NJ suspends, charges cop with stealing journalist’s camera gear at Delaney Hall protest
⚠️ An Essex County Prosecutor's Office sergeant is charged with stealing an injured journalist's camera equipment.
➡️ Investigators say an Apple AirTag tracked the bag to the officer's Sparta home.
🔴 The photographer was hurt while covering protests outside Delaney Hall.
Amid ongoing turmoil outside Delaney Hall, a police officer with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is accused of stealing an injured journalist’s valuable camera equipment.
Sgt. Darryl Brown is charged with third-degree theft, state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said on Thursday.
The 43-year-old Sparta resident was suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens called the allegations “serious and concerning.”
Read More: Protests renew outside Newark's ICE detention center
AirTag helped investigators trace missing camera equipment
Brown is accused of stealing a camera bag containing $10,000 in equipment, which also had an Apple AirTag that was traced to the officer’s Sussex County home.
The bag was left on the ground Saturday night, May 30, by a photojournalist who suffered a knee injury while working to cover the front lines of protests outside Delaney Hall.
Brown was sent to work outside the privately owned ICE detention facility that evening and his body-worn camera footage shows him “interacting with” a dark colored bag, consistent with the description of the victim's belongings, investigators said.
Following May 30, the AirTag was initially tracked to Brown’s Sparta residence before the tag was recovered several miles away by colleagues of the victim.
On Wednesday, an authorized search at Brown’s home recovered several of the items reported missing by the reporter, including some still labeled with her name and phone number.
Read More: Ex-State Police chief defends Delaney Hall response
Injured photojournalist identified as fundraiser gains support
The photojournalist whose equipment was stolen was identified in an online fundraiser for her.
Angelina Katsanis was hit in the knee by a wooden beam while covering protesters struggling with police on Saturday night, according to the GoFundMe campaign set up by Evan Katsanis.
Her return to search for her camera bag was also caught on a video shared to Instagram.
“The cops were still pushing forward and firing rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash bangs, so she had to run/hobble another half mile to safety on the injured leg,” the summary said, adding that when Katsanis went back after being treated by a medic team on the ground, her bag was already stolen.
A detailed list of her stolen equipment includes a Sony A1 digital camera that costs about $6,000, plus $4,000 in camera lenses and another $1,000 in high-performance storage cards, among other items.
The GoFundMe aimed at covering the victim’s medical, transportation and lost work expenses from the theft raised more than $18,000 as of Thursday.
Anything above her expenses would be donated to The Committee to Protect Journalists, Crisis Ready Media, legal funds for photojournalists, and Freedom of the Press Foundation, the campaign said.
Read More: NJ has new protest zone at ICE staffed detention center in Newark
Attorney general and prosecutor condemn alleged misconduct
“So many police officers conduct themselves with integrity, uphold the law, maintain order and public safety, and serve our communities with distinction in the face of great challenges, day in and day out,” Davenport said in a written statement. “When an officer does what is alleged in this case, it is a disservice to the profession and the public.”
“Conduct that undermines the public’s trust in law enforcement is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Stephens also said.
“The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office remains committed to accountability, integrity, and maintaining the public’s trust in the criminal justice system.”
EARLIER: ICE clashes with protesters at Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark
Gallery Credit: The Associated Press
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