OFFICER MISCONDUCT AND THE PITCHESS MOTION
You are driving late at night and your eye catches flashing red lights in your rearview mirror. Your mind races—you were driving at the speed limit, didn’t run any stop signs or the like—why was the officer stopping you? You pull over and the officer swaggers over to your stopped vehicle. You sense something is wrong. The officer asks you for your driver’s license, registration, and insurance card; you produce all three. You are extra compliant because your sixth sense alerts you to be on guard; something is not right with this guy. He asks you to step out of the car. At this point you have no idea what you have done wrong so you politely ask the officer why he stopped you. Rather than respond to your question, his voice becomes agitated and demanding: “I said ‘Get out of the car!'” You promptly comply, feeling both angry and afraid at the same time.
The officer commands you to put your hands on your car and assume the search pose. Your mind is now racing—there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that would explain why the officer would search you. He searches your pockets and pulls out your wallet. He commands that you sit on the curb and begins riffling through your wallet. He pulls out some cash and tells you he is writing you up for several serious vehicle code violations. You know that is a lie. At this point, your brain kicks into self-defense mode. You ask the officer to return your wallet and money; the officer just laughs. So you stand up and try to grab your wallet. He gives you a big push, slamming you into your car. A struggle then ensues, which the officer initiated. Next thing you know, you are in handcuffs and being booked for resisting arrest and assault on an officer!