Truth Emerging Re: Harris’ Traffic Stop
We haven’t posted very much on the Sidney Lowe, II issue or the Larry Harris arrest for speeding. (ARREST!! for speeding. Happens every day, doesn’t it?)
Today we have some new information and relevant items to share.
First, Sid II. We’ve been pretty pleased with the media’s approach to this story. There hasn’t been an unjustified obsession with the issue – someone must have told Barry Saunders to move along. It has been handled with appropriate focus and framing of the issue. The N&O ran a pretty good piece on the Sid II issue over the weekend that you can read by clicking here.
Second, Coach Harris. From the first day after Coach Harris was arrested for speeding SFN started hearing lots of interesting stories about the arresting officer (Officer King). We didn’t share a lot at the time, but we tipped our hand a little last week with our “Stand Behind Coach Harris” entry
At this point, we need to highlight that 850TheBuzz deserves major applause for the manner in which they initially ran the story. This link will take you to their entry at the time. Taking a page from the Duke Lacrosse Lesson Book, they should be commended for keeping their head about them from the start:
Without seeing the arrest report, it’s hard to know exactly what it was that turned a simple stop for speeding into a full-fledged booking. As someone that appreciates the job that cops do and who has a retired state trooper in the family, I’m all about law and order…but I would caution anyone jumping on Harris right away. Keep in mind, sometimes La Policia can react poorly if they’re met with even the slightest bit of attitude…so this might even be something that isn’t totally Harris’ fault…
…Seriously?!? How does 41 in a 25 equal the back of a squad car? When did Eric Cartman start working for the Raleigh P.D.? Respect my author-it-TAH!
As this issue evolved, we were VERY pleased to see Coach Harris take the offensive and file a complaint against the officer. Such a move sends an obvious message of Coach Harris’ complete belief in his innocence.
But, in today’s world such a move sends a HUGE signal to the public because of the existence of videotape. You see, policemen have video cameras in their cars, and this traffic stop – like so many others – was video recorded. With that in mind…do you really think that Coach Harris would file a complaint if the facts of the situation did not support such a move?
Additionally, what kind of a statement is sent by the fact that this video tape has not been made public by the Raleigh Police Department? I can bet you all of the season tickets that you can give away that if the video tape proved that RPD was justified in their actions that it would have quickly been released and this story would have gone away.
That hasn’t happened. That is very telling. Especially in light of media scrutiny regarding the topic like this article in the N&O.
Across North Carolina, the misdemeanor charge commonly called RDO ends in a conviction less than half the time. Nearly 140,000 of the charges were filed statewide in a 4 1/2-year period. Forty-six percent of those charges were subsequently dismissed by prosecutors, according to statistics from the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. The more serious felony crime of assault on a law enforcement officer had 1,264 charges filed in the same time period, with 22 percent of them dismissed.
Today, we received a little more information about the Harris traffic stop that we thought was time to share. The following is a paraphrased recount of a conversation that we had today with someone in the know that is very consistent with other pieces of information that we have picked-up over the last week –
The arresting officer, King, has quite a reputation as a real ass-hole. His uncle is supposedly on the force in a position of power and it is widely speculated that this is the reason King has the job to begin with. Over time a belief has grown that King has been protected by his uncle in past problems.
Within the last year, a District Court Judge caught King lying on the stand and filed a complaint with Internal Affairs. Let’s just say that the results of the investigation were met with significant dissatisfaction inside of the chambers of a lot of the judiciary in Raleigh.
The story that most are hearing has King approaching Coach Harris very aggressively and ordering Harris out of the car. Coach Harris felt uncomfortable and requested that King call for additional officer support because he did not like where the exchange was going.
Supposedly, the tape shows King laughing while saying that his suspect wants backup. When the second squad car arrived, Harris clearly identified to King that he was now going to step out of the car and King sprayed Harris with friggin pepper spray before Coach could get out of the car. Word has it that pepper spray is all over the INSIDE of Coach Harris’ car…which would not be good since it is hard for a suspect to be ‘dangerous’ and a menace if they are still inside of their car.
Hopefully this goes away soon after Harris recieves some vindication. If it comes out that the officer acted inappropriately, the Raliegh PD owes he AND the university a PUBLIC apology.
