New England Patriots linebacker Elandon Roberts is claiming that he was harassed by the police, months after a traffic stop outside of his house. USA Today obtained dashcam footage of the stop which initially started with Roberts exiting his Porsche with his hands up.
Roberts tried to tell the police it was his house, but the cops demanded he get back inside the vehicle. On the video, Deputy Adam Watkins can be heard calling for backup because there was a “big black man” who “wouldn't comply.”
It wasn't until nine minutes into the video that the police told Roberts he was being pulled off for a simple traffic violation. After the incident, Roberts filed a complaint with the Sherriff's department about his treatment during the stop.
“Unfortunately, these types of things are happening all too often to African Americans,” Roberts wrote in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “People are becoming desensitized to them. Being harassed in your own yard simply because you are a ‘big black man’ should never become the norm. To the person being harassed, it is frightening, disrespectful and embarrassing.
“I have no interest in any financial gain from releasing this story. My only hope is that these types of bias-based traffic stops can end and that, perhaps, other black drivers might see how to deescalate a threatening situation,”
It's unclear if an investigation has been opened over the treatment of Roberts but it seems in today's world this type of treatment during traffic stops is becoming the new normal.
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