You Can’t Take This From Me!
Publish something in a local newspaper, internet site, or periodical about current events of interest to the public to increase your exposure and reach potential clients.
Recently, in an attempt to get my students to try something to promote themselves, I gave them an assignment to write 500 work copy that they might want to have published in a publication designed to reach a group of potential clients. My instructions were to “keep in mind, who is your audience, what is the problem or opportunity they are unaware of and how can YOU be the solution?”
What follows is an example or how they might do that and I wrote it this morning in about 10 minutes after seeing a short piece on the news this morning concerning confiscation of phones by the police. As you read it think about how you might frame your own story to attract the attention of a population which might be interested in your legal services.
Hey, They Took My Cell Phone!
Yesterday as you were walking to class on campus, you noticed a police officer who had stopped a vehicle for some reason. With some of the highly publicized arrests filmed by passers by which have gone viral, you decided to take out your new IPhone 6, (“Plus” sized) to document the arrest. You were early for class, in any event, and maybe you will advance the interests of justice in the process?
The officer soon has the detainee spread-eagled as he is being searched passively when the officer takes something from the detainee’s pocket. Reactively, the detainee reached down toward the object and the officer immediately threw the detainee onto the ground and began hitting him with his baton.You are shocked by what you see as the officer hits him again and again. The victim lies motionless on the ground as the officer handcuffs him. You are extremely upset and determined to take this video and use it in support of the detainee. In your opinion, this was clearly unprovoked.
As you begin to walk away, after securing the detainee in the backseat of the squad car, the officer calls out for you to “stop right there”. You immediately stop and address the officer asking him why you are being asked to stop? The officer asks you if you had used your phone to record the event? You answer that you did. He then asks to see your phone and you hand it to him. He asks you to access the video so that he can view it. You ask him why should you have to do that? It is your phone. You are a law student and you believe you have a right to do what you did. At that point, he says, “So, you are refusing to let me see the video? Is that right?” And you say, “Yes!”. The officer then threatens to charge you with obstruction of justice unless you comply. You still refuse and the officer says, “Then I am confiscating your phone as evidence.”
What are your rights? Who can you turn to to defend you? All of your personal information is contained on that phone. Can you legally cleanse that phone and wipe out the data on it while it is in their possession? Did you engage in criminal conduct by refusing to assist the officer in reviewing your video? Did the officer violate your 1st Amendment rights? Do you have a civil claim for damages? This area of the law is rapidly developing and I am offering a seminar to help inform the public of their rights and duties under this newly evolving area of law. If you are interested, contact me at ***-***-****for more details.