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A reporter at Arizona s most-watched television news station says Gilbert police illegally seized his cellphone and threatened to access its contents by brute force after he was unlawfully arrested while covering the death of a Chandler police officer in April.
In a 28-page motion filed Thursday in Gilbert Municipal Court, attorneys representing journalist León Felipe González Cortés of Univision Arizona, based in Phoenix, say police also violated his First Amendment rights as a reporter and derisively referred to him as compadre in reference to his Latino heritage.
Police have held the phone for more than a month, and attorneys for the town and the police department have gone silent and refused to discuss returning it, the complaint states.
Chandler Police Officer Chris Farrar lost his life in the line of duty in April. As his family tries to pick up the pieces, his sister is hoping to purchase something that made his life better: his personal car.
Valley non-profit helps police officers dealing with trauma
A Valley foundation is helping local law enforcement cope with daily trauma brought on by the job.
and last updated 2021-05-13 21:17:03-04
If you are dealing with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, help is available. You can talk to someone via the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-8255, and find resources at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
A police officer s job is not easy and no two calls, days, or cases are the same. And, like other professions, it can be difficult to deal with the stress and trauma that results.
People line the streets as the body of Chandler Police Officer Christopher Farrar, killed in the line of duty last Thursday, is escorted during a large multi-jurisdiction police procession Friday, May 7, 2021, in Chandler, Ariz. Officer Farrar was struck by a suspect in a stolen vehicle after a long police chase. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (AP)
Gilbert Police Officer Rico Aranda suffered a serious head injury in the incident, according to The Associated Press.
A funeral service for Farrar began Saturday at 9 a.m. local time and was streamed live on the department s Facebook page.
Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan praised his colleague s passion for service and called him the consummate team player.