St. Louis teen "was wearing an ankle bracelet at the time he died

[Lurker Deluxe]

71. I used to get stopped all the time

When I was between 18-24 I got stopped all the time by the police. I have been written quite a few bogus tickets, some of which I was able to beat in court and some that I was not.

I had long hair, a hopped up '75 pickup with illegal tint, a stereo you could hear a block away, dual with glasspacks that ported just behind the cab, and a feathered roach clip hanging from the rearview. I was high half the time, and the other half I acting a fool in some other way. When I got pulled over I was belligerent and always argued with the cop. I went to jail a couple of times and eventually led to a "felony possession of narcotics paraphernalia" that was so bogus is wasn't even amusing but was my fault, when getting busted for a half a joint and being cuffed I laughed at the cop, "I'll be out before the sun goes down". Yea ... no. 5K and two years probation because my lawyer said there was a 25% chance that the jury could come back guilty and I would have a felony drug charge on my record ... deferred adjudication here I come.

Now, clean cut, new car, factory tint, normal stereo, and nothing that makes me stand out from the crowd and I am generally home by 8. Haven't been pulled over (knocks on wood) in a decade and if you even think of getting in my car with a joint, pipe, or anything else illegal we will have an issue.

Did I get pulled over because I was black? No. I was pulled over and harassed because I was a stupid kid who thought he was invulnerable. Had I been black as well ... prolly would have been in prison.