Facing 16 Years In Prison For Videotaping Police

"The ACLU of Maryland is defending Anthony Graber, who faces as much  sixteen years in prison if found guilty of violating state wiretap laws because he recorded video of an officer drawing a gun during a traffic stop. ... Once [the Maryland State Police] learned of the video on YouTube, Graber's parents' house was raided, searched, and four of his computers were confiscated. Graber was arrested, booked, and jailed. Their actions are a calculated method of intimidation. Another person has since been similarly charged under the same statute. The wiretap law being used to charge Anthony Graber is intended  to protect private communication between two parties. According to David Rocah, the ACLU attorney handling Mr. Graber's case 'To charge Graber with violating the law, you would have to conclude that a police officer on a public road, wearing  a badge and a uniform, performing his official duty, pulling  someone over, somehow has a right to privacy when it comes to the conversation he has with the motorist.'" Here are a factsheet (PDF) on the case from the ACLU of Maryland, and the video at issue.