I work with off-duty RPD everynight, and one of them told me that he heard Coach Harris pulled the whole “Do you know who I am?!?!” stunt, and that the videotape would probably help RPD. But in light of all of this, and especially the fact that RPD hasn’t issued hardly any statements about the tape, I find it hard to believe that Larry acted all in the wrong. I hope your source is more accurate than mine.
SFN: I hear ya. But, to be fair, so what if Larry pulled the “do you know who I am”? Does everyone who pulls the high and mighty get pepper sprayed? If the officer was being dumb enough to be such a big jerk, I think most people would pull the “do you know who I am” card just to plant the seed to the idiot that they may want to treat you with some common-sense decency.
There is a difference of pulling “do you know who I am” just because you are going to get a ticket compared with “do you know who I am” and it probably isn’t smart for you to be treating me unfairly.
The pepper spray certainly explains the mug shot the N&O keeps posting of Harris. He looks really rough in that picture, not that anyone looks good in a mug shot.
The fact that this delicate little flower at the RPD felt it necessary to assault Harris is the thing that bothers me the most.
Pepper-spraying someone ought to be one of the things cops pull out in last resort. You can honest-to-goodness kill someone with that stuff. I was in a club in college where an over-eager bouncer broke out the pepperspray and damn near killed two asthmatics who happened to be close by. It was scary, scary stuff.
I don’t care if Harris told the cop to go eff his mother. That should never be what prompts a police officer to assault a member of the public. Someone is speeding, you pull them over. If you have to call for backup because a guy is being uncooperative, then do it. If you have to arrest someone because they won’t comply with reasonable demands (like…license and registration, please), then do it.
But you use pepper-spray and mace to subdue people who are being violent and are actual threats. If you can’t determine the difference between a guy being a smartass and a guy who is a legitimate threat….why are we giving you a gun???
“he heard Coach Harris pulled the whole “Do you know who I am?!?!” stunt, and that the videotape would probably help RPD. ”
I would hate to believe that it’s SOP to mace someone who plays that car or even curses at a police officer.
Anybody have any floss? I think I may have sock caught between my teeth.
1) N and O did happen to run the mug shot on the second article at the top of page one of the local section. No mention of Harris until page two, but i guess this is objective reporting on their part.
2) Tom Delay had a nice mug shot, but he had not been pepper sprayed at the time.
For the second article, N and O had many other pictures of Harris that they could run.
Thanks for the update SFN.
Maybe I am being crazy, but I wonder how many time Phil Ford’s mug shot for DWI ran on the front page of the local section?
Harris -2 Ford-?
Even if he did play the “Who I Am” card, I don’t see it being relevant to the outcome. Actually, it should have eased any tension, not escalated it. An ACC basketball coach is not likely to pull out a gat and drop a cop. I mean seriously, if I were a cop I would be reassured (of my safety) if I recognized the “offender”.
I don’t have a problem with the N&O running Harris’ mug. Afterall, it was a story about how a lot of the accusations of “resisting arrest” are total crap. If I had been arrested for resistance…I’d want that correlation to be made. I’d also want them to show a picture of me having been pepper-sprayed.
A nice reminder that this is how some local cops treat “speeders.”
This should be easily resolved due to the tape. The fact that nothing has come out makes it look like CYA on the RDP’s part.
great article on Lowe
Based on the above, the “Who I am” makes perfect sense. The officer approached very aggressively and Harris tried to calm him down by letting him know he was a respected public figure.
If everything bad I keep hearing about this officer is true, I hope his misjudgement concerning who he harassed this time gets him fired, no matter who he’s related to in the department. “After a long and thorough search, I decided cousin Barney was right for the job.”
Both of these events could not help but put a sour sort of ending on what was a fantastic season of growth and promise. You just hate that either is happening. They do not take anything away from the team or from Coach Lowe. Nevertheless the connection is there, in the media and on our minds. I hate it.
Hopefully they can both be resolved fairly and with a minimum of media craziness. You just have to feel for the Lowe’s as they try to help their son and yet deal with the facts in a nasty situation. Just hoping there is more to Jr’s story…
This sort of issue is so much more important than who might start at point guard or whether player A’s knee is going to hinder him in the fall. This is serious stuff. As a fanbase we just have to be careful and only discuss what we know and avoid making a bad situation worse. So far SFN is doing a great job in that regard.
Was that officer Roscoe P. Coltrane or was it Enis?
