Texas officers suspended for blocking activist filming them

Published April 01, 2017

Austin police have suspended two police officers who blocked an activist from recording video of a traffic stop.

James Maufrais and Jesse Lane were seen on video in November obstructing and pointing a flashlight at activist Phillip Turner, who has filmed police in various Texas cities and sued at least three police departments in the state after being confronted over videotaping.

Maufrais received a 20-day suspension without pay, and Lane was suspended for 10 days.

Maufrais' attorney on Friday told KXAN-TV that he was caught off guard by someone videotaping him and had returned less than a year earlier from Afghanistan.

Turner told the station that there was "no way" to justify the officers' actions.

Texas law generally allows videotaping of police officers in a public space without permission.

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