Ohio Cop Pulls Over Black Man Who 'Made Direct Eye Contact' With Him

[Torg]

From the article:

"Earlier this month, a police officer in Dayton, Ohio, tailed a man by the name of John Felton for two miles, then pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal 100 feet prior to making his turn. To be clear: Felton used a turn signal, but he apparently didn't put it on early enough.


Only after handing over a written warning did the officer acknowledge the real reason he'd pulled over Felton, a black man who was driving a car with out-of-state plates: He had "made direct eye contact" with the officer."


If he hadn't recorded it we would never have known that direct eye contact by a black man was a reason for being pulled over.

Forgot the link, it is posted below.

 

[codflyer]

From the article:

"Earlier this month, a police officer in Dayton, Ohio, tailed a man by the name of John Felton for two miles, then pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal 100 feet prior to making his turn. To be clear: Felton used a turn signal, but he apparently didn't put it on early enough.


Only after handing over a written warning did the officer acknowledge the real reason he'd pulled over Felton, a black man who was driving a car with out-of-state plates: He had "made direct eye contact" with the officer."


If he hadn't recorded it we would never have known that direct eye contact by a black man was a reason for being pulled over.

Terrible if true...but this sounds made up (or very greatly exaggerated). Where is the link?

 

[lucas80]

Good thing he didn't whistle at a white woman.

 

[Torg]

Terrible if true...but this sounds made up (or very greatly exaggerated). Where is the link?

Sorry I forgot the link.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...n-making-eye-contact_55e0ad60e4b0b7a96338e614

Your reaction was perfect, thanks.

 

[Hawgk]

Believe it or not, I'm white and I got pulled over once for making eye contact with a trooper near Jarrell, Texas in a similar situation. I had driven past him several miles back made direct eye contact with him. The reason I had made eye contact with him, is that my brother in law was a trooper who worked the same area and I was curious if it was him in the patrol car. He pulled me over several miles down the road for what he initially claimed was beginning my lane change before signaling. After giving me a verbal warning, I got to talking with the guy, who knew my BIL. As it turns out, the highway I was on was a major meth trafficking route between Texas and the midwest. He saw my Iowa plates and when I made eye contact with him while driving the speed limit, it made me look suspicious so he he began following me looking for a reason to pull me over.

 

[Hawgk]

From the article:

"Earlier this month, a police officer in Dayton, Ohio, tailed a man by the name of John Felton for two miles, then pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal 100 feet prior to making his turn. To be clear: Felton used a turn signal, but he apparently didn't put it on early enough.


Only after handing over a written warning did the officer acknowledge the real reason he'd pulled over Felton, a black man who was driving a car with out-of-state plates: He had "made direct eye contact" with the officer."


If he hadn't recorded it we would never have known that direct eye contact by a black man was a reason for being pulled over.

Forgot the link, it is posted below.

Maybe I missed it, but is there any evidence that the driver being black had anything to do with being pulled over, or did you just make that part up?

 

[who r u]

 

[lucas80]

Believe it or not, I'm white and I got pulled over once for making eye contact with a trooper near Jarrell, Texas in a similar situation. I had driven past him several miles back made direct eye contact with him. The reason I had made eye contact with him, is that my brother in law was a trooper who worked the same area and I was curious if it was him in the patrol car. He pulled me over several miles down the road for what he initially claimed was beginning my lane change before signaling. After giving me a verbal warning, I got to talking with the guy, who knew my BIL. As it turns out, the highway I was on was a major meth trafficking route between Texas and the midwest. He saw my Iowa plates and when I made eye contact with him while driving the speed limit, it made me look suspicious so he he began following me looking for a reason to pull me over.

I believe that, and I also believe the guy is a jag.

 

[Hawgk]

I believe that, and I also believe the guy is a jag.

He was a prick and I also received a written warning for not having a valid Texas ID. The problem with that was, I wasn't living in Texas at the time. He kept trying to imply I lived in College Station, but I was living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I still had an Iowa DL with my College St. Iowa City, IA address and he somehow was thinking College St. meant College Station. He lightened up significantly after I named dropped my BIL and mentioned I was visiting my wife's family in Austin. He never acknowledged his mistake, but changed the subject to the drug route along 35 and sent me on my way.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Back in the day direct eye contact was called being "uppity." A ticket was among the mildest responses.

 

[HallofFame]

Got pulled over twice in Oklahoma City in the same night. Turned around in a gas station and drove down an alley. Must have been because I am white.

 

[jscott78]

Got pulled over twice in Oklahoma City in the same night. Turned around in a gas station and drove down an alley. Must have been because I am white.

Guilty of being white

 

[codflyer]

Sorry I forgot the link.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...n-making-eye-contact_55e0ad60e4b0b7a96338e614

Your reaction was perfect, thanks.

