Two Harris County TX Sheriff Investigated For Traffic Stop Racial Profiling

From MyFoxHouston.com

Two Harris County sheriff deputies have been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the internal investigation. The deputies, who were not named in a news release announcing the investigation, are the subject of a complaint filed by Torrance Valentine, 24, of Houston.

Valentine, who is black, said he secretly recorded the deputies during a traffic stop they initiated in southwest Houston February 11. Valentine's friend Fredrick Alsandor and Alsandor's 22 month old son were passengers in Valentine's Cadillac STS.

After reviewing the recording, which he said captured the deputies' conversations during the search of his car, Valentine contacted community activist Quanell X. Valentine and Quanell released copies of the recording, which is laced with profanities and racial slurs, to reporters Wednesday. Then he talked about the encounter....

“The[] black deputy comes on the scene and goes from zero to one hundred with his behavior,” Quannel said. “And he brings up, ‘ you smell like marijuana'.”

The recording does capture a lengthy discussion about marijuana.

“Why does your car smell like weed,” a voice is heard asking. Those words are followed by Valentine giving the officer permission to search his car.

“If it smells like weed, I can take the seat out of the car,” the voice is heard saying.

Valentine replied, “You can do whatever. You can do whatever. I don't smoke weed.”

Four and half minutes into the recording the voice is heard saying, “One little seed is all I need, dog.”

Followed by, “If we find one (expletive) leaf, his (expletive) is going to jail.”

Quanell said he was disappointed for a number of reasons.

“It's a shame and appalling that a black deputy will use the language used on that tape,” he said...

Nearly eight minutes into the recording the following words are heard, “(Is the) trunk open? (Expletive) just got his little income tax check. Got a new car.”

At the ten minute mark, the recording captured what appeared to be an exchange between both officers.

“Write that (expletive) a ticket for no driver's license, no insurance. That way we'll be justified for tearing his (expletive) up.”

Valentine, who said his biological father and step-father are both in law enforcement, walked away without a ticket.

“And you didn't even write him a ticket,” Quanell said, “Because they had valid license, valid registration, and they hadn't violated any laws. They didn't even get a ticket.”

“This is a black deputy talking disrespect about black men and black children,” Quanell said. “This is a black deputy.”

The recording ended with the following statement, “back in the day, we'd slap him right in his mouth,” followed by laughter.

“These two deputies should be investigated for their entire tenure as sheriff deputies here in Harris County to see how many people they've have beaten up," Quanell said.

*** Hat Tip to YouTube V-blogger TheAdviseShow for this story.