PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh property owner who recorded footage of a violent protest after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis says negligence on the part of the Pittsburgh Police Department, in failing to redact her identity in an issued report, led her to suffer harassment and terroristic threats.
Ashley Zoe Fox of Pittsburgh filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Oct. 26 versus the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, also of Pittsburgh.
“The plaintiff was filming the protest that occurred on May 30, 2020. During that protest, the plaintiff captured video footage that was submitted to the defendant for use in the prosecution of individuals shown damaging the defendant’s property. Plaintiff was assured by Det. Frank Rosato and Det. John Baker, who both work for the defendant, that the submitted evidence would remain completely anonymous,” the suit says.
“On July 15, the defendant released a supplemental report that listed the evidence that was obtained from the plaintiff and the detective in charge of the case did not redact the plaintiff’s name. The plaintiff then received messages referring to them as an informant from colleagues of the person that the plaintiff’s footage was being used to prosecute.”
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff also received a visit at her home from two individuals, who proceeded to make a terroristic threat against her.
“Failure to redact the plaintiff’s name caused endangerment to the plaintiff, her fiancé and her two roommates. Additional terroristic threats were by an individual in public after [the report] was shared on the social media platform Twitter,” per the suit.
The lawsuit seeks $65,000 in compensatory damages, to cover the dissolution of the plaintiff’s company, the scrapping of a documentary the plaintiff was helping to produce, moving expenses and psychological distress/post-traumatic stress disorder for threats on the plaintiff’s life caused by Det. Rosato’s error, which is alleged to have been admitted as “a mistake that should never have been made.”
For a count of negligence and welfare endangerment, the plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of $65,000 plus costs and such other or relief as this Court deems equitable and just.
The plaintiff is representing herself in this matter.
The defendant has not yet secured legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-011086
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com