Wow...just watched the video. That cop was obviously trolling and it was probably racial. Ridiculous. Glad the guy recorded it, because the description in isolation sounded like one of those stories where there is a lot more to it. I thought the driver handled it really well. That cop needs to not be out in the field probably.

 

[like-woahh]

I imagine it depends on the state, but isn't it unlawful for a police officer to follow you for x amount of miles waiting for you to slip up and pull you over? Might have been one of those silly things I heard around the grapevine.

 

[codflyer]

I imagine it depends on the state, but isn't it unlawful for a police officer to follow you for x amount of miles waiting for you to slip up and pull you over? Might have been one of those silly things I heard around the grapevine.

People talk about that being entrapment...but I don't know what that actually entails and I am sure that it varies state to state and district to district. I am sure there are folks on here that are more in the know as far as that goes.

 

[HawktimusPrime]

Sorry I forgot the link.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...n-making-eye-contact_55e0ad60e4b0b7a96338e614

Your reaction was perfect, thanks.

Who cares what his describe is. Go change the color of your skin if you're so worried about black people. They aren't your pets who need to be taken care of like children.

 

[Cougar63]

Are you trying to say your children are treated like pets or pets like children. Why not just say pets who need to be treated like puppies or kittens? That's two analogies in one. Maybe it's because I'm tired, but that sounds weird.

 

[The_Joker13]

Are you trying to say your children are treated like pets or pets like children. Why not just say pets who need to be treated like puppies or kittens? That's two analogies in one. Maybe it's because I'm tired, but that sounds weird.

It is weird.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I imagine it depends on the state, but isn't it unlawful for a police officer to follow you for x amount of miles waiting for you to slip up and pull you over? Might have been one of those silly things I heard around the grapevine.

No. Think it through. Unless one thinks there is proof of intentional harassment, why would a LEO be in trouble for driving on public roads...he has to be behind someone most of the time.

Now, department policy may have regulations on how much time to spend watching one particular person, but not a strict rule.

Cops drive around...why would it be more unfair if they followed one car instead of several in a given period of time? There is no, "well everyone breaks the law, so that would lead to everyone being pulled over" hardship.

 

[WORTHYWISH]

I imagine it depends on the state, but isn't it unlawful for a police officer to follow you for x amount of miles waiting for you to slip up and pull you over? Might have been one of those silly things I heard around the grapevine.

There are stalking laws on the books.

 

[unIowa]

From the article:

"Earlier this month, a police officer in Dayton, Ohio, tailed a man by the name of John Felton for two miles, then pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal 100 feet prior to making his turn. To be clear: Felton used a turn signal, but he apparently didn't put it on early enough.


Only after handing over a written warning did the officer acknowledge the real reason he'd pulled over Felton, a black man who was driving a car with out-of-state plates: He had "made direct eye contact" with the officer."


If he hadn't recorded it we would never have known that direct eye contact by a black man was a reason for being pulled over.

Forgot the link, it is posted below.

Similar thing happened to my wife when driving a rental. She got tailed, i am assuming bc of out of state plates (AZ plate in IA), he pulled up next to her, she looked over and then pulled her over.

His reasoning was she was going "slightly over the speed limit" and she looked nervous when he pulled up and proceeded to drive next to her while peering at her.

No doubt he was thinking drug mule, hot lady for him to sexually assault, or stealing any cash he might find on her. Once he saw we rented the vehicle from down the road (bc of recall repairs being done on our other car) he sent her on her way....no warning or nothing. Douche cop is douchey.

 

[LifelongHawk]

I imagine it depends on the state, but isn't it unlawful for a police officer to follow you for x amount of miles waiting for you to slip up and pull you over? Might have been one of those silly things I heard around the grapevine.

Here is the 2 cent primer; each statement has exceptions and/or seemingly endless delineation of applicability

1. 4th amendment, not state law, controls-supremacy clause

2. stop requires reasonable suspicion criminal activity has occurred -probable cause

3. probable cause includes any minor law violation - 100 foot turn signal requirement and speeding 1 mph qualify

4. length of tail not irrelevant but far from controlling

5. court will invalidate stop if actual reason for stop other than probable cause claimed-Pretext doctrine

Generic 2 cent evaluation, this is bad stop.

 

[Panic1769]

Similar thing happened to my wife when driving a rental. She got tailed, i am assuming bc of out of state plates (AZ plate in IA), he pulled up next to her, she looked over and then pulled her over.

His reasoning was she was going "slightly over the speed limit" and she looked nervous when he pulled up and proceeded to drive next to her while peering at her.

No doubt he was thinking drug mule, hot lady for him to sexually assault, or stealing any cash he might find on her. Once he saw we rented the vehicle from down the road (bc of recall repairs being done on our other car) he sent her on her way....no warning or nothing. Douche cop is douchey.

Pic of hot lady?