Ohio State Highway Patrol has recently made public the footage from the body cameras this past Thursday evening that provided more detail about the moments which led up to the arrest of NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert while covering a press conference this past week.
As one TV journalist who had been reporting on the massively destructive 50-car train derailment which took place in Ohio, Lambert was taken into custody and jailed this past Wednesday for simply talking during the press conference held in East Palestine by Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
As seen in the video, the members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol working alongside Ohio National Guard Adjutant General John Harris went up to Lambert as he was reporting live from inside a school gymnasium. “I instinctively put my hands on his chest to keep him from bumping into me, which I felt was inevitable if I had not protected myself,” stated Harris in a release.
Multiple officials with law enforcement stated to Lambert that he was going to be forced to leave the area or be placed under arrest.
“Do you know how quickly our lawyers can get me out?” Lambert shot back. “I’m going to listen [to the briefing] because it’s my job. I’m trying to listen and he [Harris] escalated it with me. I’m doing my job that’s covered by the First Amendment.”
Lambert pushed further as he seemingly ignored calls for him to leave the gym and was subsequently taken into the hallway and placed in handcuffs.
NewsNation has obtained new body camera footage of the arrest of NewsNation Correspondent @EvanLambertTV
FULL VIDEO ON IG & FB #EvanLambert #Ohio #arrest #firstamendment#journalist @newsnationnow pic.twitter.com/0gQS8jczDT— Nichole Berlie (@NicholeBerlie) February 10, 2023
Lambert was slammed with charges of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct and was expected to stay overnight in the Columbiana County Jail, but he ended up being released after a period of a few hours.
On Wednesday evening, DeWine expressed that he did not at all ask for any reporters to be taken into custody and that it is quite normal for reporters to speak live on TV while he is carrying out a press conference.
“Whoever was arrested had every right to be reporting and doing what they do every single day,” he stated.
Other journalists from all over the country made their way to East Palestine, Ohio, over the weekend after officials issued a warning about the noxious burning chemicals could cause a dangerous explosion or severe health hazard. Officials promised to issued charges of misconduct dur an emergency if they chose to not leave — with upgraded charges if they put their kids at risk.
Federal investigators said the crash was caused by an issue with a rail car axle.