The comment about the reputation and history this cop has really does it for me. I hate to jump on the bandwagon, well any wagon that appears to be moving and dangerous to jump on, but that right there fills in all the blanks for me. And unfortunately this is the perception I/maybe we have of most cops. It’s sad really. Free Larry Harris!
you’re probaby right Noah. I just HATE seeing one of our guys.. particularly one that has had a reputation beyond reproach with a mug shot repeatedly in the paper.
Best of luck coach harris.
Actually- I think in this case unless the N&O is contending that Harris was roughed up (where’s Barry Saunders?) – shouldn’t show this picture. Ford’s mugshot never appeared on any paper I read.
A police officer should have no problem with an initial “do you know who I am” type statement. Especially given that they themselves use it all the time. I have an uncle and cousin who are policeman. I also have a cousin who is a dispatcher. Off duty policemen are stopped all time by on duty cops for numerous traffic violations. A nice little “you know I’m a police officer” while showing the ID and you’re free to go. They call it professional courtesy. It works for a lot of others too: dispatchers, firefighters, DAs, etc. I guess being a basketball coach gets you pepper sprayed.
Again…this should go without saying…cops who pepperspray people who say, “Do you know who I am?” shouldn’t be allowed to carry guns. I’d hate to think what the delicate little flower would have done if Harris had sneezed. Might have had to burn down his house or something.
as for the JR issue. i am friends with the some involved at the place that was broken into and have been keeping it mum for a while, but in one of the papers it said that Sid jr broke a water bottle over one of the guys head…… that is not the case, evidentally it was a glass bong that jr hit the kid over the head with. supposedly, the kid has had to have staples put in his face from the incident. it doesnt sound good for the lowe family… jr in particular.
and i am told, as is widely believed… they were tryin to jack money and tweed
Where is Dan? I’ve got a few facts for him….I’ll start by mentioning I have no beef with law enforcement, and very much respect what they do.
That being said, I’ll put my speedometer up against your radar detector from a quarter mile away any day for accuracy. I guarantee it jumped around 3-5 mphs before you decided on the highest one. Hell, in a court, cops have the ability to “estimate” speeds, and that’s fine for 90 in a 65, but not 52 in a 45…which is the particular case I mentioned before. For you to claim me to be ignorant because I mentioned cops fudge speeds makes me think you are not ignorant one, but I would seriously question your thought process.
As I mentioned before, Cops “fudge” on the speed they clock you at all the time! It’s their way of making a stop “look” legitimate when they just want to check you out — especially big black guys driving Escalades. For “DantheMan” to say that doesn’t happen shows his ignorance – especially considering that this particular cop was caught lying on the stand! He would lie on the stand, but would not fudge a couple of mph’s here and there??? Give me a break — DantheMan — your call sign says it all. “I’m the MAN” I’m the police, and if you don’t do what I say, I’ll pepper spray and arrest you!”
I have no problem with the Police — most do an admirable job for not a lot of money, but to try to tell me there aren’t bad ones is bull. I’ve known alot of police officers, troopers, etc., and they are mostly all great guys (many have worked with/for me) but they are adrenaline seekers….that can’t be denied. Adrenaline seekers and usually very cocky (i.e. “The Man”)
The “Do you know who I am” is a legitimate intro to a cop, but to some cops, it automatically gets them defensive — i.e. “I don’t give a rats ass who you are, you’ll do what the *&^% ever I say, and if you don’t, I’ll arrest you.” Happens every day in every State, Dan.
I hope Larry gets the cop put on some type of probation, and I think it may help recruiting in that we have a coach that doesn’t just take that blatant racist crap!
Good point SFN… thanks for the response
thank you for saying what I was trying to point out to “theman” TNCSU!!!!
lol… well put.
I was on my way to work last week at 3:15 in the morning when a co-worker of mine pulls out in front of me in his nice new daddy and mommy bought Z71 and pulls away on the deserted road. he dissapeared within a mile and a half. I came around a bend in a little town close to work to see some bluelights. I knew right away who was pulled. Kid got pulled over going 80 in a 45. all he got was a seat belt ticket. why? well… his fiancee is a Deputys Daughter… and his parents are strong christians.
he had at least 2 grams of coke in the truck.
I would have been up in Raleigh at the max-security prision in less than a half hour after getting pulled.
I for one am thankful for the sacrifices and dedication of law enforcement officers. As a sports car owner/nut I have my share of complaints about certain tactics employed by a few, but that does not lower my admiration for these brave men and women one bit. I think a few of you need to calm down a bit and let the facts emerge.