MOSBY FOLLOW BEHIND HER IN THE
POLL.
THE PRIMARY FOR MARYLAND IS
APRIL 26.
TONIGHT, THE 11 NEWS I-TEAM
PROBES THE QUESTION -- IS USING
OBSCENITY ENOUGH TO GET YOU
STOPPED BY POLICE?
THE ARREST CAUGHT ON CAMERA IN A
SUBURBAN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
COMMUNITY BRINGS IT TO LIGHT.
HERE'S LEAD INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTER JAYNE MILLER.
JAYNE: THE
ARREST OF BRANDON
DENNIS, RECORDED BY A BYSTANDER,
WAS NOT BECAUSE HE WAS WANTED
FOR A VIOLENT CRIME.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY IN IN
SEPTEMBER, THE PASADENA AREA OF
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, ALL STARTED
BECAUSE OF THE F WORD, THAT AN
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY POLICE
OFFICER HEARD AS HE DROVE BY
BRANDON DENNIS'S HOME.
ME AND MY FRIENDS WAS IN THE
DRIVEWAY.
AND HE WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF
THE ROAD AND I AM LIKE HE'S
LOOKING HARD, LIKE WHAT'S IS THE
PROBLEM?
JAYNE: DENNIS ASKED TO NOT HAVE
HIS FACE SHOWN WHEN HE SPOKE OF
THE ENCOUNTER IN AN INTERVIEW.
I WAS TALKING TO MY FRIENDS,
ACTUALLY, AND HE THOUGHT I WAS
TALKING TO HIM.
AND I WASN'T.
JAYNE: THE OFFICER, ON HIS WAY
HOME AT THE END OF HIS SHIFT,
CHOSE TO STOP HIS CAR.
IN HIS CHARGING DOCUMENT, HE
WROTE, "I TURNED THE VEHICLE
AROUND AND APPROACHED DENNIS.
I ASKED HIM WHAT HE SAID.
THE F WORD FLEW AGAIN."
HE SAID I KNOW WHO YOU IS,
AND HE SAID MY NAME, AND HAVE A
NICE F-ING DAY.
I'M LIKE YOU HAVE A NICE F-ING
DAY.
HE WAS LIKE COME HERE, YOU'RE
UNDER ARREST.
JAYNE: A SCUFFLE ENSUED,
ACCORDING TO BOTH DENNIS AND THE
OFFICER.
THE BYSTANDER'S VIDEO PICKS UP
WHEN THE INCIDENT SPILLED ONTO
THE STREET.
DENNIS IS PUSHED TO THE CURB,
FACE DOWN.
THE OFFICER DREW HIS GUN, SAYING
SOMEONE SLAPPED IT.
IN THE CHARGING DOCUMENT THE
, OFFICER WROTE, "I OBSERVED A
VERY LARGE CROWD OF
APPROXIMATELY 50 PEOPLE CIRCLING
THE OTHER OFFICER AND I.
I WAS AFRAID OF A POSSIBLE
AMBUSH." HE CALLED THE
SITUATION.
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
IN THE BYSTANDER'S VIDEO, 9
PEOPLE CAN BE SEEN NEAR THE
OFFICERS, NOT COUNTING THE
PERSON TAKING THE VIDEO.
A SCHOOL BUS HAD NO PROBLEM
USING THE STREET.
THE VIDEO SHOWS THE OFFICERS
TAKING DENNIS TO A PATROL CAR
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
THE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE
CHARGING DOCUMENT AND THE VIDEOS
VERY MUCH CONCERN ME.
JAYNE: KATHLEEN KIRCHNER IS
DENNIS'S LAWYER.
AS A RESULT OF HIS ARREST,
13 CHARGES WERE FILED AGAINST
HIM INCLUDING ASSAULTING AN
OFFICER, ESCAPE, AND DRUG
VIOLATIONS FOR WHAT OFFICERS SAY
THEY FOUND ON DENNIS ONCE THEY
THEY HAD HIM IN CUSTODY.
KIRCHNER ARGUES THE ENCOUNTER
SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
THE F WORD OR SAYING "F YOU",
WHILE IT'S NOT POLITE, IS A
CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED
PHRASE, AND A WELL TRAINED
POLICE OFFICER WOULD NEVER, IN
MY OPINION, TURN HIS CAR AROUND
AND COME BACK TO ANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL TO CONFRONT THEM
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SAID SOMETHING
THEY DON'T LIKE.
JAYNE: ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
POLICE SAY THEIR OFFICERS ARE
TRAINED TO HAVE A THICK SKIN
WHEN CURSED AT.
BUT THEY ALSO SAY THEY DO HAVE
THE RIGHT TO APPROACH SOMEONE
WHEN IT HAPPENS.
IS SAYING THAT WORD A CRIME?
NO, SAYING THAT WORD IS NOT A
CRIME.
JAYNE: BUT, LIEUTENANT RYAN
FRASHURE SAYS, CURSING MAY GIVE
AN OFFICER REASON TO PAY
ATTENTION.
IT THREW THE RED FLAG AND IT
MADE HIM WANT TO INVESTIGATE
THIS FURTHER.
AND APPROACH THAT SUBJECT AND
SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
JAYNE: AND HE HAS THE RIGHT TO
DO THAT?
YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
HE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO TURN
AROUND AND APPROACH THE SUBJECT,
ENGAGING CONVERSATION.
HOWEVER, AS THIS SITUATION WENT
ON IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF
OTHER CRIME OR THE OFFICER
DEVELOPED PROBABLE CAUSE THAT';S
WHEN HE CAN PUT HIS HANDS ONS
-- HANDS-ON SOMEBODY AND ASK FOR
IDENTIFICATION.
IT'S IMPOLITE AND PERHAPS WE
SHOULD BE MORE OF AS POLITE
SOCIETY BUT IT'S NOT ILLEGAL AND
IT DOES NOT EVER WARRANT A
POLICE OFFICER TO CONDUCT AN
INVESTIGATION.
JAYNE: THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST
BRANDON DENNIS IS IN THE CIRCUIT
COURT.
DENNIS PLANS TO FILE AN INTERNAL