Judge Joe Brown offered some legal advice after a video of a young Black man being confronted by law enforcement made its rounds.
The video clip shows the young man going back and forth with a white man believed to be a police officer. It is unclear what prompted the exchange and the parties involved have not been identified.
They appear to be in a store and the young man claimed the officer approached him while he was checking out and asked him “questions about something I have no idea about.”
The young man then asked for a badge number but the officer claimed he did not have one.
“What are you asking me questions for if you don’t have a badge number?” the Black man asked.
“We’ll get to that later,” the supposed officer replied.
The guard asked for identification and the young man produced a social security card and another document. The young man told him he was 18 years old and a college student. Apparently, the teen didn’t have a state id but when questioned by the guard, he told him to look it up since he’s supposed to be a police officer. The pair was still arguing when the video cut off.
The video has been viewed over 4800 times, and prominent people like Bishop Talbert Swan have shared it.
The video predictably sparked a discussion about the officer’s inability to produce a badge number. Former TV judge Joe Brown weighed in from a legal standpoint.
“Actually, this cop acted within the Law. He wasn’t being very cautious however,” Brown wrote. “A ‘badge number’ isn’t a requirement. We don’t know why he approached the individual.”
A person asked what should be done in this type of situation and Brown reminded them about their constitutional rights.
“You should identify yourself. You’ve a 5th Amendment Right to Remain Silent,” he replied. “But you’re likely to be retained pending investigation if you decline to state or account for what you’re about. A lot of outstanding ‘wants & warrants’ are disposed of under such circumstances.”
This is a developing story.
