Suit alleges cops taped woman in bathroom
By: Aaron Moselle
The woman says Cherry Hill authorities invaded her privacy when they secretly filmed her while she was using a holding-cell bathroom.
By: Aaron Moselle
newsroom@whyy.org
A Cherry Hill woman is filing a federal lawsuit against township authorities after lawyers discovered that police video-taped her in the bathroom.
[audio: 100316AMBATHROOM.mp3]The woman, identifying herself as “Gretchen W”, says that Cherry Hill authorities invaded her privacy when they secretly filmed her while she was using a holding-cell bathroom.
Police had detained the woman for refusing to take a breath test when she was pulled over for drunk-driving last year.
Joseph Osefchen is representing the woman in the proposed class-action suit. He says the bathroom footage violates her Fourth Amendment right to privacy.
Osefchen: It’s outrageous. I don’t know of anybody who would not be troubled to know that strangers are watching them use the toilet. When it’s the government filming you using the toilet, I think that that’s doubley outrageous. And I think it rather speaks for itself.
Osefchen says there’s been at least one other instance of Cherry Hill police video monitoring a suspect using a station bathroom.
Township authorities declined to comment.
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