Police Had know Probable cause to site BUP Films, Judge rules

[Sean Brown]

Charges against Detroit movie crew with fake guns dropped

George Hunter / The Detroit News

Detroit -- A judge has dismissed all charges against movie makers who were mistaken for criminals by police while they were filming a scene involving fake guns.
Four members of Detroit-based B.U.P. Films were handcuffed and ticketed after a squad of police officers converged on the crew the afternoon of Nov. 5 outside the northwest Detroit home of one of the actors.
The crew was filming "Vigilante," the story of civil rights activist Hayward Brown. One of the scenes involved guns; during the filming of that segment, Detroit Police officers arrived, their real pistols drawn.


The camera kept rolling as officers ran into view screaming, "Get on the ground! Don't move!"
The filmmakers complied and were handcuffed until the matter could be straightened out. Although the video provided by B.U.P. Films shows that an officer took the cuffs off one of the crew after he complained of an injury, other members of the company say they were kept handcuffed for more than a half-hour after police determined there was no threat.
"The whole thing was just a big mistake," said B.U.P. production assistant DeAndre King. "That's what we tried to tell the police all along, but they wouldn't listen, and even after they found out we were making a movie and weren't doing anything wrong, they still gave us tickets."
The charge of possessing and brandishing facsimile weapons falls under a city ordinance, so the case was handled in 36th District Court by Judge Joseph Baltimore.
"The judge dismissed all the charges," said Ralph Simpson, an attorney who defended B.U.P. Films on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Detroit Police 2nd Deputy Chief John Roach said the officers acted appropriately, since nobody at the city informed the department that a crew would be filming using fake guns.
"With the information the officers had at the time, they acted in the interest of public safety, not knowing they were facsimile firearms," Roach said.
ghunter@detnews.com [[313) 222-2134


Great article George Hunter!

Where do BUP FILMS do legally from here, they have choices....


Sean Brown said: "We knew justice would guide us through. Truth will always win.. Now let's see you at the movies"

Film is set for release Labor Day Weekend with a grand premiere @ Redford Theatre the only one still in Detroit.
Follow 2 weeks later AMC and Emagine Theatres will be doing regular releases.

[gnome]

First of all I think you mean "no" not "know". I understand they sound alike, in fact they are called homonyms, meaning they sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. For example, a tale is a story whereas a tail is attached to a rat. The words tale and tail sound alike but have different meanings.

English is funny that way. You should learn it someday.

Next, I too love the Redford Theater, but it is not the last movie house in Detroit. Not only are there theaters in the RenCen but the DFT shows wonderful movies all the time. You should really get to know Detroit, especially if you fashion yourself a resident.

And as far as your subject matter. Mr. Brown got better than what he deserved.

[Lowell]

Good luck with the film. I will definitely check it out. I remember the events, the uproar it created and how is riveted the local media.

I believe the Ren Cen 4 and the Bel Air 8 are still open in Detroit but the Redford is the most glamorous.

[rjlj]

site? really?

[Meddle]

I can't imagine there would even be a grain of truth in this propaganda piece.

[detroitbred]

Gnome.....EXACTLY RIGHT!

[bartock]

GREAT to know you got your justice...the next time the DPD sees a bunch of people brandishing guns they'll sure think twice! What a victory for you...you didn't get the proper permits or tell anyone what you were doing, and police officers doing their job will now be the subjects of a lawsuit and the citizens of Detroit and those of us who pay Detroit taxes will now foot the bill defending said suit. I'm willing to bet that revisionist history will have the officers making racial slurs and causing permanent psycological injury by the time the complaint is filed.

...and I must be missing the part where it says that the police didn't have "probable cause." Sounds like the case was dismissed for other reasons, perhaps the fact that a crime was no being perpetrated at the time. Sure sounds like the police did the right thing by indicating to the Judge that there was a misunderstanding due to YOUR failure to advise the police of what was going on, and that the charges should be dismissed. The judge then dismissed.

...the author of the article identified Hayward Brown as a civil rights acitivist. The "story" reeks of laziness, but now I suppose you have something to put on your wall when you go back to whereever you came from. B.U.P. has "CB4" written all over it...straight outta Lowcash, right?

[artds]

site? really?

That's what happens when DPS officials steal millions from the kids.

[dantroit]

It's actually been a problem before . . .

We were shooting a movie behind Circa that used fake guns, with all the right permits, and plenty of calls confirming that the police, both Wayne and DPD , were aware that there would be guns involved.

Even so, they ran up on everyone, guns drawn, screaming like "we've got action", even as the speakerbox on their shoulder sceamed, "STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN! ITS A MOVIE". These cops know what they're doing. . .

[Fnemecek]

This is why - in addition to permits, phone calls, emails, and talking to neighbors - I always post a several large, conspicuous signs that read "Film Crew Working" near any set with firearms on it.

[Sean Brown]

First of all I think you mean "no" not "know". I understand they sound alike, in fact they are called homonyms, meaning they sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. For example, a tale is a story whereas a tail is attached to a rat. The words tale and tail sound alike but have different meanings.

English is funny that way. You should learn it someday.

Next, I too love the Redford Theater, but it is not the last movie house in Detroit. Not only are there theaters in the RenCen but the DFT shows wonderful movies all the time. You should really get to know Detroit, especially if you fashion yourself a resident.

And as far as your subject matter. Mr. Brown got better than what he deserved.

We are very aware of the real city of Detroit not the false. Shall we say the oldest remaining theatre in Detroit. But you had the audacity to comment on such a small thing, I guess you are truly watching!

Hate is hard for so many to escape, even forty years later, people need help. The [[ex-police)City Attorney showed us how hate still run's deep, to the point he wanted to lock up some actor's for acting.

Thanks
God Bless you

[Sean Brown]

Good luck with the film. I will definitely check it out. I remember the events, the uproar it created and how is riveted the local media.

I believe the Ren Cen 4 and the Bel Air 8 are still open in Detroit but the Redford is the most glamorous.

Redford is the oldest !