A freelance DJ in Miami was arrested for allegedly obstructing justice after using his cellphone to record police activity during an arrest. The incident, which took place on St. Patrick’s Day, has raised concerns about the public’s right to document law enforcement in public spaces. The DJ, Lazaro Estrada, was working a promotional gig at a Southwest Miami-Dade store when Miami-Dade Officer Michael Valdez arrived to arrest the store’s owner, Andre Trigiano, for outstanding traffic charges. Estrada began filming the arrest with his phone after he observed Valdez forcefully remove Trigiano from the store and throw him to the ground.
Footage captured by Estrada shows the officer standing several feet away, holding Trigiano by the arm. After Valdez gestures toward Estrada, instructing him to back away, Estrada complies, retreating behind the store’s glass doors while continuing to record. Despite following the officer’s command, Estrada was forcibly removed from the store by other arriving officers and subsequently arrested. Valdez’s arrest report claims Estrada refused verbal commands to back away, although the video appears to contradict this account.
Estrada’s defense attorneys, Frank Gaviria and Jonathan Perazzo, Founder at the Perazzo Law Firm in Miami, argue that he did not interfere with police work and complied fully with instructions. “The video clearly shows he maintained a safe distance and posed no threat to the officer,” Gaviria noted. Perazzo added, “Just as officers have dash cams, citizens have the right to record public officials in public spaces.”
Estrada’s case is one of many highlighting the increasing tension between police and citizens over recording law enforcement. In recent years, numerous similar incidents have drawn national attention, such as the case of a New York man detained for filming a police stop outside his apartment and a California woman arrested for recording officers during a traffic incident. In many instances, courts have upheld that recording public officials in public spaces is a protected First Amendment right, provided the recording does not interfere with police duties.
However, police departments often cite concerns about safety, arguing that individuals filming can distract officers or escalate tense situations. Officer Valdez’s report stated that he felt “threatened” by Estrada’s presence, despite the fact that Estrada was unarmed and standing several feet away.
While Estrada has prior convictions, including driving with a suspended license and vehicle theft, his attorneys insist that his record is irrelevant to the current charges. “This is about his right as a private citizen to record public officials without fear of retaliation,” Gaviria emphasized.
The broader debate over cellphone recordings of police has prompted discussions about body cameras and accountability. Proponents argue that if officers are equipped with body cameras to ensure transparency, civilians should be equally entitled to document interactions with law enforcement. Estrada’s case underscores a growing trend of citizens using mobile devices to capture moments of police conduct, a practice that has played a pivotal role in high-profile cases across the country.
Ultimately, Estrada faces charges of obstruction of justice and resisting arrest without violence, both misdemeanors. The Miami-Dade Police Department has stood by the officer’s actions, stating that “the arrest report speaks for itself, and Mr. Estrada is entitled to his day in court.”
This incident highlights the importance of public discourse around civil liberties, police accountability, and the evolving role of technology in holding public officials accountable. As smartphones become ubiquitous, cases like Estrada’s will likely continue to shape the conversation about citizens’ rights to document public events without fear of reprisal.
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