Farmer Ted :
Ignorance of the law is no defense.
18 U.S. Code § 242 makes it a federal crime for anyone acting under “color of law”—such as a police officer or government official—to willfully deprive another person of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. Common violations include excessive force, false arrest, or discriminatory treatment. Penalties vary: up to 1 year in prison for basic offenses, up to 10 years if bodily injury occurs or a weapon is used, and life imprisonment or the death penalty if the violation results in death. This law is a cornerstone for prosecuting civil rights abuses by officials in positions of authority.
When no crime has occurred or is reasonably suspected, calling the police to provoke their presence, the first step in the use of force continuum, raises serious constitutional concerns. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable seizures, and coercive police presence. If done with others to suppress lawful conduct, such as filming in public, it may constitute conspiracy to violate rights under 18 U.S. Code § 241, a federal crime. As affirmed in United States v. Price (1966), officials acting under color of law can be criminally liable and a conviction requires only proof of an agreement and intent to deprive rights, not actual harm. In Glik v. Cunniffe, 655 F.3d 78 (2011), the First Circuit held that filming public officials in public is a “basic, vital, and well-established liberty” protected by the First Amendment.
2025-07-05 10:42:01