In the Hammer of God, a critical clue in the murder of a leading scientist is provided by a close examination of a street camera video.  Even two years ago the editorial discussion was, “Is that two convenient?” I mean a video camera just happened to catch the moment? Is anyone going to believe that?

Well welcome to “It’s Only Fiction ‘Til It Happens!” Love it or hate it, today, there are more cameras everywhere than ever before.  Miniaturization, Wi-fi and Blue Tooth pretty much brings available retail technology into the realm of ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘James Bond’.  You can literally just place a camera with a sticky back anywhere and remotely view, record or analyze it, over the Internet!  Radio Shack availability of what, 30 years ago, was top-secret spy craft; devices that would have entirely changed the Cold War.  This week the Israelis were accused of using camera-toting Vultures to spy on Syria!

There was an execution style killing in broad daylight on Broadway in New York.  A very similar “broad daylight” circumstance to the murder in Hammer of God.  And here again, the police have multiple videos to help them solve the case.

So in this case “Big Brother” watching is a good thing.  The question is, how much, how far, how invasive could it, should it go?  That is a question for society and ethicist to wrangle with.

For a writer, it’s a godsend.  Imagine the possibilities.  Surveillance cameras, ATM camera’s, red light cams, bus cams, train station cams, street cams, border drones, traffic drones, police drones, every smart phone, and tourist camera.  All to be used as foils, blinds, misdirection or proof in modern storylines.

Or maybe not so modern, in one of my screenplays, Smile… You’re Dead!, during an autopsy a New York coroner quotes from an British novel published in the 1800’s,

“The click of the camera-shutter would lead to the snap of the hangman’s trap – was how I believe it was stated in the novel Jack the Ripper.”

Lets hope that in the case of yesterday’s cold, deliberate, lunchtime execution “the flicker of the video camera leads to the snap of the electric chair’s switch!”

BS (BlogScript): It won’t because in New York State it could only lead to life without the possibility of parole. But I think it’s a snappier quote with the ‘electric chair’ –