Journalist arrested in Waterdown will be back in court in August

A local journalist arrested and charged this year in a tense scene in Waterdown has another court date next month.

Dave Ritchie, a Burlington freelance videographer whose work appears in numerous media outlets, had a court appearance Thursday in Hamilton but the case was put over until Aug. 10.

He was not in attendance. He is charged with resisting arrest and obstructing a peace officer.

Toronto lawyer Nadir Sachak is representing him.

Ritchie has told CBC Hamilton he wasn't in the way of emergency officials, and he hopes the charges are dropped.

Sachak's articling student, Shaleem Gill, told the court Thursday that Ritchie's team is awaiting a retainer, and still reviewing information about the case.

Journalist arrest caught on tape

News

4 years ago

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Video shows one of two cameramen who were arrested at the scene where a young girl died in Hamilton in 2017. 1:23

Ritchie's case drew widespread attention May 16 when a Hamilton Police Service officer handcuffed him at the scene of a pedestrian death. That same officer arrested a Global News reporter too, but that reporter was released without being charged.

Ritchie, who attends dozens of emergency scenes per year, attended a crash scene on Evans Road where 10-year-old Jasmin Hanif was hit and killed by a vehicle.

Ritchie says he was standing with other members of the public when the officer approached him and told him reporters were scum bags.

The Canadian Journalists for Free Expression are calling for a public inquiry into the incident, said Duncan Pike, campaigns and advocacy co-ordinator, in an interview in late May.

"There have been a number of cases, especially in the past year and a half, where journalists and law enforcement have come into conflict and law enforcement simply not understanding the importance of what journalists are doing."

samantha.craggs@cbc.ca | @SamCraggsCBC