Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Cameraman Found Guilty of Obstructing Officer

After a two-day misdemeanor trial, a jury found James Charles Playford, 48, guilty of one count of obstructing a peace officer. The jury deliberated about an hour before their verdict, announced the afternoon of May 17.

Playford, who calls himself “J.C.,” took the witness stand in his own defense. He admitted that he refused to identify himself to the police officer. “I don’t have to give him my name,” he told the jury.

Playford said he was outside a taped-off area that supposedly contained a bomb threat near congressman Darrell Issa’s offices in Vista, on December 1 2011. The freelance videographer had his cell phone open in one hand, which he was dialing, and a small video camera in the other hand when a sheriff’s deputy approached and asked him his name.

Although the cameraman obediently stopped moving forward, he refused to tell the officer his name nor would he say if he was on probation or parole for any offense. Playford was, in fact, on probation: in 2009 a judge found him guilty of reckless driving because he tried to evade officers at a barricade near a wildfire perimeter in 2008 — that judge put Playford on 3 years probation.

Playford’s own video recording of his confrontation last December with deputy Brendan Cook was used against him at his trial Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Deputy Cook testified, and he pointed out to the jury that “Mister Playford is larger than me.” The cameraman described himself as 6 foot 3 inches and 225 pounds. The deputy told the jury that he wanted the large cameraman lowered, so “I had to guide him down” to the curb. Then the ratcheting of handcuffs could be heard on the video that was played for the jury. Playford’s angry voice could also be heard: “You’ve got no reason to touch me!” and “Take your hands off me!” And he cursed the officer repeatedly.

“I thought a fight was imminent,” the officer told the jury, and he called for other officers. But there was no fight, and Playford was put into the back of a patrol car.

It appeared that Playford did not identify himself as a possible news-gatherer, “I work in the media,” until after he was restrained. “Sir, you have no right to hold me, I’m doing my [expletive] job!”

The defendant told the jury he is a “freelancer” and “I’m not employed by any company.”

Immediately after the verdict, judge Richard Mills sentenced Playford to one day in jail with credit for one day already served. Probation was terminated for the prior offense, and he was ordered to pay $300 in attorney and court fees.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/18/24612/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/18/24613/

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Live Five: Rebecca Jade, Stoney B. Blues, Manzanita Blues, Blame Betty, Marujah

Holiday music, blues, rockabilly, and record releases in Carlsbad, San Carlos, Little Italy, downtown

After a two-day misdemeanor trial, a jury found James Charles Playford, 48, guilty of one count of obstructing a peace officer. The jury deliberated about an hour before their verdict, announced the afternoon of May 17.

Playford, who calls himself “J.C.,” took the witness stand in his own defense. He admitted that he refused to identify himself to the police officer. “I don’t have to give him my name,” he told the jury.

Playford said he was outside a taped-off area that supposedly contained a bomb threat near congressman Darrell Issa’s offices in Vista, on December 1 2011. The freelance videographer had his cell phone open in one hand, which he was dialing, and a small video camera in the other hand when a sheriff’s deputy approached and asked him his name.

Although the cameraman obediently stopped moving forward, he refused to tell the officer his name nor would he say if he was on probation or parole for any offense. Playford was, in fact, on probation: in 2009 a judge found him guilty of reckless driving because he tried to evade officers at a barricade near a wildfire perimeter in 2008 — that judge put Playford on 3 years probation.

Playford’s own video recording of his confrontation last December with deputy Brendan Cook was used against him at his trial Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Deputy Cook testified, and he pointed out to the jury that “Mister Playford is larger than me.” The cameraman described himself as 6 foot 3 inches and 225 pounds. The deputy told the jury that he wanted the large cameraman lowered, so “I had to guide him down” to the curb. Then the ratcheting of handcuffs could be heard on the video that was played for the jury. Playford’s angry voice could also be heard: “You’ve got no reason to touch me!” and “Take your hands off me!” And he cursed the officer repeatedly.

“I thought a fight was imminent,” the officer told the jury, and he called for other officers. But there was no fight, and Playford was put into the back of a patrol car.

It appeared that Playford did not identify himself as a possible news-gatherer, “I work in the media,” until after he was restrained. “Sir, you have no right to hold me, I’m doing my [expletive] job!”

The defendant told the jury he is a “freelancer” and “I’m not employed by any company.”

Immediately after the verdict, judge Richard Mills sentenced Playford to one day in jail with credit for one day already served. Probation was terminated for the prior offense, and he was ordered to pay $300 in attorney and court fees.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/18/24612/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/18/24613/

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Sentencing delayed for man convicted of child abuse

Next Article

Jury: Oceanside man who stabbed mom was insane

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader