YouTube Attack Video Bill Clears Senate

State Sen. Earl Garrison has won unanimous Senate approval for a bill to make it illegal to videotape assaults and post them on Internet sites such as YouTube. Senate Bill 1981 is aimed at individuals who have prior knowledge that an attack is going to take place, then videotape the assault for the Internet.

“I was visiting with Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson last fall and there had been a number of stories in the news about kids planning terrible attacks on unsuspecting victims, and videotaping the assault specifically to make some kind of claim to fame on the Internet,” said Garrison, D-Muskogee. “While this shocks anyone with any ounce of morals, it unfortunately has encouraged copy-cat attacks. We want to stop this in its tracks.”

Under the provisions of Senate Bill 1981, it would be illegal for anyone to upload video or digital images to any website accessible on the Internet if the image recorded contains a prosecutable offense of assault and battery involving a minor.

“According to the language in my bill, a person with prior knowledge of a planned attack who videotapes and uploads the image could be charged with a misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $750 for each offense,” Garrison said. “We need to send a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated.”

Garrison said his co-author for SB 1981 is Rep. Bud Smithson, D-Sallisaw, who is a retired Highway Patrolman.

“Representative Smithson is very enthusiastic about this bill. I’m hopeful he’ll be able to get this through the House as quickly as possible so we can send it to Governor Brad Henry to become law.”