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<a href="http://www.rcfp.org/news/2006/0217-new-congre.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.rcfp.org/news/2006/0217-new-congre.html<br><br>
</a>Congressmen seek investigation into FBI-press altercation
<ul>
<li>Three broadcast journalists covering an FBI raid are asking local
police to investigate what they claim was excessive use of force against
them.
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<img src="cid:6.2.5.6.2.20060217121636.02820df0@freedomarchives.org.0" width=300 height=206 alt="[]">
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AP Photo<br><br>
FBI agents use pepper spray on reporters on Feb. 10.<br><br>
Feb. 17, 2006 · Three U.S. congressmen asked FBI
Director Robert S. Mueller this week to launch an investigation into what
they say was excessive use of force against journalists covering an FBI
raid in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Feb. 10.<br><br>
FBI agents dispersed pepper spray on more than 10 journalists --
including television reporter Normando Valentin, cameraman Victor Sanchez
and radio reporter Joel Lago -- who were covering one of six raids on the
island targeting a militant Puerto Rico independence group, <i>The San
Juan Star</i> reported.<br><br>
The journalists, three of whom had to be hospitalized, dispute the FBI
account, alleging that in addition to the spray, the agents jumped on and
hit the journalists, the <i>Star </i>reported. Three journalists have
filed complaints with local police.<br><br>
Special Agent Harry Rodriguez, an FBI spokesman in San Juan, declined to
comment.<br><br>
FBI officials said they were forced to use the pepper spray because the
journalists "refused to comply with a lawful order to remove
themselves from a crime scene," said FBI spokesman Bill
Carter.<br><br>
"The First Amendment does not guarantee the press a constitutional
right to crime scenes when the general public is excluded," Carter
said.<br><br>
Three congressmen of Puerto Rico origin -- Reps. Jose E. Serrano
(D-N.Y.), Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) --
wrote Mueller Tuesday asking for an investigation to determine whether
the FBI's actions were "excessive or unwarranted."<br><br>
"We are particularly troubled by what appeared to be the excessive
use of force against members of the press as they attempted to cover the
FBI operation," the congressmen wrote Mueller. "Video of the
incident has been aired extensively in television coverage of the day's
events and it widely available on the Internet."<br><br>
Puerto Rico Police Chief Pedro Toledo criticized the FBI's use of pepper
spray as "completely outside of the norm," Serrano and his
colleagues wrote.<br><br>
"In our democracy, the most fundamental obligations is law
enforcement agencies in to uphold the constitutional rights of citizens
as well as to protect the freedom of the press," the letter
continued. "Even in Puerto Rico, where the Bureau and its agents
have a reputation for behaving as if they are above the law, the FBI is
not exempt from these duties."<br><br>
Carter declined comment on the letter, which Mueller had not replied to
by Friday morning. "The director will respond to the concerns in the
letter . . . " Carter said. "Far be it from us to respond to
the congressmen in the press."<br><br>
-- <i>KM</i> <br>
<br>
© 2006 The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
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