Videos Show Confusion as Florida Police Arrest People on Voter Fraud Charges - The New York Times

U.S.|Videos Show Confusion arsenic Florida Police Arrest People connected Voter Fraud Charges

• Oct. 19, 2022Updated 3:35 p.m. ET

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida announced successful August “a archetypal salvo” successful what helium called a long-overdue crackdown connected voting crimes.

But recently released assemblage camera footage indicates that radical arrested connected charges of voting illegally seemed puzzled and appeared to person tally afoul of the instrumentality done disorder alternatively than intent. The arrests targeted radical convicted of felonies, a radical that includes galore erstwhile inmates who had voting rights restored successful a process that near galore others uncertain oregon misinformed astir their eligibility to vote.

In the videos that were obtained connected Wednesday by The New York Times from the Tampa Police Department, those arrested repeatedly told officers that they were blindsided by the charges and had antecedently been cleared to ballot by predetermination officials. The videos were published earlier by The Tampa Bay Times.

“For what?” Mr. Patterson asked the officers, who explained that helium was not eligible to ballot arsenic a convicted enactment offender and was being charged with 2 felonies for voting illegally.

“What is incorrect with this state, man?” Mr. Patterson said. “You each enactment maine successful jailhouse for thing I didn’t cognize thing about. Why would you each fto maine ballot if I wasn’t capable to vote?”

“Oh my God,” Ms. Oliver said erstwhile 1 of the officers told her that she was being charged with elector fraud.

Byron Smith, 65, was likewise confused erstwhile officers arrived astatine his home, besides connected Aug. 18.

“What’s this about?” Mr. Smith said.