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Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

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Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#11

Post by watwut »

_ouxp wrote: post #5
josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

I don't think so, looking around at my peers. In the US, you have the right to publicly funded counsel if you are arrested, so the advice might better be put, "Am I free to go? Am I under arrest, or am I free to go? I am exercising my right not to speak with you and would like to speak with a lawyer".

You can get publicly funded counsel only if you are poor enough and unable to afford own lawyer. And public defenders tend to be overworked and underfunded, so it is not like they will give you too much personal attention.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#13

Post by tatterdemalion »

_ouxp wrote: post #5
josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

I don't think so, looking around at my peers. In the US, you have the right to publicly funded counsel if you are arrested, so the advice might better be put, "Am I free to go? Am I under arrest, or am I free to go? I am exercising my right not to speak with you and would like to speak with a lawyer".

There's a widespread perception that once someone is arrested, there is some haste with which they are provided legal representation. But unless you have a lawyer on call, that isn't the case. You don't even have a public defender on your case until after your arraignment, which is when your bail is set.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#14

Post by cheald »

josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

I don't think most people do. I'm in my early 30s, though, and do - I use a service called LegalShield that I pay something like $17/mo for, and I have access to a lawyer who will do up to a certain amount of work per month covered by that fee, and then if I need more in-depth representation I can have them perform it at a discounted rate.

I've used it a few times (contracts questions, mostly), but I also have a lawyer "on call" if I'm ever arrested or otherwise am in legal trouble. I realize that $17/mo isn't affordable for everyone, but it's worth it to me.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#15

Post by fit2rule »

josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

I'm in my mid-40's and have learned: you should have a lawyer. Pay for legal insurance the way you pay for health insurance - both are vital to operating in the modern, western world, alas.

Its a fact that our lives are fully dominated by the laws and regulations of the countries that we live in. If you don't have the time, or wherewithal, to understand all of these legalities (and few of us do, unless we've done law school), then it really pays to have an expert available to do that for you. Its unfortunate, but true: so many times, not knowing what is legal and not legal will get you into trouble - especially if you are entrepreneurial, and want to seriously have an impact on the world around you.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#16

Post by johncoltrane »

* Don't use any technology before, during or after a protest.

* Wear something that you can throw away.

* Don't wear recognizable brands or symbols.

* Hide your face.

* Cover every visible part of your skin.

Protests and riots are all fun and games until you are part of the last roundup and you finally have time to figure out that protesting will never change anything to what you are protesting against.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#17

Post by thenmar »

johncoltrane wrote: post #16

* Don't use any technology before, during or after a protest. * Wear something that you can throw away. * Don't wear recognizable brands or symbols. * Hide your face. * Cover every visible part of your skin. Protests and riots are all fun and games until you are part of the last roundup and you finally have time to figure out that protesting will never change anything to what you are protesting against.

What about the civil rights movement?

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#18

Post by ejr »

While useful for communication, recording via smartphone is still a tricky affair.

This was listed on HN recently, and as soon as it becomes available, it may be a more viable option for recording video than a smartphone camera or even a GoPro http://www.polaroid.com/cube

It also has no bright screen to draw attention to itself and the small form factor makes it easier to mount in clothing and, if you have enough time to do so, the MicroSD card is easy to remove and conceal/transfer if you need to hand over the camera.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#19

Post by jwr »

fit2rule wrote: post #15
josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

I'm in my mid-40's and have learned: you should have a lawyer. Pay for legal insurance the way you pay for health insurance - both are vital to operating in the modern, western world, alas. Its a fact that our lives are fully dominated by the laws and regulations of the countries that we live in. If you don't have the time, or wherewithal, to understand all of these legalities (and few of us do, unless we've done law…

> in the modern, western world, alas

I don't know what you meant exactly by "the western world", but this advice seems to really only apply to a part of it. There are numerous legal traditions (cultures?) around the world, and not all of them require everyone to get legal advice/help.

As an example, any legal culture where precedent isn't as important as in the USA is much more accessible to laypeople — you can actually read the law, understand it, and be reasonably certain that you found all the applicable laws.

As another example, there are places where courts take mostly intent into account, instead of deciding based on how a comma was placed in an agreement. In these jurisdictions the best agreements are short, clear, understandable, to the point, and do not require a lawyer to draft them.

I avoid mentioning specific countries that I know, for two reasons:

a) knee-jerk downvoting based on opinion has recently become widespread on HN,

b) there is always someone who instead of discussing the general point will find a nit to pick with a particular part of one of the examples.

Re: Cell Phone Guide For US Protesters, Updated 2014 Edition

#20

Post by Zikes »

josai wrote: post #4

> ask to speak to your attorney > ask to speak to your lawyer > you will need an attorney to help you sort through your particular circumstance Do normal people in the US always and at all times have a lawyer on call? Especially the type of person likely to be arrested at a protest (not that there's anything wrong with that - I just doubt they're the 1%). I'm in my late thirties and certainly don't have a lawyer on s…

If you do not have a preferred lawyer then in an arrest situation a public defender will be appointed to you, which will then become "your attorney" for the duration.
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