A San Francisco public defender was arrested at the San Francisco Hall of Justice on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 by officers of the San Francisco Police Department after objecting to the officers questioning her client outside a courtroom.
SF Gate reports that Deputy Public Defender Jami Tillotson in “an incident that her office called outrageous and police officials defended as appropriate.”
The San Francisco Examiner reports that Tillotson’s arrest on a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge for refusing to let a police investigator question her client and take photos was an “unprecedented incident,” according to Public Defender Jeff Adachi, adding that
The arrest and conduct of the officer – identified as Inspector Brian Stansbury – were unlawful, and that he had no right to question Tillotson’s client without her being there.
Of particular note, The Examiner reports that according to Adachi,
Stansbury was the subject of a federal civil rights lawsuit that was filed against him by another San Francisco police officer for alleged racial profiling, which is what Adachi has accused Stansbury of doing in the Hall of Justice Tuesday. The man he was trying to interview and photograph was African American.
The S.F. Police Department appears to be standing behind the actions of their officer. The Examiner reports that at a Wednesday press conference,
Police Officer Albie Esparza countered that the investigator, who is a sergeant, acted appropriately and it was the sergeant’s duty to detain and question the man if he thought that he was of interest to an investigation. Esparza added that the officer had the right to arrest anyone who was obstructing an officer lawfully fulfilling that duty.
Questioned by reporters about the incident, Tillotson stated that
It was surreal to be led away in handcuffs for doing my job. I was arrested for what we do as public defenders every day. I asked questions. I talked to my client and explained to him his rights. At that point, I was told I was interfering and taken into custody.
Adachi expressed outrage at the incident stating that
This is not Guantanamo Bay. If this happens to a public defender in front of her client, I can only imagine what is happening on our streets.
The entire incident was capture on video and posted to the San Francisco Public Defenders YouTube page.
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