
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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