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vgoh1 | 6 years ago

Not sure what country you are in, but that's called civic duty, and helps society work.

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loteck|6 years ago

Why can't society compensate this person fairly for his help?

notJim|6 years ago

As others say, society does to some degree, but isn't the real compensation for such things living in a society where people help each other in these circumstances? Not everything has to be a financial transaction.

garmaine|6 years ago

It can. He should be able to invoice the DA for his time. The taxpayers (society) foots the bill.

Faaak|6 years ago

How is them going to court a civic duty ?

You could testify once that this is your camera and here are the mp4 files (and their sha sum). And that would be it.

Equally, technically they didn't see anything as the video caught by the camera could actually be made up.

throwaway_law|6 years ago

>How is them going to court a civic duty ?

Imagine if it was you or a loved one that was murdered and a neighbor's camera caught the suspect breaking into the house.

>You could testify once that this is your camera and here are the mp4 files (and their sha sum). And that would be it.

This is just how the rules of evidence work (also equal protection and due process), you can't just submit video, there needs to be testimony to introduce the video into evidence. Further, the defendant has a constitutional right to cross examine the person who introduces the video into evidence.

>Equally, technically they didn't see anything as the video caught by the camera could actually be made up.

Yes, and the Defense will hammer this point home. You didn't see the murder right? If the video actually shows what it alleges to show, the defendant breaking into the home, you have no evidence the defendant actually killed the homeowner right? You have no evidence the defendant even confronted the deceased correct? Of course there are other questions about handling the video and chain of custody, but the obvious being was the video edited (by you or the police after turning it over to them)? Do you have a copy of the original video you turned over to police (is there a difference between the copies, etc...).

As another commented said there is no difference between the video and if you eye-witnessed the suspect entering the home, you would still testify one way or the other (including acknowledging you didn't see the suspect commit the murder and have no knowledge if the suspect committed the murder, its possible someone else could have broke in when you weren't watching, or around back, etc...)

stephens_chris|6 years ago

In some societies, you are rewarded, or at least supported, in doing your civic duty. That's often not the case in other places. There can be a high cost.

chrisdhoover|6 years ago

Except the civic institutions are corrupt and therefore the duty is voided.