Lawsuit Bites Watchdog Print
Thursday, August 20 2015

A police watchdog who posted his arrest ordeal on his blog "Virginia Cop Block" is being sued by the Virginia state trooper who arrested him for $1.35 million.

In 2012, Nathan Cox of Mechanicsville, Virginia, got a $75 ticket from Officer Melanie McKenney for failure to display his front license plate. When the traffic stop allegedly turned contentious, McKenney ordered Cox to exit his vehicle. Cox began recording the incident on his cellphone. McKenney ordered Cox to put down the device, which he was holding over her head. According to news reports, McKenney feared it could be used as a weapon.

"There are reports of cellphones looking like guns," said McKenney, a 12-year veteran of the Virginia State Police. "I had no problem with him recording me. I was already being recorded with the dash cam."

Through a FOIA request, Cox obtained the 28-minute dash cam video, radio transmissions and text messages sent between McKenney and her colleagues. Cox posted the encounter on the Internet and accused McKenney of molesting him. According to news reports, the confrontation was viewed on YouTube more than 600,000 times.

McKenney sued Cox in May 2013 in small claims court for $5,000, then re-filed more recently in circuit court, this time seeking $1.35 million.

An attorney for Cox maintains his client's actions are protected under the First Amendment and claims the lawsuit is problematic because a number of the claims are barred by the statute of limitations.

Source:  Foxnews.com