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Electronically Filed
Supreme Court
SCWC-14-0000986
14-DEC-2017
08:33 AM
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI
---o0o---
STATE OF HAWAII,
Respondent/Plaintiff-Appellant,
vs.
THOMAS A. RUSSO,
Petitioner/Defendant-Appellee.
SCWC-14-0000986
CERTIORARI TO THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS
(CAAP-14-0000986; 2DCW-12-0000873)
DECEMBER 14, 2017
RECKTENWALD, C.J., NAKAYAMA, McKENNA, POLLACK, AND WILSON, JJ.
OPINION OF THE COURT BY POLLACK, J.
This case arises out of a 2012 incident that occurred
on the shoulder of Haleakala Highway in Maui County while Thomas
Russo was filming police officers conducting a traffic
enforcement operation. During Russo’s filming of the traffic
stop with his cell phone, he was arrested for interfering with
government operations and other offenses. Russo was
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subsequently charged with failing to comply with a lawful order
of a police officer, an offense for which he had not been
arrested. Russo has consistently maintained that his filming of
police activity was protected by the United States and Hawaii
Constitutions.
We join those jurisdictions that recognize that there
is a constitutional right of the public to film the official
activities of police officers in a public place. But because we
conclude that the record does not support a finding of probable
cause that Russo failed to comply with a police officer’s order,
we do not address whether Russo’s constitutional right to access
and film the traffic stop was infringed in this case.
Accordingly, we vacate the Intermediate Court of Appeals’
summary disposition order and affirm the district court’s order
that dismissed this case with prejudice.
I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
On November 20, 2012, Russo was arrested on Haleakala
Highway by Maui Police Department (MPD) Officers Rusty Lawson
and John Fairchild for obstructing government operations,
resisting arrest, and harassment. Russo was later charged by
complaint with failure to comply with a lawful order or
direction of a police officer in violation of Hawaii Revised
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Statutes (HRS) § 291C-23 (2007)1 and disorderly conduct in
violation of HRS § 711-1101(1)(d) (1993 & Supp. 2003).2 At
arraignment on January 24, 2013, Russo pleaded not guilty to the
charges.
A. Motion to Dismiss
On December 27, 2013, Russo filed a motion to dismiss
the case against him based on the First Amendment to the United
States Constitution, or, alternatively, on the ground that there
was no probable cause to support the charges. In his motion to
dismiss, Russo contended that this case was “about a police
officer arresting a journalist covering a news story because the
officer did not want to be filmed.” Specifically, Russo
contended that he was the publisher of Maui Time Publications
1
HRS § 291C-23 provides as follows:
It shall be a petty misdemeanor for any person to wilfully
fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction
of any police officer invested by law with authority to
direct, control, or regulate traffic.
2
HRS § 711-1101 provides, in relevant part, as follows:
(1) A person commits the offense of disorderly conduct if,
with intent to cause physical inconvenience or alarm by a
member or members of the public, or recklessly creating a
risk thereof, the person:
. . .
(d) Creates a hazardous or physically offensive
condition by any act which is not performed under any
authorized license or permit . . . .
The complaint filed by the State of Hawaii alleged the disorderly conduct
charge as a petty misdemeanor offense under HRS § 711-1101(3).
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and engaged in investigative journalism regarding current
events, the arts, and other news of Maui County. According to
Russo, on November 20, 2012, he pulled over onto the shoulder
while driving along Haleakala Highway to investigate an ongoing
law enforcement operation. Russo began filming two police
officers who were conducting a traffic stop and was arrested for
obstructing government operations shortly thereafter.
In his motion to dismiss, Russo argued that the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right
to take photographs and videos of public places, which includes
the right to film the activities and operations of police
officers. Russo contended that the First Amendment right to
record police activity is limited only by reasonable time,
place, and manner restrictions. Russo submitted that he had
complied with all police orders given to him by the MPD officers
at the traffic stop that he was filming, that his recording was
from a safe distance, and that he did not obstruct the officers
conducting the stop. Thus, according to Russo, the case against
him should be dismissed because his conduct was protected by the
First Amendment.
In the alternative, Russo contended that the case
should be dismissed for lack of probable cause. Russo submitted
that the charge of failure to comply with a lawful order of a
police officer was unsupported by probable cause because he was
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actually complying with the police officers’ orders and
directions. Russo also argued that the statute under which he
was charged did not apply to his alleged failure to comply with
the officers’ order because the law “prohibits a driver from
ignoring [a police officer’s] traffic directions . . . not an
officer yelling at someone on the side of a road.”
Additionally, Russo argued that the disorderly conduct charge
should be dismissed because he was not “disorderly” or
“persisting” in disorderly conduct, nor was there any evidence
that he was “creating a ‘hazardous and/or physically offensive’
condition.”3
In response, the State argued that Russo “did not
simply want to record the traffic stop, but wanted to interfere
with the administration of the stop.” The State acknowledged
that other jurisdictions had held videotaping public officials
to be protected under the First Amendment. The State submitted,
however, that this right has limitations and is subject to
reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. The State
contended that the MPD police officers determined that the area
3
Russo further asserted that even if the court found that probable
cause did exist, the disorderly conduct statute under which he was charged
was overbroad and void for unconstitutional vagueness, as well as
unconstitutional as applied in order to criminalize the filming of police
officers. Additionally, Russo asserted that the complaint failed to
sufficiently and properly allege the essential elements of the disorderly
conduct charge.
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where the traffic stop was being conducted was not a reasonable
place to film police because it was not safe, and Russo’s
actions in entering and remaining in the traffic stop area were
therefore not constitutionally protected. According to the
State, Russo failed to comply with the directives to “step
back,” to “cease interfering with the traffic stop,” and to
“stop resisting arrest.” Thus, the State submitted that the
officers exercised proper caution in addressing the situation
and probable cause existed to support the charges.4
B. Hearing on Russo’s Motion to Dismiss
At the hearing on Russo’s motion to dismiss,5 the State
called MPD Officer Rusty Lawson to testify regarding the events
leading to Russo’s arrest. Officer Lawson testified that he had
been employed by the MPD for eight and a half years and was at
that time assigned to the traffic division DUI task force. On
November 20, 2012, Officer Lawson was assigned to conduct a
specific traffic enforcement called “Operation Recon,” during
which MPD sought to enforce traffic regulations relating to
“lifted vehicles, tires extended beyond the fenders, window
4
The State also rejected Russo’s argument that the statutes under
which he was charged were void for vagueness and unconstitutionally
overbroad, and that the elements of disorderly conduct were deficiently
alleged. The State likewise contended that the charge of disorderly conduct
was supported by the fact that Russo was consciously attempting to distract
Officers Fairchild and Lawson and that “Russo wanted to be arrested.”
