Officer’s actions during DUI stop lose him his Tennessee post
While getting pulled over is never pleasant, most drivers wouldn’t expect the incident to become one of violence. If a driver follows the instructions of an officer and complies with the law, there is no reason for a simple traffic stop to involve a physical altercation.
Despite that rule, a Tennessee DUI suspect reportedly became a victim of violence. That violence was perpetrated by a state trooper whose job it is to uphold the law and community safety. The controversial August traffic stop resulted in two major consequences: a DUI charge and a fired police officer.
On Aug. 31, sources report that the now ex-trooper pulled a car over and began investigating the driver. Though there was apparently evidence to suggest that the driver might have been impaired, there wasn’t reason for the officer to resort to the physical violence toward the suspect that he used. For his verified wrongdoing, the trooper is out of the job and will not be able to make a DUI stop anymore.
But what about the suspect who was pulled over, beaten and charged with DWI? He is reportedly still charged with DUI, according to the Marshall County Tribune. Details of the arrest and the evidence that supposedly supports the criminal charge are unavailable.
In any drunk driving case, however, the actions of the officer or officers involved can be valuable to a person’s defense. For example, if an officer was unethical enough to use excessive force on a suspect, was he unethical enough to have made a traffic stop without cause?
A DUI defense lawyer knows what matters to challenge in a criminal case. Someone who is charged with drunk driving, therefore, should seek help from an attorney right away.
Source: Marshall County Tribune, “Trooper who violated policies and procedures terminated after internal investigation,” Oct. 23, 2013