Local Montana Newspaper Editor Arrested for Photographing Crash Scene
Roger Roots shared this content via CopBlock.org/Submit, to help get more eyes on an unjust situation in Montana – the censorship and harassment of a man who’s been a journalist for over three-decades, by Anthony Isabell, who wears a Montana Highway Patrol badge.
Date of Incident: October 1, 2014
Individuals Responsible: Anthony Isbell
Outfit: Montana Highway Patrol, District VI
Phone: (406) 755-6688
News reporters can’t even photograph crash scenes anymore. Here a local news editor and photographer took some photos about a car accident and was arrested for “obstructing justice”!!!!
From related coverage at Missoulian.com:
Law enforcement officers in western Montana arrested the editor of a weekly newspaper in Polson while he was taking photographs of a highway crash.
The Montana Highway Patrol accuses Lake County Leader editor Vince Lovato of obstructing a peace officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was arrested on Oct. 1 and released on his own recognizance. The Daily Inter Lake reports his first court date on the misdemeanor charges is on Oct. 15.
Eric Dietrich, at the GreatFallsTribune.com added:
According to tickets issued by MHP Trooper Anthony Isabell, Lovato was cited for, “disobeying lawful commands inside crime scene boundaries,” “screaming obscenities while being arrested” and “not following commands, pulling away and attempting to escape,” Lake County Justice Court staff said Monday.
Thus far the kidnapper and his colleagues have not expanded upon their vague claims of what exactly Lovato did to justify his kidnapping, caging, and now the levying of the three catch-alls. If Lovato was not causing harm to person or property, he should not have been treated with such unsavory “service” by Anthony Isabell.
If you are in northwest Montana consider showing up at legaland (Lake County courthouse) on October 15th at 9am to support Lovato and send a message that photography is not a crime.
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