5
The Honorable Kelsey T. Kawano presided.
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tints, or any other traffic violations [MPD] could see.”
Officer Lawson testified that he was the acting supervisor of
the operation, which involved between five and seven officers,
and that he and Officer John Fairchild were positioned in the
same area on the side of Haleakala Highway. Officer Lawson
testified that he was conducting a traffic stop for a possible
window tint violation prior to his interaction with Russo. His
unmarked police vehicle was parked on the grassy shoulder of the
highway, as was Officer Fairchild’s vehicle and the vehicle
belonging to the individual subject to the traffic stop.
At this point in Officer Lawson’s testimony, the State
played a video recording comprised of three individual clips
taken by Russo showing the events leading up to Russo’s arrest,
which had previously been stipulated into evidence by the State
and the defense. In the first clip, Russo holds the recording
device6 and can be heard speaking in the background. The device
appears to be taking video from behind the windshield of a
vehicle parked on the shoulder of Haleakala Highway in which
Russo is sitting.
The video depicts Russo exiting his vehicle and
walking towards the cars parked in front of him. The camera
6
The record suggests that Russo used a cellular phone to take the
video recordings.
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pans along Haleakala Highway as Russo narrates that the road is
“backed up” with traffic. The camera then focuses on the
vehicles parked ahead on the side of the highway, and two
uniformed police officers wearing orange and yellow vests are
seen walking near one of the vehicles. Russo continues to walk
towards these uniformed officers, and one of the officers--
subsequently identified as Officer Fairchild--can be heard
asking Russo to turn his hazard lights on. Russo replies, “Sure
I can do that.” Officer Fairchild then walks back towards the
parked vehicles, and Russo appears to begin walking back towards
his vehicle.
In the second clip, the recording begins with the
camera pointed towards Russo’s parked car. The vehicle’s hazard
lights are on. Russo appears to begin walking towards the
vehicles parked ahead, where Officer Fairchild and the second
uniformed police officer--identified as Officer Lawson--are
standing.
In the third and final clip, which appears to be an
immediate continuation from the second clip, Russo continues to
walk towards the vehicles parked ahead. Russo comes into
proximity with the closest vehicle, which appears to be an
unmarked police car. Officer Fairchild, who is standing next to
this first unmarked vehicle, sees Russo approaching and appears
to wave his hand. As Russo comes closer to the officer, the
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officer again appears to wave his hand to indicate the shoulder
of the highway and states to Russo that the police are pulling
people over “in this area here.” Russo then questions Officer
Fairchild as to why the police are pulling people over, to which
the officer responds, “Traffic violations.” Russo asks Officer
Fairchild whether he thinks it is “justifiable to back traffic
all the way up to Haliimaile,” and they engage in a brief
dialogue regarding the extent of the surrounding traffic. The
officer again waves his hand along the highway shoulder and
states to Russo, “We’re pulling peop--cars over in this area
right here okay, so please step off to the side I don’t want you
to get run over.” Russo responds, “Okay.”
At this point, Russo appears to begin walking away
from Officer Fairchild and towards the second unmarked police
vehicle, which is parked immediately behind the car subject to
the traffic stop; Officer Lawson can be seen standing at the
driver-side window of the vehicle subject to the stop. As Russo
approaches the area parallel to the front passenger-side of the
stopped vehicle, Officer Lawson leaves his position at the
driver-side window and walks around the front of the vehicle
towards Russo. The following exchange occurs:
Officer: Excuse me, sir --
Russo: Yes sir?
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Officer: Can you stand back there? Can you stand back
there? Don’t come over here. There’s a traffic stop being
conducted. Can you stand -- can you stand back there?
As the officer asks Russo to “stand back there,” he points
backwards in the general direction of Officer Fairchild’s and
Russo’s parked vehicles.
In response to Officer Lawson’s request, Russo
answers, “Uh -- no, I’m [inaudible].” Russo is interrupted by
the officer, who states, “You’re obstructing a government
operation.” Russo responds that he is “not obstructing at all”
and appears to walk backwards, away from the officer. Again
pointing in the general direction of Russo’s vehicle, Officer
Lawson states, “Don’t intervene . . . this is a traffic stop . .
. you need to stand back there.”
Russo can then be heard asking, “Where can I stand?”
Russo walks a few steps to the right--away from the highway, and
towards what appears to be an adjacent field--and asks, “Can I
stand here . . . this is private property, right?” The officer
appears to indicate that Russo cannot stand there, gesturing
again in the general direction of Russo’s vehicle and stating,
“You stand back there, you’re on private property.” Russo then
takes several steps back towards the highway, closer to the
officer, and asks, “Can I stand on public property?” At this
point, Russo can be heard telling Officer Lawson, “Don’t -- are
you touching me -- you’re touching me.” Officer Lawson then
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places his right hand on his belt and states, “I’ll arrest you
for obstructing.” Russo repeats that he is “not obstructing
anything” and relays that “[he has] got video.”
Russo begins walking backwards again, away from the
officer and towards Russo’s car. Officer Lawson continues to
walk towards Russo, repeatedly stating that “there’s a traffic
stop back here” and asking him to “stand back there.” Officer
Fairchild then joins Officer Lawson, and both continue to walk
towards Russo as he backs away. As he walks backwards, away
from the officers, Russo states, “this is more than a traffic
stop . . . this is a circus,” and he repeats that he is not
obstructing anything. Officer Lawson responds that he “told
[Russo] five times” and states that he will “place [Russo] under
arrest” for “obstructing government operations.” Russo then
identifies himself by name and relates that he is a member of
the media. As he continues to walk backwards and as Officer
Lawson continues approaching him, Russo can be heard stating
twice, “Don’t touch me, officer.” Officer Lawson then states,
“Sir . . . sir, you need to comply,” to which Russo responds, “I
am complying officer, I am . . . I am.”
