ABC NEWS LOSES CAMERA EQUIPMENT
Acting at the request of the anonymous Groom Lake security force,the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department on Friday afternoonconfiscated the equipment and videotape of an ABC News film crewafter the crew was seen with a video camera at the Freedom Ridgeviewpoint.While the unacknowledged Groom Lake air base has become a popularsubject for many news photographers, the ABC crew claims they tookno such pictures. They say that, on the advice of the network'slegal counsel, they never pointed their camera in the direction ofthe secret base. The news report was to focus on the ironies ofmilitary secrecy, including the logical inconsistencies of thephotography restriction. Crew members also say they filmed onlyon public land and never crossed the nearby military boundary.After driving down from the ridge in two four-wheel-drivevehicles, the four-man crew and their two escorts were stopped anddetained by two deputies of the Lincoln County Sheriff'sDepartment. Also present were two men wearing camouflage fatigueswith no name tags or insignia. These men, presumably members ofthe perimeter security force, declined to identify themselves, butthe vehicles they were driving bore U.S. Government plates.Members of the film crew told the deputies they took no footage ofthe base, but apparently their word was not believed. Based onthe statements of an unnamed security guard who claimed to haveseen the ABC camera pointed at the base, the deputies obtained asearch-and-seizure warrant by radio, then confiscated allequipment and tapes of the crew and their escorts. Equipmentseized included a professional video camera, sound mixingequipment, tape recorders, microphones, batteries, cables, atripod, scanner radios, walkie-talkies and video and audio tapes.The total value of the equipment was estimated to exceed $65,000.According to local activists, this is the first time that a searchwarrant has been served on visitors to the Groom Lake perimeter.Immediately following the seizure, the equipment was taken insidethe base perimeter and turned over to the anonymous privatesecurity force. The film crew was not informed of the equipment'sfinal destination or if they would get it back. It is not clearwhy the tapes and equipment were turned over to the securitypersonnel and not retained by the Sheriff's Department or thelocal justice court that issued the warrant. On public land, itis assumed that only the Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction,not the security personnel.The ABC crew consisted of correspondent James Walker, producerRobert Haberl, cameraman Robert Jennings and sound technician MelBarr. All are employed by ABC News and were on assignment for"World News Tonight with Peter Jennings." Accompanying the crewwas government oversight activist Glenn Campbell, from whom radioequipment was seized. A sixth member of the party, aerospacehistorian Peter Merlin, was detained with the others but did notlose any equipment.Members of the party were individually searched, as were theirvehicles. After the equipment was seized, the six were allowed toleave the area. No one was arrested, and the group was detainedfor approximately two hours total.The ABC crew and Mr. Campbell say they will fight the seizure.-
TRIAL DATE CORRECTION
In DR #4, the rescheduled trial date for four of seven accusedtrespassers was incorrectly reported. The rescheduled date isApr. 13 (not Apr. 18). Even this date may be subject to revisionowing to delays in obtaining subpoenas.On Jan. 2, the seven Las Vegas residents were arrested at a guardhouse about one-half mile inside the military boundary, about 13miles northeast of the secret Groom Lake base and about a milenorthwest of the public Freedom Ridge viewpoint. [See DR #1.]Members of the group claim they crossed the border by accidentwhile trying to find a well-publicized hiking trail to FreedomRidge.The group passed the border while driving on a maintained accessroad serving the Groom Lake base. The border point is marked bysigns on either side of the road but no fence or gate. Thisstretch of unpaved road has been dubbed "Sucker's Alley" byexperienced visitors because of the growing number of first-timetourists who have driven beyond the signs here and been arrestedat the guard house just beyond. The border and signs are locatedwhere the road passes through a narrow ravine where there islimited warning time and no convenient place to turn around.Visitors who drive up to the guard house to ask for informationare usually arrested immediately with no opportunity for excuse orexplanation.The group also claims that they passed a security patrolimmediately after crossing the border and that the patrol made noattempt to stop them. They say an occupant of the vehicle wavedto them in an apparently friendly manner, a gesture taken as animplied consent to proceed.While three of the seven chose to plead "No Contest" at theirarraignment and accept a fine, the four remaining defendants havemaintained their innocence and rejected plea bargain offers by theDistrict Attorney. The four say that although they did cross theline, the circumstances were confusing and they did not do sointentionally.In the course of the arrest, cameras, telescopes and binocularsbelonging to members of the group were seized by the anonymoussecurity guards. Receipts were given for some of this equipment,but they were not signed. The equipment has not yet beenreturned.-
CAMPBELL SEEKS CONFISCATED FILM
Rachel resident Glenn Campbell is continuing to seek the return offour rolls of photographic film taken from him on June 16, 1993.Like the ABC crew in the more recent incident, Campbell was seenwith a camera on public land near the military border but claimshe took no pictures of restricted installations. Campbell saysthat he was near the border north of Groom Lake where the baseitself was not visible.Campbell says his film includes shots of a military helicopterdeliberately buzzing him and a companion at a height of 25-30 feetabout the ground. He says that under Air Force regulations,aircraft are supposed to maintain an altitude of 500 feet aboveany person, building or vehicle. Campbell characterizes theencounter as a deliberate assault in which the helicopter downwashwas used to bombard the pair with flying debris. Campbell saysthat the film contains proof of both the action and the intent.Although Campbell voluntarily gave his film to a Sheriff's deputywhen asked to so, he says that it was with the explicitunderstanding that the film would be developed and returned tohim. Campbell says that, despite numerous demands and inquiries,the film has not been returned. He says he has not been given anynotice that the film is being forfeited either, and he has not becharged with any crime. Campbell contends that his property hasbeen confiscated without due process."I did not photograph any installation," Campbell says. "Youcouldn't even see anything from that area, so I figured it wassafe to let the Sheriff examine my film. I know now that I wasfoolish, but I thought I would get it back, especially when thepictures contained clear evidence of Air Force wrongdoing. Ithought the Sheriff would retain control of the film and thefederal authorities wouldn't be so dumb as to try to cover uptheir own crimes. I was wrong."In a letter to Mr. Campbell, the District Attorney confirmed thatthe film was turned over to the Air Force but gave no furtherspecifics. Mr. Campbell's lawyer, Steve Hofer, has formerlyrequested information from the District Attorney on where thisfilm is being held and to which party a suit should be directed.Campbell says he will pursue the matter in court if no progress ismade.In an unrelated case, no word has been received on the status ofthe two rolls of film taken from a photographer working for theNew York Times Magazine after he was seen on Freedom Ridge with acamera on March 23. [See DR#6.] It remains unclear at thewriting whether the rolls relinquished actually contained anypictures or whether the photographer or his employer will chooseto pursue the case.
SUBSCRIPTION INFO
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