Joseph Anderer, the Milwaukee cop who was [__caught on video__](http://www.pixiq.com/article/milwaukee-cop-assaults-news-videographer) assaulting a journalist, was [__fired and arrested__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/582396) in 2001 after he was accused of striking a 12-year-old in the face.
Anderer spent 12 hours in jail for that incident, but in 2004 the district attorney ended up dropping charges against him.
And he ended up getting his job back after a [__lengthy appeal process__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/544696) where he claimed his Constitutional rights were violated during the investigation.
Anderer claimed he was arrested without probable cause because there was no evidence that he struck the boy, even though fellow officers said the boy looked fine before he was placed in Anderer’s car, but had a bloodied face afterwards.
At first, a panel of judges disagreed with Anderer’s argument, but then the decision was reversed during his appeal after it was determined that the probable cause used to arrest him was based on his refusal to give a statement, which they said was a violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.
If only that incident had been videotaped.
It is not clear if Anderer will be investigated for last week’s incident where he twisted a camera out of Geoff Davidian’s hand, breaking the lens.
“He grabbed it and squeezed my hand and took it from me,” Davidian said in an interview with *Photography is Not a Crime* Sunday.
Anderer then held on to the camera while he cited Davidian for interfering with a citation, before returning it, but I called and email the Milwaukee police public information officer and waiting for her to get back to me.
“The lens doesn’t retract anymore,” Davidian said. “It would cost more to repair it than to buy a new one.”
The incident took place Tuesday after a collision between another Milwaukee police officer and a citizen.
Witnesses told Davidian that the cop came speeding out of the alleyway without stopping, broad-siding the citizen who had the right-of-way. The cop car did not have its sirens or lights on.
Davidian arrived on the scene and began taking photos, which you can see in the posted gallery. The cops didn’t seem to have a problem with that.
“There were four or five police cars and a motorcycle cop who responded to the incident,” he said. “I thought it was an extraordinary amount of cop cars for the situation at hand. Nobody was injured.”
He took photos of some officers trying to fix the bumper of the cop car, which he believes is a violation of the mechanics’ union.
About 15 minutes later, the cops called the female citizen over and told her they were issuing her a warning.
That was when Davidian pulled out his video camera to begin recording. One cop accused him of interfering with the investigation, but then didn’t really push the matter once Davidian asserted his right to record.
Nevertheless, Davidian did back off a few feet from where the discussion was taking place.
That was when a motorcycle cop who turned out to be Anderer approached him and assaulted him.
“Had he only wanted me to stop interfering, why did he only go for my camera?” asked Davidian.
“He didn’t reach for my arm or my body. He didn’t try to handcuff me. He put his hand over the camera to keep me from recording.”
