The Jack-Booted Thug of the Week...

... is Rochester, New York police officer Mario Masic, for arresting local resident Emily Good on May 12 for filming Masic with her cellphone from her own front lawn while he and other officers performed an allegedly questionable traffic stop on a young black male motorist on the street in front of her home:





Masic is seen on the tape unlawfully ordering Good to go into her home, telling her that "I don't feel safe with you standing behind me", even though she is clearly doing nothing but standing in her own yard holding a phone while not interfering with the officers in any way.  Masic then trespassed onto Good's property and placed her into custody on an obvious retaliatory charge of "obstructing governmental administration".

The motorist seen handcuffed in the traffic stop?  He was apparently released without charge after the officers' reported allegation that he possessed drugs wasn't borne out after a search of his car uncovered no illegal substances.  Go figure.

Here's a firsthand account from a friend of Good's who was an eyewitness to the incident.  We note with more than a little incredulity the following portion of that statement:

"According to the arrested woman, after the arrest the four police met in the parking lot of Wilson High School around the corner and had a conference for about an hour about how to deal with the case. A Sargent came over and gave them advice about how to write up the report that would minimize their wrong doing."

If you have to have a hour-long meeting to figure out how to respond to something you did, fellows, you most likely didn't do the correct thing.

Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard has reportedly opened an official investigation into this incident.  Time will tell if "Officer" Masic will be disciplined for this blatant and unlawful misuse of his authority.


(h/t to Carlos Miller)