Power Lines

Snohomish, Washington, officials have settled a suit brought by the ACLU on behalf of Shirley Scheier, an art professor who was detained and handcuffed by police for photographing power lines. The city decided to settle after federal judge rejected their plea to dismiss the case and ruled the officers had violated her Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. Despite that ruling and despite the $8,000 settlement, city manager Larry Bauman said the officers acted appropriately.