A newly-released video shows the shocking moments an Aiken man was arrested for recording inside the New Ellenton City Hall.
The Sept. 22 arrest by then-Police Chief Shawn Middleton came just days before the chief resigned amid a SLED investigation into domestic incidents with his wife. It’s unclear whether the recorded arrest is also being investigated by SLED since filming inside the hallway of a public building during business hours is not illegal.
John Medaglia III, 21, of Aiken, was charged with public disorderly conduct and taken to the Aiken County Detention Center before being released.
In the video, Medaglia records the outside of city hall before going inside and showing close-ups of wall hangings, plaques, brochures and an “Open” sign on the front window. He greets a woman at the front desk and says he doesn’t need any help. But eight minutes into the video, Chief Middleton approaches him in the hallway.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
“Listen here, this is a government building. You can’t record here,” Chief Middleton said. “You are on the inside of a police department. If you could exit the building.”
Medaglia responds, “I’m a thousand percent allowed to be inside… I am not interested in going into any restricted areas, or anything like that.”
The back-and-forth continues with Medaglia refusing to leave. Eventually, Chief Middleton blocks the young man from continuing down the hallway and pushes him toward the exit.
“Why are you putting your hands on me?” Medaglia says.
Chief Middleton then puts him in handcuffs and says he is under arrest for trespassing. The chief walks him outside, takes off the handcuffs and says the man is free to go.
“I am going to step right back in here as soon as you take the cuffs off because you know you are making a mistake right now,” Medaglia said.
The suspect then goes right back toward the front entrance and is eventually arrested as Chief Middleton calls for help from a sheriff’s deputy.
At one point, Medaglia says, “I just got illegally arrested and detained for expressing my First Amendment right in a public building. In a public building!”
As he’s scuffles with the chief over the entrance, Medaglia says, “Congratulations, you just earned the state of South Carolina a humungous lawsuit. Humungous.”
Chief Middleton pulls out his handcuffs again and says, “You want a lawsuit? You get a lawsuit.”
Response from Medaglia’s YouTube video was immediate, with many people supporting him and asking for any updates on his lawsuit.
“I like that you went back in,” Andrew Farrow said. “That takes real balls.”
Another wrote, “For a Newer Auditor you Owned this Tyrant Chief (or should I say Ex-Tyrant Chief) Like a Boss!!! Nicely Done Brother!!! Your Motto Should Be, ‘Thanks, and I’m Going Right Back In!’”