The camera tilts down towards the ground as a scuffle
ensues, at which point the video recording suggests that Russo
is placed under arrest. An officer is heard telling Russo,
“Stop resisting, stop resisting,” and that the officer was
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“sorry about this.” Russo replies, “I’m not resisting . . . I
was walking backwards, just as the video shows, officer.” Russo
can then be heard stating, “No, no . . . you’re not allowed to
take my phone.” At this point, the video footage concludes.
After the State played the video, Officer Lawson
testified that he directed Russo to “step and/or stand back”
around “five, six, seven times.” He also testified regarding
the procedures that the MPD has in place concerning media
contact. When asked to describe the MPD’s policy governing when
members of the media are permitted to film police activity,
Officer Lawson suggested that the MPD may in some situations
require a pre-approved media pass:
I don’t think it governs as far as filming the police, but
I believe it’s a -- I guess a courtesy request of the media
to contact the police department for, I guess, what they
call like a media pass. Any media from the police
department has to go through our chief. I cannot make any
statements of the media. But if such, they wanted to come
and give, I guess, a courtesy to these guys or to the media
to have like a sit-in or like a ride-along, that’s no
problem, as long as it’s cleared with the chief of police.
Officer Lawson further testified that he was not notified by the
MPD that the media would be recording the police during
Operation Recon.
Following Officer Lawson’s testimony, the State called
to the stand the individual subject to the traffic stop that was
occurring at the time of Russo’s arrest (the witness). The
witness testified that during the traffic stop, she observed
Russo with a phone but did not know that he was taking a video
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recording until she was told by Officer Lawson. The witness
stated that she did not feel scared during the incident and that
she never told Officer Lawson that she felt threatened.
Also at the motion to dismiss proceeding, the defense
elicited testimony regarding “national standards of care”
applicable to filming police officers in public from Mickey H.
Osterreicher, who was qualified by the court as an expert
witness in the area of film journalism, photography, and
journalism. Osterreicher testified that, based upon his review
of the video footage, Officer Lawson’s directions throughout the
encounter were unclear and were not reasonable time, place, or
manner restrictions. Russo emphasized in his closing argument
that the orders were too vague to comply with, arguing that
“Officer Lawson never s[aid], sir, can you move 15 feet away”
and instead said only “go over there, go over there.”
On July 9, 2014, the district court issued its oral
ruling, findings of fact (FOFs), and conclusions of law (COLs)
regarding Russo’s motion to dismiss. In its FOFs, the court
found that Russo complied with Officer Fairchild’s request that
he turn on his hazard lights. The court also found, however,
that Russo was instructed multiple times to step back out of the
area where the traffic stop was occurring. The court determined
that Russo did not comply with the order to step back and
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continued to engage the officers.7 In addition, the court
determined that the instructions to step back were not specific
as to time, place, or manner as testified to by defense expert
Osterreicher.
In its COLs, the district court concluded that
probable cause did not exist for the arrest of Russo on either
charge. The court determined that HRS § 291C-23, which sets
forth the offense of failure to comply with the lawful order of
a police officer, did not apply to Russo’s conduct. The court
reasoned that under HRS § 291C-21 (2007), the provisions of
Parts III to XIV of the traffic code relating to the operation
of vehicles refer exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon
highways except where a different place is specifically referred
to in a given section. See HRS § 291C-21. Because the offense
of failure to comply with the lawful order of a police officer
is codified within Part III of the traffic code, the court
determined that, pursuant to HRS § 291C-21, the offense only
applies to conduct relating to the operation of vehicles upon
highways. And, since Russo’s conduct did not involve operation
7
It appears that the district court understood the officers’
multiple instructions to stand and/or step back to collectively be a single
“lawful direction” or order to do so. Thus, although the State and the
defense have alternatively characterized the question as whether Russo
violated an “order” or multiple “orders,” we find it most appropriate to
consider whether Russo violated the collective order made by Officers Lawson
and Fairchild to stand and/or step back.
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of a vehicle upon a highway, the court reasoned that the offense
of failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer did
not apply.
With respect to the charge of disorderly conduct, the
district court concluded that the evidence was entirely unclear
as to whether, by failing to follow the officers’ directions,
Russo created hazardous conditions posing a risk of physical
inconvenience or alarm to members of the public within the
meaning of the disorderly conduct statute. The court thus
determined that there was no probable cause to support the
charge.
Regarding Russo’s argument based on the First
Amendment, the district court concluded that it was Russo’s
burden to establish that his rights were infringed, and that he
failed to do so. The court determined that the case did not
involve police officers objecting to Russo videotaping, but,
rather, Russo’s failure to heed their instructions based on
their view that he was hindering their operations. The court
also concluded that Russo had not satisfied his burden of
demonstrating that the instructions given by the police officers
were unconstitutionally vague as to time, place, and manner.
However, the court determined that it did not have to base its
decision on the constitutional question in light of its other
rulings.
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The district court thus dismissed both charges for
lack of probable cause and entered a Notice of Entry of Judgment
And/Or Order (Order of Dismissal), which dismissed both charges
with prejudice. The State timely filed a notice of appeal to
the Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) from the Order of
Dismissal.
C. ICA Proceedings
In a summary disposition order (SDO), the ICA
concluded that the district court erred in dismissing the charge
of failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer.8
The ICA determined that the restrictive language in HRS § 291C-
21 means that, where specific provisions of HRS Chapter 291C,
Parts III to XIV, relate to the operation of vehicles, “only the
operation of vehicles upon highways is covered unless a
different place is specifically referred to in that provision.”
The failure to comply with a lawful order offense was not
limited to the operation of vehicles, the ICA reasoned, and
therefore could be applied to Russo’s conduct as a pedestrian
where he interacted with police officers who were regulating
traffic.
8
Because the State did not challenge the district court’s
dismissal of the disorderly conduct charge, the ICA did not address it on
appeal. The ICA’s SDO can be found at State v. Russo, No. CAAP-14-0000986,
2017 WL 1194000 (Haw. App. Mar. 31, 2017).
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The ICA next considered whether probable cause
supported the charge. The ICA determined that probable cause
did exist to support the charge of failure to comply with a
lawful order of a police officer, relying on the following
factual findings of the district court: (1) Russo was informed
by the officers involved in traffic enforcement that he was in
their area of operations and in danger of being struck by a
vehicle; (2) Russo was told multiple times to step back out of
the area of operation by the two officers; and (3) Russo did not
comply with the officers’ instructions.
