Woman busted for videotaping police

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- An Ansonia woman says she was busted by police after she stuffed her cell phone in her bra. She says it came after she recorded video on her iPhone of police arresting a suspect.

That's when police asked her to give them the phone and she refused.

"The handcuffs were so tight," said Jennifer Gondola. "They were like the tightest they could be."

Gondola says she'd be arrested again if it means protecting people's rights.

She says she was leaving Pulse Nightclub in New Haven early Saturday morning, when she joined others in filming police who were arresting a man.

About 10 minutes later she says police noticed her recording it all with her iPhone.

"I told him it was my civil right to film and he told me he would need to review the tape," Gondola said. "I told him it wasn't evidence of the suspect doing a crime, it was police doing a crime."

Gondola says the officer asked for the phone again or else she'd be under arrest. Instead of handing it over, she put it in her bra.

"He yanked my arms behind me and cuffed me," Gondola said.

She says she's innocent based on rules put in place just last year.

Police General Order 311 says: "It is the policy of the New Haven Department of Police Service to permit video recording of police activity as long as such recording does not interfere with ongoing police activity or jeopardize the safety of the general public or the police."

Gondola says the story of her arrest outside Pulse has become so popular that a blogger from Miami contacted her to share his story.

"He's been arrested numerous times for videotaping police and this is very important to him," Gondola said.

It's clearly important to Gondola too.

"It may seen petty to some people," she said, "but I think it's very important everyone know their rights and they're not intimidated by the police."

Gondola says since police confiscated her phone, it's been impossible to do her job as a realtor with no contact numbers.

She'll be in court June 12th.

Additionally, there is an internal investigation regarding her allegations against the arresting officer.

For more details, visit newhavenindependent.org