Charges Against Graffiti Photographer Dropped

Conor Risch of pdnpulse.com is reporting that misdemeanor criminal charges against photographer Jonas Lara were dropped at his trial in Los Angeles Tuesday. Lara had been charged with aiding and abetting vandalism in a February 2, 2010 incident during which he photographed three men spraying graffiti on an abandoned building. The charges were reduced to disturbing the peace, which does not result in a criminal record, and Lara agreed to pay $200 restitution to the property owner toward the removal of the graffiti.

The LAPD refused to return Lara's camera equipment to him yesterday despite a court order issued by the trial judge instructing them to do so.

If you'd like to get the photographer's own take on these events, his blog is here (it hasn't been updated as of this writing).

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[misha]

When he gets his camera back, it will probably be broken. It happened to a cousin filming a documentary on a county jail.

[toto]

"The LAPD refused to return Lara's camera equipment to him yesterday despite a court order issued by the trial judge instructing them to do so."

Contempt of court?

[Bob Keefer]

Nice to see the LAPD upholding law and order, as ever.

Judge? Who's s/he?

[hugh crawford]

My congratulations to the photographer and his lawyer who seem to have handed some choice bits of the LAPD and DA's anatomy to them on a paper plate.
I also hadn't gotten a chance to look at Jonas Lara's work until this evening, and it's really good stuff.
Good news all around, except for the "LAPD refused to return Lara's camera equipment to him" which I suspect will result in the forfeiture of some more of the LAPD's anatomical bits if the judge gets miffed.

[David Dillard]

"The charges were reduced to disturbing the peace"

I understand why he agreed to that, but it's still wrong.

[C. Kurmann]

Wonder what now happens to the money people donated. As I wrote in original post on this issue, the way he now reacts will have a lot to say about the moral aspect of this case.

[Paul Mc Cann]

In years gone by the stealing of a mans tools was punishable by hanging

[erlik]

The LAPD refused to return Lara's camera equipment to him yesterday despite a court order issued by the trial judge instructing them to do so.

Yep. Pigheadedness.

[Roger Bradbury]

@ Toto: "Contempt of court?"

It's taking someone else's property and not giving it back. Isn't that usually called theft?

[Ray]

And, the event having worked out in the photographer's favor, the commenteria reverses course and resumes it's strong advocacy of property rights.

[YS]

Alright! Glad to see some justice there. I hope he gets his gear back soon!

[Sean]

Disturbing the peace? Man, they'll stick anything on you to make it look like the case was justified.

It's no wonder the LAPD have the fine reputation that they have. One that is justified.

[charlie]

No surprise really.

[Gordon Runkle]

It's interesting, isn't it, how the more laws we have and the more aggressively they're enforced, the more lawless the enforcers become?

[Roger Bradbury]

@ Ray: "And, the event having worked out in the photographer's favor, the commenteria reverses course and resumes it's strong advocacy of property rights."

Just to make clear, while I cannot speak for others here I have not reversed course. Jonas Lara did not apply paint to any property, he has not been convicted of it, and I never said he should be.

[Mike Hess]

This whole episode makes me think about what it is that I have done in the past. For one of my final Senior projects in college. I photographed a graffiti artist in front of his work before he was made to cover it over. We hid his identity in some of the pictures by holding images of his work over his face. I don't get why graffiti is looked down on in some ways. Am I a criminal if I don't stop someone from creating art where there was none to begin with? Or what about graffiti on top of graffiti? Am I responsible for everything ever done before then? Odd...

[Koen Lageveen]

Ugh, the entire episode makes me feel ill. Ray's comment doesn't help either, noone is reversing course here. The commenteria are advocating law, justice and common sense, not grudge.

Here in Holland every city has a number of walls and tunnels that are free to paint on. Amazing art is put there cause it will not be take off inadvertedly. It doesn't stop the other kids for tagging property though, but neither does arresting people that take pictures of it.