Litigant is accused of illegally recording custody conference and posting it on Facebook
A Pennsylvania man is facing charges of intercepting and disclosing private communications for allegedly recording a custody conference and posting it on Facebook.
Patrick Cline, 40, of Allentown has been named in an arrest warrant, Lehigh County prosecutors announced on Monday. Lehigh Valley Live, the Allentown Morning Call and WFMZ have stories.
Cline was previously in the news for carrying a large, white cross around Lehigh Valley, according to Lehigh Valley Live. He told the newspaper in a previous story that he decided to bring Jesus to the street while serving time. He was in jail for resisting arrest after a previous guilty plea to harassment charges, the previous story says.
The new charges stem from a custody conference at the Lehigh County Courthouse on Sept. 2. Those attending the conference were Cline, his former wife, the hearing master and a deputy sheriff.
The Lehigh Valley Times says Cline posted two recordings from that day. In the first, he says “Hello my wife” as he enters the hearing room. A woman responds, “I’m not your wife,” and Cline remarks, “That’s not what Jesus says.” A man can be heard saying, “Don’t start that again.”
In the second recording, Cline’s former wife says she is concerned for their children because of Cline’s religious beliefs and acts. “By the way I’m recording this whole session,” Cline says. At that point, the hearing master orders Cline to give his cellphone to the deputy, but Cline refuses, prosecutors said.
The criminal complaint says Cline secretly made the recording without permission, according to the Morning Call.
Cline told Lehigh Valley Live that he did nothing wrong. “They weren’t fighting fair,” he said. “They’re doing everything they can so I can’t have my kids.”
