Pulled over for tinted windows that violate the law

[TimS]

Yea? And? And then you are arrested for possessing narcotics and are whining about your skin color being the reason?  

Two Black parents from Georgia are reportedly fighting to get their five children back from the state of Tennessee, a saga that began when they were pulled over more than a month ago for tinted windows and arrested for possession of a small amount of cannabis. 

Bianca Clayborne and Deonte Williams were driving to a funeral in Chicago on Feb. 17 when Tennessee Highway Patrol officers in rural Coffee County, Tennessee, pulled them over for “dark tint[ed windows] and traveling in the left lane while not actively passing,” according to the Lookout, a nonprofit news organization that broke the story and spoke with the family. 

After the car was pulled over, police found a blunt and a small amount of cannabis in a bag, totaling less than five grams of weed, according to the Tennessee Lookout. Police charged Williams with a misdemeanor and arrested him, and gave Clayborne a citation. 

But just six hours later, Clayborne—who was not arrested—reportedly had her five children taken from her and placed into state custody, after the state Department of Children’s Services sought and obtained an emergency order from a judge. Their youngest child is a four-month-old boy who is still breastfeeding, Clayborne told the Tennessee Lookout. The other children range in age from 2 to 7 years old.

The state, in court documents obtained by the Lookout, has reportedly accused the family of putting their kids in danger. 

Williams told the Tennessee Lookout that’s a lie, and that he believes the state “kidnapped” his children. Clayborne told the Lookout that her health has been impacted, including a trip to the emergency room for a panic attack last weekend that she attributes to the anguish of being separated from her children. 

A lawyer representing the family said their ordeal is “shocking to the conscience.” 

“I just have to believe if my clients looked different or had a different background, they would have just been given a citation and told you just keep this stuff away from the kids while you’re in this state and they’d be on their way,” Nashville lawyer Jamaal Boykin told the Tennessee Lookout. 

The Department of Children’s Services told VICE News in a statement that state anonymity laws prohibits them from commenting on active cases, and suggested that “anyone releasing the contents of a juvenile petition is in violation of the law.” DCS nevertheless went on to say that the Coffee County judge was responsible for the decision to put Williams’ and Clayborne’s kids in state custody.

 

I’m sorry, but traveling in an illegal vehicle with illegal narcotics and children might end poorly - stop blaming your skin color for your crimes…it’s getting old  Stop breaking the laws and you’ll stop being ‘singled out’. Yes, seems lien a minor thing to get pulled over for - but the windows were tinted…how can you claim racism when the cops can’t see you?  

[ByronPA]

3 mins ago, TimS said:

A lawyer representing the family said -  

“I just have to believe if my clients looked different or had a different background, they would have just been given a citation and told you just keep this stuff away from the kids while you’re in this state and they’d be on their way,”

I agree with the lawyer... Seems pretty black and white to me. 

[Ditchbag]

Running in the passing lane was the major crime here , lock em up !

[Brother Brian]

Ummm where are the narcotics ? Only mentions weed ..

[Jeff270]

A tiny bit of weed is a dumb reason to take the kids away.   Wonder if they had a history?  I blame the judge who signed the order. 

Edited March 18 by Jeff270

[Slacker]

I guess the question would be does the State of Tennessee put kids into protective services every time they catch Mom and Dad with 5 grams of weed.  If they do, then good shoot.

 

The window tinting is bull****.  That's like driving into NJ and getting pulled over for not having a front license plate.  

[Slacker]

Never... ever... give permission for a vehicle search.  You give permission and lack of "probable cause" is no longer available for use by your attorney.

[autonomos]

9 mins ago, Slacker said:

I guess the question would be does the State of Tennessee put kids into protective services every time they catch Mom and Dad with 5 grams of weed.  If they do, then good shoot.

 

The window tinting is bull****.  That's like driving into NJ and getting pulled over for not having a front license plate.  

The window tinting is not bull****. If you do something that’s illegal don’t be surprised when you get pulled over for doing something that’s illegal.  And it’s an even worse idea when you’re doing other illegal stuff like smoking blunts while driving with kids in the car. 

[PlumFishing]

Hard to believe weed is still illegal in many states. 
I got pulled over a few years ago and when I opened my glove box to get my registration officer asks what the pipe is for, and told him for weed. He said OK and we went about our business. 

[Slacker]

2 mins ago, autonomos said:

The window tinting is not bull****. If you do something that’s illegal don’t be surprised when you get pulled over for doing something that’s illegal.  And it’s an even worse idea when you’re doing other illegal stuff like smoking blunts while driving with kids in the car. 

When you are driving across 4 States, besides your own, do you check every **** law that they may have on the books regarding your vehicle?  In some States, that nice beach buggy pass that you are required to place in exactly this spot is illegal.

 

 

[woowoo2]

I believe tinting laws follow the state where the vehicle is registered.

 

[Slacker]

Nobody - except autonomos - has said they were smoking weed in the car.  The article says the cops found weed and a blunt in a bag.

[Slacker]

1 min ago, woowoo2 said:

I believe tinting laws follow the state where the vehicle is registered.

 

That would be my assumption, too.

[PlumFishing]

Welfare check on Slacker, please. 

[autonomos]

1 min ago, Slacker said:

When you are driving across 4 States, besides your own, do you check every **** law that they may have on the books regarding your vehicle?  In some States, that nice beach buggy pass that you are required to place in exactly this spot is illegal.

 

 

No, of course not. But you are either a fool or a liar if you claim that you don’t know that some states frown upon tinted windows. Don’t act surprised if you’re pulled over for such in such a state is all.