The ICA majority therefore concluded that the district
court erred in dismissing the charge of failure to comply with a
lawful order of a police officer in violation of HRS § 291C-23.
Accordingly, the ICA vacated the district court’s Order of
Dismissal and remanded the case for further proceedings.
Chief Judge Craig H. Nakamura issued a concurring and
dissenting opinion in which he agreed with the ICA majority’s
interpretation of HRS §§ 291C-21 and 291C-23, but he disagreed
that the charge of failure to comply with a lawful order of a
police officer in this case was supported by probable cause.
The Chief Judge stated that his review of the video footage
showed that “although Russo questioned the officers’ authority
to order him from the scene, he was complying with the officers’
order, retreating and walking backward away from the approaching
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officers and their area of operation, when the officers arrested
him.” Chief Judge Nakamura thus concluded that probable cause
was lacking because “[t]he video recording shows that Russo did
not willfully fail or refuse to comply with the officers’ order
to stand back or move,” and that any finding made by the
district court to the contrary was clearly erroneous. Thus,
Chief Judge Nakamura would have affirmed the district court’s
dismissal of the failure to comply charge on the alternative
ground that insufficient probable cause existed to support the
charge.
II. STANDARDS OF REVIEW
Probable cause determinations are reviewed on appeal
under a de novo standard. State v. Kaleohano, 99 Hawaii 370,
375, 56 P.3d 138, 143 (2002) (citing State v. Navas, 81 Hawaii
113, 123, 913 P.2d 39, 49 (1996)).
A court’s findings of fact are reviewed under the
“clearly erroneous” standard. Id. “A finding of fact is
clearly erroneous when, despite evidence to support the finding,
the appellate court is left with the definite and firm
conviction in reviewing the entire evidence that a mistake has
been committed.” Id. (quoting Dan v. State, 76 Hawaii 423, 428,
879 P.2d 528, 533 (1994)). A court’s conclusions of law are
reviewed under the “right/wrong” standard, which “allows the
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appellate court to ‘examine the facts and answer the question
without being required to give any weight to the trial court’s
answer to it.’” Id. (quoting State v. Lopez, 78 Hawaii 433,
440, 896 P.2d 889, 896 (1995)).
“The interpretation of a statute is a question of law
reviewable de novo.” State v. Arceo, 84 Hawaii 1, 10, 928 P.2d
843, 852 (1996) (quoting State v. Camara, 81 Hawaii 324, 329,
916 P.2d 1225, 1230 (1996)).
The court “answers questions of constitutional law by
‘exercising our own independent judgment based on the facts of
the case.’” State v. Aplaca, 96 Hawaii 17, 22, 25 P.3d 792, 797
(2001) (quoting State v. Jenkins, 93 Hawaii 87, 100, 997 P.2d
13, 26 (2000)). “Thus, questions of constitutional law are
reviewed on appeal ‘under the “right/wrong” standard.’” Id.
(quoting Jenkins, 93 Hawaii at 100, 997 P.2d at 26).
III. DISCUSSION
In his application for a writ of certiorari, Russo
argues that the district court correctly dismissed the charge of
failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer for
lack of probable cause and thus the ICA erred in vacating the
Order of Dismissal. Russo contends that even if the ICA
concluded that the district court’s interpretation of HRS §
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291C-23 was incorrect,9 the ICA was obligated to affirm the
dismissal order on the alternative ground that there was no
probable cause supporting the complaint against Russo.
Specifically, Russo submits that there was no proof that he
willfully failed or refused to comply with a police officer’s
order. Russo also argues that the ICA majority erred in not
considering the merits of his First Amendment argument that he
has a constitutional right to film police activity, subject to
reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. In addition,
Russo submits that the district court wrongly concluded that he
had the burden of proof to establish that the police
instructions were unreasonable and the command to stand away
from the traffic stop was too vague to be a reasonable time,
place, and manner restriction.
To resolve the merits of Russo’s arguments on
certiorari, we consider whether the ICA correctly concluded that
the charge of failure to comply with a lawful order of a police
officer was supported by probable cause. Because the ICA failed
to address Russo’s constitutional argument when it vacated the
9
In light of Russo’s conditional acknowledgment of the ICA’s
interpretation of HRS § 291C-21, we note our agreement with the ICA’s reading
of the statute. Pursuant to HRS § 291C-21, when a provision codified within
Parts III through XIV “relat[es] to the operation of vehicles,” that
provision must be interpreted to refer only to “the operation of vehicles
upon highways” unless otherwise specified. Where the provision is codified
within Parts III through XIV but does not “relat[e] to the operation of
vehicles,” HRS § 291C-21 does not speak to that provision’s interpretation.
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Order of Dismissal, and because the determination of whether the
police officers’ order was “lawful” within the meaning of HRS §
291C-23 depends in part on whether the order comported with the
state and federal constitutions, we also address the existence
of a constitutionally-protected right to photograph and film
police officers in public.
A. “Lawful Order” and First Amendment Implications
A person commits the offense set forth by HRS § 291C-
23 when the person willfully fails or refuses to comply with
“any lawful order or direction” of a police officer authorized
by law to direct, control, or regulate traffic. HRS § 291C-23
(emphasis added). Thus, a necessary predicate to a finding of
guilt under HRS § 291C-23 is the existence of a “lawful order or
direction” by a police officer. Id.
At the motion to dismiss proceeding and on appeal,
Russo has argued that, irrespective of his compliance or alleged
noncompliance with the officers’ order to “stand over there” or
“step back,” this order was not “lawful” within the meaning of
HRS § 291C-23 because it infringed on his First Amendment right
to photograph and film police officers in public. The State
appears to acknowledge the existence of this First Amendment
right, but it contends that Russo’s actions in entering or
remaining in the traffic stop area were not constitutionally
protected and that the officers’ order was a reasonable
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restriction. The district court declined to expressly rule on
First Amendment grounds, but it concluded that it was Russo’s
burden to demonstrate that the order was unconstitutionally
vague as to time, place, or manner, and that Russo had failed to
make this showing. The ICA did not consider any constitutional
implications of the officers’ conduct when it vacated the
district court’s dismissal order and remanded the case for
further proceedings, despite the fact that Russo had urged the
ICA to affirm the dismissal on First Amendment grounds.
