Journalist Assaulted Twice, Including By Cop

Dog the Bounty Hunter security guard also assaults him

A Hawaiian journalist was assaulted twice for shooting video; once by a member of the Dog the Bounty Hunter TV crew, a second time by a Maui cop.

The second incident was clearly caught on camera.

Tommy Russo, publisher of the Maui Time website, said he stepped out of his office and came upon a video shoot for the Dog the Bounty Hunter reality TV show in a parking lot.

He pulled out his cell phone camera to begin shooting video and was confronted by a security guard named Sonny Westbrook, who began pushing him away.

Westbrook then struck him in the mouth and swiped Russo’s phone.

Beth Chapman, wife of  Duane Chapman, the star of the show, places her light in Russo's camera, demanding he shut it off, which is the height of irony considering the show's main premise is to hunt fugitives down on video.

Russo called police to report the incident, but that only made things worse.

It was then that Officer Nelson Johnson of MPD told me I was "antagonizing" Dog's gang. I panned the camera over to Officer Johnson and he charged me and hit me in the face opened-handed as he violently yanked the phone from me. I demanded he return it and he did, at which point I began filming again. 

While the first incident is not on the video he provided, the second incident is on it.

“You can’t film me without my consent. You can’t use my image without my consent,” officer Johnson tells Russo on video, proving that he is yet another cop who has no clue of the laws he is paid to enforce.

Russo said that Johnson charged him again.

He then charged me a second time, and as I turned away from him and shoved my phone in my pants he grabbed me and twisted my left arm behind my back, wrenching it painfully. I pleaded with him to stop, telling him he was hurting me. That only made him wrench harder.

This went on for at least three minutes. I was screaming for help. The more I screamed in pain, the more Officer Johnson wrenched my arm.

Eventually, a sergeant arrived on the scene, but Johnson then fabricated a story, claiming that Russo had charged at him with the camera, causing him to fear for his life, which is why he had to smack Russo in the mouth and take his phone.

 I called Russo to get more information, but his voice mail box is full.

Comments

Dog belongs in jail. He's an ass.

Dog belongs in jail. He's an ass.

You can say that again!

hal

didnt they have DOG in jail down in MEXICO awhile back, too bad they didnt keep his ass down there, and here i was feeling sorry for his ass. i know better now that all he was doing was his ego doing something he has no right to do. and in MEX. they didnt put up with his shit, they locked his ass up..... :D

when he was in, bet cha he cried like the pussy he really is.

When I see this sort of thing I feel a sudden urge to find my blood pressure meds.

The conduct of the bounty folk is no surprise. I don’t generally stereotype but the term “white trash” comes to mind. Is that wrong? Frankly, I’d be surprised if Dog & Co. knows much about the law or that they really care.

The conduct of the cop is reprehensible. If the facts are as they have been presented I’d say this fellow in blue needs to be prosecuted like any common thug.

This seems so common and it’s more than a little overwhelming. It feels like rational thought and behavior are on the verge of extinction. Perhaps this is how civil rights activists felt back in the early 60s.

hal

he was, down in MEXICO, wasnt he. he went after someone without jurisdiction or something and they locked his ass up. should have kept his ass down there!
what a bunch or morons they got over there! let em stay in HAWAII, we got more then our share over here!

the ass wipe,[PIGGY], was protecting them with the money is all that was.

oh fuck, they all piggies, all of them. 100% of cops are nothing but little piggies! piggies with a badge!

and its something one wouldnt think of happening in the great state of HAWAII, well it goes to show ya it happens all over the u.s. of a.!

Wow - "You can’t film me without my consent. You can’t use my image without my consent" - Next he will be saying that you can't walk down the sidewalk because he owns it!

I'm thinking that we need to start recording things in stereo. Bring a buddy with you and stand about 15 feet apart. That's what a zoom is for - use it. I'm afraid that strong lawyers will be needed in some national case before people stop violating rights. Attach a penilty to violating someones right or nothing will change.

I'm interested in a Photographer/Videographer "Union" so to speak. People can join it for a small (monthly?) fee and have access to a lawyer that understands these rights. The only thing, I'd want to stay on target - rights related to photography and not go off blasting people for their political or religious view. (I've seen a lot of that as of late.)

Just my two cents....

His first mistake was calling the police and expecting any help. Nice job pig, helping the perps and beating the victim.

There is a saying that comes to mind. "You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can't take the trailer park out of the girl". Seems appropriate here, and from seeing bits and pieces of the show.

Mr. Russo, is lucky in that he has several deep pockets to go after, the cops, the production company that hired the security, the security company, and dog himself.

Here are two more fugitives for Dog to hunt, and at least one is right there!

AE Network...cha-ching
Police Dept....cha-ching
Security Company....cha-ching
Dogs personal company...
cha-ching

his show sucks anyway and his ego is bigger than his wife and just as ugly.

hal

ya right about DOGS wife, looks like a dog... :D only thing if anything she got going for her is her boobs, and they a bit too big! and i betcha they ain't even real.

the whole group of them got one major EGO problem! xcept for the show, Iroc, i bet ya they don't get out of the double-wide that much! LMFAO

they are nothing but wanabe cops, and rental piggies! doesnt DOG even wear a feather of some sort, wtf is with that shit?

Do you have a medical condition?

Nope, do you have a mental one?

Carlos
Unable to locate your email, I know its here somewhere.but time is lacking today.

This might interest you

Iowa gets it somewhat right.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110418/NEWS01/104180318/Law-enforcement-video-footage-is-both-public-record-and-trial-evidence?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

From above message."Videos of car chases, arrests and other activity captured by cameras in law enforcement vehicles can make for exciting viewing, but county attorneys frequently try to keep the public from seeing the tapes."

Great idea, but, the big question, do the cops still get to
"inadvertently"(nudge,wink) lose the video if it's unflattering to them, or does it go directly to some neutral party?

Read the comments and the.question is asked there.

Also further down the article and the comments also touch on recording the police while doing their duties.

Now a police officer who doesn't get it.

Imagine that

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