Photographer tackles suspect: what would you do?

October 9, 2007 at 9:45 am · Filed under ethics, Photo

I know this is revisiting the ethics issue, but I saw this video on CNN.com this morning about a Maine photojournalist Russ Dillingham, who jumped into an assignment and tackled a man running from the police.

John Roberts mentions a Maine state statute that says citizens are required to oblige if police order them to assist in catching or keeping a suspect from escaping. Interestingly enough, the photographer said he wasn’t aware of that law but was cognizant of his ethical responsibility to not become involved in something he’s reporting on.

I also thought it was interesting that the suspect later contacted the photographer wanting to know why Dillingham helped the police catch him. The suspect told the photographer he would have fought him off if he’d known he wasn’t a cop and wouldn’t have faced charges of assaulting an officer.

Check out the video. What would you do in his shoes?

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