Baltimore Cops Illegally Delete Cellphone Images: City To Settle For $250,000, Disputes Allegations

The city of Baltimore is set to approve a settlement for $250,000 next week over a 2010 incident where Baltimore cops confiscated Christopher Sharp’s cellphone and deleted images from his phone, explaining to him that it was illegal to videotape people in the state of Maryland. It’s not, which is why the city government is ready to settle, with taxpayers’ money, while not accepting legal responsibility. CBS in Baltimore reports the details of the incident: Christopher Sharp was recording an arrest at the Preakness almost four years ago when officers got angry.

“Do me a favor and turn that off. It’s illegal to videotape a person’s voice or anything else. It’s against the law in the state of Maryland,” an officer told Sharp.

It’s not, and Sharp claims officers illegally confiscated his phone and deleted other images from it, leading him to file suit with the help of the ACLU.

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