Although not addressed by the ICA, the
constitutionality of the officers’ order to stand or step back
is inextricably intertwined with the State’s allegation that
Russo violated HRS § 291C-23. If the order did not comport with
the federal and state constitutions, the Hawaii Revised
Statutes, or other principles of law, it was not “lawful” within
the meaning of the statute, and HRS § 291C-23 would thus impose
no requirement of compliance.10 Further, the issuance of a
lawful order or direction is an essential element of the offense
set forth in HRS § 291C-23, thereby indicating that, contrary to
the district court’s conclusion, it is the State’s burden to
10
See, e.g., State v. Ausmus, 85 P.3d 864, 869 (Or. 2003) (holding
that in the context of a disorderly conduct statute that prohibited certain
refusals to “comply with a lawful order of the police to disperse,” the term
“lawful order” means “an order that is authorized by, and is not contrary to,
substantive law”).
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prove the existence of a “lawful order” rather than the
defendant’s burden to prove that the order was unlawful.11
Accordingly, we address the existence of a First Amendment right
to photograph and film the police and its limitations.12
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution
states in relevant part that “Congress shall make no law . . .
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” U.S. Const.
amend. I. Article I, section 4 of the Hawaii Constitution
likewise provides that “[n]o law shall be enacted . . .
abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.” Haw. Const.
art. I, § 4. This court has interpreted the free speech rights
11
In the context of other offenses that render unlawful the refusal
to comply with the order of a court or police officer, Hawaii courts have
likewise interpreted the issuance of the predicate order to constitute an
essential element of the charge that must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt
by the State. See State v. Kalaola, 124 Hawaii 43, 49, 237 P.3d 1109, 1115
(2010) (setting forth that the offense of failure to disperse upon law
enforcement officer’s order has, as an essential element, that the defendant
was “ordered by a law enforcement officer to disperse,” which the State must
prove beyond a reasonable doubt); State v. Alvarez, 96 Hawaii 42, 25 P.3d 817
(App. 2001) (stating that the offense of failure to obey a lawful order
issued pursuant to familial abuse statute has, as an essential element, the
defendant’s receipt of the lawful order, which the State must prove beyond a
reasonable doubt); State v. King, 139 Hawaii 249, 257, 386 P.3d 886, 894
(2016) (interpreting the “‘lawful order’ element” of the offense of second-
degree burglary under HRS § 708-811 (2014), determining that no probable
cause existed to support this element of the charge, and affirming the lower
court’s dismissal of the case); see also 75 Am. Jur. 2d Trespass § 191 (2013)
(observing in context of statutory elements of criminal trespass that “[w]hen
property is open to the public at the time of an alleged criminal trespass,
the state has the burden of proving that a lawful order excluding the
defendant from the premises [was] issued”).
12
We also note that Officer Lawson’s testimony at the motion to
dismiss proceeding regarding MPD’s policy on media contact suggested a lack
of a clear protocol on photographing and filming police officers in public.
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afforded by the Hawaii Constitution to be at least as expansive
as those provided by the United States Constitution. See Crosby
v. State Dep’t of Budget & Fin., 76 Hawaii 332, 339 n.9, 876
P.2d 1300, 1307 n.9 (1994). Indeed, we have considered that in
some circumstances, “this court may find that the Hawaii
Constitution affords greater free speech protection than its
federal counterpart.” Id.; Oahu Publ’ns Inc. v. Ahn, 133 Hawaii
482, 494, 331 P.3d 460, 472 (2014).
Although the First Amendment does not explicitly
protect the right to film or photograph matters of public
interest, the United States Supreme Court “ha[s] long recognized
that its protection does not end at the spoken or written word.”
Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, 404 (1989); see also Oahu
Publ’ns Inc., 133 Hawaii at 494, 331 P.3d at 472 (stating that
“the First Amendment is ‘broad enough to encompass those rights
that, while not unambiguously enumerated in the very terms of
the Amendment, are nonetheless necessary to the enjoyment of
other First Amendment rights’” (quoting Globe Newspaper Co. v.
Superior Court for Norfolk Cty., 457 U.S. 596, 604 (1982))).
The Court has likewise considered that news gathering may
receive constitutional protection because “without some
protection for seeking out the news, freedom of the press could
be eviscerated.” Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665, 681 (1972);
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see also Houchins v. KQED, Inc., 438 U.S. 1, 11 (1978) (“There
is an undoubted right to gather news ‘from any source by means
within the law’” (quoting Branzburg, 408 U.S. at 681-82)). This
understanding of the First Amendment serves the core function of
“prohibit[ing] government from limiting the stock of information
from which members of the public may draw.” First Nat’l Bank of
Boston v. Bellotti, 435 U.S. 765, 783 (1978). The
constitutional safeguard extends beyond protection of the press,
id.; the “First Amendment protects the public’s right of access
to information about their officials’ public activities.” Fields
v. City of Philadelphia, 862 F.3d 353, 359 (3d Cir. 2017)
(emphasis added).
Based on these principles, numerous jurisdictions have
held that the First Amendment affords individuals the right to
photograph and film police officers in public places. In Glik
v. Cunniffe, for example, the First Circuit Court of Appeals
held that “filming of government officials engaged in their
duties in a public place, including police officers performing
their responsibilities,” is protected by the First Amendment.
655 F.3d 78, 82 (1st Cir. 2011). The First Circuit explained
that “[g]athering information about government officials in a
form that can readily be disseminated to others serves a
cardinal First Amendment interest in protecting and promoting
‘the free discussion of governmental affairs.’” Id. (quoting
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Mills v. Alabama, 384 U.S. 214, 218 (1966)). Promotion of the
free discussion of government operations is particularly
desirable in the context of law enforcement officials because it
may “aid[] in the uncovering of abuses” and “have a salutary
effect on the functioning of government more generally.” Id. at
82-83; see also Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada, 501 U.S. 1030,
1034-35 (1991) (observing that “dissemination of information
relating to alleged governmental misconduct” lies “at the core
of the First Amendment” (quoting Butterworth v. Smith, 494 U.S.
