Submitted by Fox First at Ten on August 25th
HAYDEN, Idaho. - A north Idaho man is claiming his rights were violated after he was tased inside a Kootenai county courtroom, and it was all caught on tape.
Robert Peterson says he had every right to film inside of the courtroom even after repeated attempts by court officials to ask him to stop.
Peterson says he intended to leave the courtroom after trying to fight a ticket for riding his bike at night with no light.
As he enters the courtroom, Peterson shows defiance, unwilling to be searched. He says it all went wrong when bailiffs asked him repeatedly to shut off his camera in the courtroom.
After he refused, he was escorted to the hall where he demanded to see the prosecutor. That's when bailiffs stopped him in his tracks and tased him.
According to Idaho state code "Permission to record any proceeding must be sought in advance by the presiding judge," something Peterson didn't do, and believes he shouldn't have to.
Peterson believes he is exempt from laws, and rules unless he's hurt or wronged someone else.
No one from the county is commenting because this is an on going investigation.
Peterson says the whole reason he had a camera in the first place was to protect himself from any wrong doing from the courts.
Peterson is in jail under $50,000 dollars bond.
He faces three counts of battery against a peace officer and one count of criminal contempt.
