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When attorney Ronald Durban approached police to file a complaint about a public meeting violation, he had no idea he would end up in handcuffs himself. The bodycam footage reveals a shocking escalation that transforms a simple records request into a federal civil rights case.
The Complaint That Started Everything
Durban arrived at a fire marshal meeting to find dozens of citizens locked out of what should have been a public proceeding. The meeting room held 49 people, but half the seats were occupied by government employees, leaving only 25 spots for actual community members. When Durban asked police to take a report about this apparent Open Meetings Act violation, officers immediately became defensive.
"I'm an Oklahoma citizen that pays taxes, and I need to file a report because all these people are being denied access," Durban explained to the officer. The response was swift and telling: the police refused to take any report and ordered everyone off the property instead.
When Documentation Becomes a Threat
The situation escalated when Durban began following officers to document their refusal to investigate his complaint. What happened next reveals the dangerous gap between constitutional rights and police interpretation of the law. Officers warned Durban that following them on public property would result in arrest, despite his clear legal right to do so.
"You follow me to my car, you're going to sit in the backseat of my car," the officer threatened, with no legal justification for detention. When Durban correctly pointed out that officers needed reasonable suspicion of a crime, they ignored his expertise entirely.
The Arrest Without Cause
Despite having no warrants and committing no crime, Durban found himself in handcuffs. The bodycam audio captures the moment officers realized their mistake, casually discussing how "this guy's an attorney" while Durban sat detained in their patrol car. Even more revealing, they ran his information and found absolutely nothing.
The officer's attempt to justify the arrest afterward exposes the circular logic of police overreach. When Durban remained on the public sidewalk after being released, officers immediately threatened him with jail for "being disorderly," despite his completely peaceful behavior.
A Federal Case in the Making
As officers finally removed the handcuffs, Durban delivered the line that should make every taxpayer concerned about police accountability: "You lost your qualified immunity when you put your hands on me. I will see you in federal court." The officer's casual response suggests a troubling disconnect from the legal consequences of constitutional violations.
What makes this case particularly significant is Durban's background. This was not a random citizen unfamiliar with the law, but an attorney who understood exactly what was happening and why it was illegal. The bodycam footage provides crystal clear evidence of each violation as it occurred.
The Questions That Remain Unanswered
The footage ends with officers struggling to turn off their cameras, but the legal battle is just beginning. How will the department justify arresting someone for trying to file a legitimate complaint? What consequences will these officers face for violating clearly established constitutional rights? And most importantly, what happened to the fire marshal meeting that started this entire incident?
Watch the complete bodycam footage to see how this constitutional crisis unfolds and decide for yourself whether justice was served.