624, 632 (1990))).
Several other federal courts have likewise concluded
that, in light of these considerations, individuals have a
constitutionally-protected First Amendment right to photograph
and film police officers in public. See Turner v. Lieutenant
Driver, 848 F.3d 678, 690 (5th Cir. 2017) (“We agree with every
circuit that has ruled on this question: Each has concluded that
the First Amendment protects the right to record the police.”);
Smith v. City of Cumming, 212 F.3d 1332, 1333 (11th Cir. 2000)
(recognizing a “First Amendment right . . . to photograph or
videotape police conduct” because the amendment “protects the
right to gather information about what public officials do on
public property, and specifically, a right to record matters of
public interest”); Fordyce v. City of Seattle, 55 F.3d 436, 439
(9th Cir. 1995) (recognizing a “First amendment right to film
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matters of public interest” and “to gather news” in the context
of police officer’s alleged assault and battery against
individual filming the police officers assigned to work a
demonstration); ACLU of Illinois v. Alvarez, 679 F.3d 583, 595,
597-98 (7th Cir. 2012) (recognizing that the First Amendment
protects “[a]udio and audiovisual recording” and “gathering news
and information, particularly . . . about the affairs of
government” in the context of civil liberties organization’s
plan to make audiovisual recordings of police officers and
disseminate the recordings to the general public).
Recently, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
considered the right of bystanders to record police officers
performing their official duties. Fields, 862 F.3d at 359. The
Fields court noted that “to record what there is a right for the
eye to see and the ear to hear . . . lays aside subjective
impressions for objective facts.” Id. Thus, “to record is to
see and hear more accurately.”13 Id. In addition to the
valuable benefit of recordings to facilitate discussion and be
broadly distributed, the Third Circuit observed that
13
Fields centered on whether there is a constitutional right to
film police activity in a public place. We agree with the observation of the
Fields court that a recording device serves to enhance the accuracy of
observation that is protected in its own right. 862 F.3d at 359. This is to
say that the right to record police is incidental to the broader right to
access information on the activities of public officials, and where recording
is constitutionally protected, observation without recording will generally
be likewise protected.
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the proliferation of bystander videos has spurred action at
all levels of government to address police misconduct and
to protect civil rights. These videos have helped police
departments identify and discipline problem officers. They
have also assisted civil rights investigations and aided in
the Department of Justice’s work with local police
departments. And just the act of recording, regardless
what is recorded, may improve policing. . . . And of
particular personal concern to police is that bystander
recordings can exonerate an officer charged with
wrongdoing.
Id. at 360 (internal citations and quotation marks omitted).
The Fields court underscored that in order for the First
Amendment’s protection to have meaning, “the Amendment must also
protect the act of creating that material.” Id. at 358.
Courts that have held that the First Amendment
protects the right to photograph and film police officers in
public have also concluded that the right “is not without
limitations.” Glik, 655 F.3d at 84. Rather, the ability to
film law enforcement officials in the course of performing their
duties “may be subject to reasonable time, place, and manner
restrictions.” Id.; see also Turner, 848 F.3d at 690; Smith,
212 F.3d at 1333; Alvarez, 679 F.3d at 605. In Glik, the First
Circuit determined that it need not address the specific
parameters of what constituted a reasonable time, place, or
manner regulation because the individual’s “exercise of his
First Amendment rights fell well within the bounds of the
Constitution’s protections.” 655 F.3d at 84. This was so
because (1) his filming occurred in a public park, (2) he video-
recorded the police officers from a “comfortable remove” and
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“‘neither spoke to nor molested them in any way’ (except in
directly responding to the officers when they addressed him),”
and (3) his recording was “peaceful” and “[did] not interfere
with the police officers’ performance of their duties.” Id.
(quoting Iacobucci v. Boulter, 193 F.3d 14, 25 (1st Cir. 1999)).
In Gericke v. Begin, 753 F.3d 1, 7 (1st Cir. 2014),
the First Circuit squarely addressed the issue of time, place,
and manner restrictions that it left open in Glik. The Gericke
court first rejected an argument that its holding in Glik did
not apply to the filming of a traffic stop, holding that “First
Amendment principles apply equally to the filming of a traffic
stop and the filming of an arrest in a public park.” 753 F.3d
at 7. However, the court reiterated that this right could be
limited by “reasonable” time, place, and manner restrictions
“when the circumstances justify them.” Id. at 7-8. The First
Circuit then specified that a time, place, or manner regulation
could be issued by law enforcement to an individual filming
police performing their duties in public “only if the officer
can reasonably conclude that the filming itself is interfering,
or is about to interfere, with [the officer’s] duties.” Id. at
8.
We agree with the reasoning of the First Circuit and
of other federal courts of appeal that have considered this
issue. The rights to free speech and press serve not only to
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protect the individual’s right to self-expression, but also to
promote the vital goal of “affording the public access to
discussion, debate, and the dissemination of information and
ideas.” Bellotti, 435 U.S. at 783. Exercising the
constitutionally-protected rights to free speech and press plays
a crucial role in “informing and educating the public, offering
criticism, and providing a forum for discussion and debate.”
Id. at 781. This aspect of the First Amendment is all the more
critical when the ideas and information sought to be
disseminated pertain to government officials and law enforcement
personnel, “who are granted substantial discretion that may be
misused to deprive individuals of their liberties.” Glik, 655
F.3d at 82; see also Gentile, 501 U.S. at 1034-35. Public
access to such information serves to guarantee “public oversight
of law enforcement” and “minimizes the possibility of abuse by
ensuring that police departments and officers are held
accountable for their actions.” Peer News LLC v. City & Cty. of
Honolulu, 138 Hawaii 53, 73-74, 376 P.3d 1, 22-23 (2016)
(considering accessibility of police officer disciplinary
records under state public records law). In light of these
principles, this court likewise concludes that the “filming of
government officials engaged in their duties in a public place,
including police officers performing their responsibilities,”
Glik, 655 F.2d at 82, is protected by the First Amendment to the
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United States Constitution and by the independent protections
afforded by article I, section 4 of the Hawaii Constitution.
