Quote:
Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn
Those two words....two little words....with so much power...."reasonable suspicion". What gave him a "reasonable suspicion". Out of state plates? She was black (it has to be asked)? She was smoking? I can't see how all of that adds up to "reasonable suspicion"
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You, like many, fail on two levels: You focus on one element of the contact, and base your conclusion on one personal experience of your own.
Rewind the "tape" to the beginning of the contact, and evaluate the events.
Some where out there in internet land you can find "factors" considered by patrol officers when evaluating a driver's ability to drive and/or whether or not their are impaired ....
1. Bland passes the trooper who is on a traffic stop.
2. He is behind her some distance after the stop.
3. She changes lanes without a signal into his lane with him behind her.
4. He pulls her over.
5. He casually and politely asks her for her DL and about where she is going.
6. He was on the passenger side.
7. He returns to present her with a WARNING TICKET to sign.
8. She was "irritated" and began to question him about stopping her.
9. She starts up with the cigarette and he asks her to put it out.
10. Up to that point the trooper engaged in no negative activities.
11. She did, when all she had to do was keep her mouth shut and sign.
As was reported she was "intoxicated" on a prohibited substance.
12. Belligerence was her response.
13. She was still being detained.
14. He asked her to step out of the vehicle, which he can do lawfully.
15. She refused.
16. After several orders to exit, he reached in after telling her he would.
17. She slapped him while she was sitting in the car.
18. ........End of story. She goes to jail.
Now you might want to explain why an officer had you on the side of the road for 2 hours? Or would you rather not? You failed to mention what State you were in when an officer asked you to recite the President's backwards for a "field sobriety test" ...... I take it you didn't hit the officer during your stop.