police must reserve comment and limit the release of statements and documents that directly relate to the incident." -Bill Sadler