We also agree that this right is subject to reasonable
restrictions as to the time, place, and manner of the
photography or recording. See Glik, 655 F.2d at 84; Turner, 848
F.3d at 690; Smith, 212 F.3d at 1333; Alvarez, 679 F.3d at 605;
Gericke, 753 F.3d at 7-8; Fields, 862 F.3d at 360. Such
restrictions may be necessary to ensure that law enforcement
officials are capable of carrying out their duties and
maintaining the safety of both the general public and of the
individual conducting the photography or videography. We are
persuaded that the threshold requirement for the issuance of
time, place, and manner restrictions as set forth by the First
Circuit in Gericke strikes the appropriate balance between
ensuring public safety, preserving law enforcement’s efficacy,
and protecting constitutional free speech and press rights.
Thus, we conclude that the constitutionally-guaranteed
right to photograph or film the activities of police officers in
public may be limited by time, place, and manner restrictions so
long as a reasonable officer would conclude that the
individual’s action is interfering or about to interfere with
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the officer’s performance of his or her duties.14 See Gericke,
753 F.3d at 8; Fields, 862 F.3d at 360. If issued, police
orders pertaining to the time, place, or manner of filming must
be narrowly tailored to mitigate the actual danger or risk posed
by the recording and leave open ample alternative channels to
engage in the protected activity, consistent with established
principles of First Amendment jurisprudence.15 See Turner, 848
F.3d at 690; Alvarez, 679 F.3d at 605, 607; see also State v.
Bloss, 64 Haw. 148, 160-61, 637 P.2d 1117, 1127-28 (1981)
(discussing permissibility of issuing time, place, and manner
restrictions on constitutionally-protected speech).
As a necessary corollary to the requirement that a
time, place, and manner restriction be narrowly tailored and
leave open ample alternative channels of photographing or video
recording, the restriction in this context must also be specific
and “clear[ly] and unambiguous[ly]” communicated by the officer.
14
An order that a reasonable officer would conclude is necessary to
ensure the safety of all persons involved in a police stop--including the
safety of the officer--would be a reasonable restriction so long as it
satisfies other constitutional requirements. In evaluating what safety
precautions are necessary in the context of a stop conducted near moving
traffic, the officer may consider the risks posed by those vehicles.
15
As an alternative to ad hoc orders that may give rise to claims
of arbitrary enforcement, law enforcement or other government actors may
establish a uniform policy of time, place, or manner restrictions that are
narrowly tailored to prevent interference with legitimate police duties and
leave open ample alternate channels for accessing accurate information on
police activity. See Gericke, 753 F.3d at 7 (“Such a restriction could take
the form of a reasonable, contemporaneous order from a police officer, or a
preexisting statute, ordinance, regulation, or other published restriction
with a legitimate governmental purpose.”).
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See State v. Guyton, 135 Hawaii 372, 377-78, 351 P.3d 1138,
1143-44 (2015) (quoting LeMay v. Leander, 92 Hawaii 614, 625,
994 P.2d 546, 557 (2000)) (holding that a court injunction whose
violation subjects a party to criminal penalties must state its
terms clearly and unambiguously and “allow a person of ordinary
intelligence” to understand what acts are prohibited). Thus,
the order or direction must be sufficiently clear and specific
so that ordinary individuals exercising their constitutional
rights to free speech can readily identify the conduct that the
order prohibits. See id. (observing that requirements of
particularity and specificity are based in part on the concepts
of “fairness and due process,” which “dictate that a court order
must be sufficiently particular and definite so as to clearly
identify the conduct that it prohibits”). Clarity and
specificity are all the more important in the context of the
offense charged in this case, as under HRS § 291C-23, mere lack
of compliance with a police officer’s verbal “order or
direction” renders conduct “unlawful” that otherwise may be
lawful and constitutionally protected.
In this case, Russo was engaged in video recording
Officers Lawson and Fairchild as they conducted a traffic stop
pursuant to a scheduled law enforcement action. Whether he was
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acting in an individual capacity or as a representative of the
media,16 Russo’s conduct in videotaping the police officers in
public was protected by the First Amendment to the United States
Constitution and article I, section 4 of the Hawaii
Constitution.
Officers Lawson and Fairchild were entitled to issue
directives to regulate the time, place, and manner of Russo’s
video recording so long as the officers possessed an objectively
reasonable belief that Russo was interfering or about to
interfere with the ongoing traffic stop. Assuming the officers
so concluded, any orders or commands they delivered were
required to be clear, specific, and narrowly tailored to
mitigate the actual danger or risk posed by the recording, and
the directives were required to leave open ample alternative
channels to observe the officers’ activities.
In light of our disposition of other issues, we do not
determine whether the officers’ order to Russo satisfied these
requirements. Rather, we observe that “[i]n our society, police
officers are expected to endure significant burdens caused by
16
As the Glik court correctly observed, “[i]t is of no
significance” whether the recording is conducted by “a private individual,
and not a reporter, gathering information about public officials.” 655 F.3d
at 83. The constitutional rights to free speech and press do not “inure[]
solely to the benefit of the news media; rather, the public’s right of access
to information is coextensive with that of the press.” Id.; accord Fields,
862 F.3d at 359.
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citizens’ exercise of their First Amendment rights,” and, to
ensure the protections that the First Amendment affords,
officers may often be expected to show restraint when “they are
merely the subject of videotaping that memorializes, without
impairing, their work in public spaces.” Glik, 655 F.3d at 84.
B. Russo’s Compliance with the Officers’ Order
Probable cause to support a charge is “established by
‘a state of facts as would lead a person of ordinary caution or
prudence to believe and conscientiously entertain a strong
suspicion of the guilt of the accused.’” State v. Atwood, 129
Hawaii 414, 419, 301 P.3d 1255, 1260 (2013) (quoting State v.
Chung, 75 Haw. 398, 409-10, 862 P.2d 1063, 1070 (1993)).
Although the evidence need not be sufficient to support a
conviction, see id., this court has concluded that the
requirement of probable cause is at least as demanding as the
preponderance of the evidence standard. State v. Maganis, 109
Hawaii 84, 86-88, 123 P.3d 679, 681-83 (2005) (rejecting ICA’s
interpretation of probable cause as requiring a lesser quantum
of proof than the preponderance of the evidence standard as an
“unreasonabl[e]” “attempt to ‘water down’” the requirement).
