DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A Detroit Free Press photographer was taken into custody while shooting video of Detroit police making an arrest.
The newspaper says Mandi Wright — a Freep photographer for 15 years — was held for more than six hours Thursday and, at one point, was put in the same interrogation room as the 47-year-old male suspect.
Wright and Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray were on a video training session when they suddenly saw officers escorting a suspect to a police car. Wright was wearing Free Press identification. There was a brief struggle, and her phone was confiscated.
The arresting offer claimed Wright was interfering with the arrest, but no charges have been filed against her.
“Wright was working on a story, on a public sidewalk, and using a Free Press-issued iPhone when she was arrested,” said WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langon. “Legally, all citizens — including the media — have an absolute right to photograph any police action while they are in public places.”
The Free Press says Deputy Chief James Tolbert later apologized to editors, agreeing that there’s nothing illegal about people recording video of police in public.
Detroit police are now conducting an internal investigation of the incident.
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