The state of Connecticut has settled with a protester who sued after police ticketed him and took away his camera.
Michael Picard was recording police with his phone by the side of the highway in 2015. Police confiscated his camera. He was charged with reckless use of the highway and creating a public disturbance. Those charges were later dropped.
The state settled with Picard for $50,000.
An attorney with the ACLU represented Picard. He said the agreement shows police have to answer to the Constitution.
An internal affairs investigation in 2017 said there was no evidence the officers conspired to concoct charges against Picard, but didn’t address the camera confiscation.