In this case, the parties agree that “the best
evidence is the video itself,” and the parties stipulated the
video into evidence. In its oral ruling on Russo’s motion to
dismiss, the district court made findings based in large part on
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the video footage of the events leading up to and including
Russo’s arrest.17 The court determined that Russo was advised by
MPD that “he was in the area of operations where cars were being
pulled over” and that “he was in danger of being struck by a
vehicle.” The court then found that Russo was “instructed
multiple times” by Officers Lawson and Fairchild to “step back
out of the area of operation,” but that Russo “did not comply
with the instructions to step back and continued to engage the
officers.”18
The ICA majority concluded that these findings by the
district court demonstrated that probable cause existed to
support the charge against Russo for failure to comply with a
lawful order of a police officer in violation of HRS § 291C-23.
On certiorari to this court, Russo argues that the conclusions
drawn by the ICA and the district court with respect to his
compliance are inconsistent with the evidence because the video
recording clearly and unequivocally shows that he complied with
the officers’ order to stand and/or step back.
17
Because the parties agreed that the video was the best evidence
of what actually occurred and “the trial court is in no better position to
intelligently weigh the evidence than the appellate court,” this court may
review the video de novo. Fowler v. Weber, 607 N.W.2d 252, 254 (S.D. 2000)
(applying de novo review to video evidence).
18
In its COLs with respect to the charge of disorderly conduct, the
district court likewise concluded that “Russo refused to comply with the
lawful direction of police officers involved in Operation Recon to step out
of the area of operations.”
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The video footage stipulated into evidence by the
parties shows that Russo did, in fact, comply with the officers’
order. When Officer Fairchild instructed Russo to return to his
vehicle and turn on his hazard lights, Russo complied. When
Officer Fairchild waved his hand and directed Russo to “step off
to the side” to avoid getting “run over,” Russo likewise
complied--responding, “Okay,” and walking away from the general
area to which Officer Fairchild had gestured. When Russo was
subsequently approached and ordered by Officer Lawson to “stand
back there,” Russo complied by taking a few steps away from the
area and asking whether he could stand on private property.
When Officer Lawson responded that he could not and ordered him
to “stand back there,” Russo took several steps back towards the
highway and asked, “Can I stand on public property?” When
Officer Lawson then threatened Russo with arrest, Russo
immediately began walking backwards, away from the area and
towards the general direction to which Officers Lawson and
Fairchild pointed. For the remainder of the video, as the
police officers persisted in walking towards Russo and
commanding that he “stand back there,” Russo continued to walk
backwards and away from the traffic stop area. It appears from
the video recording that Russo only stopped walking backwards
when he was physically prevented from doing so and arrested by
the officers.
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Although Russo may have continued to engage Officers
Lawson and Fairchild in conversation and questions during the
encounter, the video itself plainly demonstrates that Russo
obeyed their command. Russo appeared to make a concerted effort
to comply with the officers’ instructions, and the video shows
that he walked away or backwards when ordered by the officers to
step or stand back.19 The parties agreed that the video footage
was the best evidence of the encounter, and the footage impels
the conclusion that Russo did, in fact, comply with the
officers’ order. Thus, given the evidence in this case, there
was no probable cause to support the charge of failure to comply
with a lawful order of a police officer in violation of HRS §
291C-23. The facts and circumstances as adduced by the parties
at the motion to dismiss hearing would not cause a reasonable
person “to believe and conscientiously entertain a strong
suspicion,” Atwood, 129 Hawaii at 419, 301 P.3d at 1260 (quoting
Chung, 75 Haw. at 409-10, 862 P.2d at 1070), that Russo was
willfully failing or refusing to comply with any lawful order
issued by Officers Lawson and Fairchild. Rather, as stated, the
19
We observe that the need for the officers to repeat the order to
“stand back there” may have stemmed from a lack of specificity and clarity
regarding where Russo could, in fact, stand. As stated, the “order or
direction” alleged to have been violated must be clearly and unambiguously
communicated so that an ordinary individual can identify the conduct that it
prohibits. See State v. Guyton, 135 Hawaii 372, 377-78, 351 P.3d 1138, 1143-
44 (2015).
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video evidence shows that Russo was complying with the officers’
order.20 Thus, the ICA erred in concluding otherwise.21
IV. CONCLUSION
Although the district court incorrectly concluded that
HRS § 291C-23 did not apply to Russo’s conduct and dismissed the
failure to comply charge on that basis, this court may affirm a
judgment of the lower court on any ground in the record that
supports affirmance, even if that ground was not expressly
relied upon by the lower court. State v. Fukagawa, 100 Hawaii
498, 506-07, 60 P.3d 899, 907-08 (2002). Here, an alternative
basis for dismissing the charge applies--namely, that probable
cause was lacking as to the charge of failure to comply with a
lawful order of a police officer pursuant to HRS § 291C-23.
Although the ICA correctly concluded that the district court
erred in its interpretation of the statute, the ICA erred to the
extent that it vacated the district court’s dismissal order and
remanded for further proceedings after determining that probable
cause existed to support a charge against Russo under HRS §
20
As noted above, because the video footage demonstrates that Russo
complied with the order given by Officers Lawson and Fairchild, we need not
address whether the order was “lawful”--that is, whether the order was
narrowly tailored, left open ample alternative channels to engage in the
constitutionally-protected activity, and was clearly conveyed using specific
and unambiguous terms.
21
To the extent that the district court’s findings and conclusions
are contrary to the video footage’s clear depiction of Russo’s compliance
with the officers’ order, they are clearly erroneous.
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291C-23. Accordingly, we vacate the ICA’s May 1, 2017 Judgment
on Appeal and affirm the district court’s July 9, 2014 Notice of
Entry of Judgment And/Or Order dismissing charges against Russo
with prejudice for lack of probable cause.
Jacob K. Lowenthal, /s/ Mark E. Recktenwald
Benjamin E. Lowenthal, and
Samuel G. MacRoberts /s/ Paula A. Nakayama
for petitioner
/s/ Sabrina S. McKenna
Richard K. Minatoya
for respondent /s/ Richard W. Pollack
/s/ Michael D. Wilson
40