-=> Quoting Dave Appel to Gary Westfall on 06-13-96  22:39 <=-
 Re: carry extra ammo?
 -> DA> I did buy a pocket micro-cassette to slip into my pocket for
 -> future DA> use. Even if it won't do anything with the cops, I can
 -> play it for the DA> kid's grandmother and the apartment manager.
 -> Before you do this you need to check your state laws.  In Oregon it
 -> is illegal to tape someone under the conditions you proposed.
 DA> I think I can audio-tape while standing on my front porch.  Same with
 DA> video tape.  As long as I do it on my property, at least the property
 DA> I am renting, I have every right to document what goes on.
In many places, it's legal as long as at least one of the parties knows
you are doing it. Hence, if you're one of the parties - well, you are
allowed to tape your own conversations (for personal use) without letting
them know.
Often if you are receiving obscene or harassing phone calls, the police
expect you to tape them. So in the case where you are trying to document
the threat, it shouldn't be a problem. Especially if he wasn't exactly
keeping it private.
Then again, in your hypothetical with the guy on the front lawn yelling
at the house, there ought to be plenty of witnesses - especially if it
is a pattern of behavior. Who needs a tape when the whole block knows -
unless of course they all don't want to get involved. :-(
Steve
... The most dangerous weapons in homes?  The TV set!
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