THE GROOM LAKE DESERT RAT. An On-Line Newsletter.
Issue #12. July 20, 1994.

Rachel, Nevada.
Contact: 702-729-2648

!!!!!!!!!!! NEWS FLASH !!!!!!!!!!!

----- CAMPBELL ARRESTED DURING SECOND T.V. SEIZURE -----

Government oversight activist Glenn Campbell was arrested near
Freedom Ridge yesterday evening (July 19) when he attempted to
prevent the seizure by county authorities of a news crew's video
tape.

In circumstances reminiscent of the April 4 ABC News incident, a
news crew from KNBC-TV of Los Angeles had filmed an interview with
Campbell at the popular viewpoint overlooking the unacknowledged
Groom Lake air base. The crew consisted of reporter Chuck Henry
and camera operator Julie Yellen. The two assert that they did
not film the restricted base itself, which is visible at a
distance of twelve miles from this public location. They, like
ABC, intended to emphasize the absurdities of being able to see
the base but not photograph it, according to the signs posted in
the area.

About two hours after they arrived, Campbell and the crew were
joined on Freedom Ridge by a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy,
Sergeant Doug Lamoreaux, who said that the security patrols had
seen them pointing their camera at the base. The anonymous
security guards--popularly nicknamed the "Cammo Dudes" for their
camouflage fatigues--are a private contract force that patrols the
Groom-area military border and adjoining public lands. Although
widely rumored to be employed by the EG&G corporation under Air
Force contract, their existence is not publicly acknowledged by
either the military or EG&G. Previous reports by the nameless
security guards resulted in the seizure of ABC's tape and
equipment, which was later returned.

Lamoreaux asked that the KNBC crew turn over all their videotapes
to him for inspection by the Air Force. Reporter Henry said that
he could not do this, but that Lamoreaux could view the tapes
through the camera's viewfinder to assure that none were of the
secret base. Lamoreaux replied that he could not view the tapes
because he did not have the required security clearance and
authority to do so. The tapes, he said, could only be viewed by
the Air Force.

That claim appears to be logically inconsistent. On the public
land where this exchange took place, the base itself was clearly
visible in the distance. If the crew had taken any pictures of
the base, they would have been no different than what Lamoreaux
could see himself. Why would viewing the video tape require a
security clearance?

A sudden rainstorm and the threat of flash flooding interrupted
the encounter. With the deputy following them, Campbell and the
crew, who were travelling in a single four wheel drive vehicle,
were directed to drive down from Freedom Ridge to the Groom Lake
Road. There they were joined by a second Sheriff's deputy, Kelly
Bryant.

On Groom Lake Road, Lamoreaux asked Campbell and the crew to step
out of their vehicle. The discussion then resumed between
Lamoreaux and Henry, while Campbell and Yellen remained silent.
Lamoreaux repeated his request for the crew's video tapes. Henry
reiterated that although they had taken no pictures of the base,
he did not wish turn over the tapes. He repeated the offer to let
Lamoreaux inspect them through the camera's viewfinder.

Lamoreaux then said that, since the crew would not turn over the
tapes voluntarily, he would seize them without a warrant.
Lamoreaux claimed that the crew had pointed the camera at his
vehicle as he approached them on Freedom Ridge--a charge the crew
denied. He said that since this was also in the general direction
of the base, his viewing of this action constituted "probable
cause" for the seizure of the tapes. He said that a Supreme Court
ruling, which he could not name, gave him the authority to seize
such "contraband" from a vehicle without a warrant.

Lamoreaux and Deputy Bryant then moved toward the crew's vehicle
with the apparent intention of searching it and seizing the tapes.
At this point Campbell, who had been standing on the opposite side
of the vehicle, reached in and pushed down the door locks on the
side that Lamoreaux was approaching.

Lamoreaux said, "You're under arrest." Campbell was immediately
handcuffed and placed in Deputy Bryant's vehicle.

Lamoreaux then proceeded to thoroughly search the crew's vehicle,
although permission had not been granted and no warrant issued.
Under threat of arrest by Lamoreaux, the two members of the film
crew did not attempt to interfere. Lamoreaux seized all recorded
video tapes in the vehicle--five altogether. He did not seize the
camera, blank tapes or any other equipment. After the video tapes
were taken, the crew was told that they were free to go.

Campbell was taken in handcuffs to the Lincoln County Sheriff's
Substation in Alamo for booking. He was charged with Obstructing
a Public Officer (NRS 197.190). This is the first time Campbell
has been charged with any crime in Lincoln County. He posted $600
bail and was released. Arraignment will be Wednesday, Aug. 3,
1:30 pm, in Alamo Justice Court.

Prior to the ABC and KNBC seizures, Campbell has been involved in
three incidents in which film was taken by the Sheriff's Dept.,
turned over to the Air Force and never returned. In separate
incidents on June 16, 1993, and June 30, 1993, Campbell was seen
photographing a helicoptor over public land near the military
border--but not near any locations where the Groom Lake base is
visible. Campbell voluntarily gave his film to Sgt. Lamoreaux
upon request, with the explicit understanding that it would be
developed and returned. Campbell saw this as an opportunity to
prove that he had taken no illegal pictures, but his film was
never returned; no charges were filed against him and no notice
was given that the film was being formally seized.

In a third incident, on March 23, 1994, Campbell escorted a
reporter and a photographer for the New York Times to Freedom
Ridge. The photographer was asked by Lamoreaux to turn over his
film, and he voluntarily relinquished two rolls. However, that
film is widely assumed to be blank.

Campbell's previous experiences of having his film effectively
confiscated without a warrant may have prompted his actions in the
most recent incident. It is unclear why the Sheriff's Dept. did
not seek a search warrant for KNBC as they did for ABC News or
whether such a warrantless search is legal.

----- NOTES -----

The Nevada statute under which Campbell was charged reads as
follows:

"197.190 OBSTRUCTING PUBLIC OFFICER. Every person who, after
due notice, shall refuse or neglect to make or furnish any
statement, report or information lawfully required of him by any
public officer, or who, in such statement, report or information
shall make any willfully untrue, misleading or exaggerated
statement, or who shall willfully hinder, delay or obstruct any
public officer in the discharge of his official powers or duties,
shall, where no other provision of law applies, be guilty of a
misdemeanor."

The Supreme Court ruling Sgt. Lamoreaux cited to justify the
seizure--the name of which he could not recall--was later revealed
by Deputy Bryant to be the case of "Ross vs. U.S." No details of
this ruling were available at press time.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Dept. is under contract with the U.S.
Air Force to investigate, on demand, suspected violations of law
along the military border. According to a recent county invoice,
the Air Force pays the Sheriff's Dept. approximately $50,000 per
year for this service.

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