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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
St. Mary Parish businessman speaks out against unjust traffic stop
ST. MARY PARISH, La. () — Michael D. Ruffin Sr., a well-known businessman speaks out after saying he believes he faced an unjust traffic stop that led him to be profiled for drugs. 'You're just looking to think that, well, this person could not possibly be able to do this without doing some illegal stuff. Everybody who knows me knows one thing about me: I work hard,' said Ruffin. He explained he was stopped by the St. Mary Parish Drug Task Force for a traffic violation for an improper lane change. He thought it was odd, because he's attentive to his driving and has experience as a truck driver for over 25 years. Already pressed for time to get to his son's sports banquet, Ruffin said he thought he would have gotten his ticket and let go. He said he was questioned about driving a Mercedes-Benz. If it was a renter or loaner which Ruffin explained it was a loaner. The next thing he recalled, a K-9 unit was called to the scene to search his car. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'I have no problem. If I did cause a crime or did a crime and you have to justify the reason for that crime, I have to deal with it, but if I have not done anything, I have not given you a reason to make you feel or think that I have done anything, but you just choose to go about your own reasoning and your own situation, and do it in the way you want to. That's not policing in my eyesight,' said Ruffin. Erica Johnson-Rose, who is a Visiting Professor of Law at Southern University Law Center also spoke on the incident. She specializes in criminal law and criminal procedure. She explained there are levels that enable enforcement officers to do certain things, which include probable cause and reasonable suspicion. 'Probable cause is needed to arrest a person. You must have probable cause. To be able to search; do a full search of a person, or search of a home, or a search of a vehicle, you need probable cause,' said Johnson-Rose. 'Reasonable suspicion is a lower level of proof that officers must have to begin investigating criminal activity.' Ruffin said the officers quoted reasonable suspicion for detaining him after stopping him for a traffic violation. When they asked to search his car. Ruffin said he refused. He then said he was detained while officers called a canine. However, according to policy as stated by Professor Johnson-Rose, to search, officers needed reasonable suspicion, which Ruffin says officers didn't tell him, and the officers continued to detain him and handcuffed him until the canine arrived. 'If an officer has a reasonable suspicion to believe that a person has committed a crime or is about to commit a crime then they are able to begin investigating their suspicion and it can move really quickly from reasonable suspicion to probable cause, but there are the different levels of proof that law-enforcement officers need to do that job,' said Johnson-Rose. 'Even a tip from a concerned citizen, or even an informant, that really is just ground for reasonable suspicion, so that allows the officers to do further investigation. You know officers will rely on their training, their experience to allow them to decide hey is this something where a person has committed a crime or is about to commit a crime and once they have enough evidence looking at the totality of the circumstances then it may raise to the level of probable cause and they're able to arrest that person or detain that person or do a full search.' A further example is Terry versus Ohio, which Johnson-Rose said is a seminal case in criminal procedure. It really established the foundation for officers being able to investigate more based on reasonable suspicion. 'The advice that I give my clients or give students in my criminal law class when it comes to law enforcement. The number one thing that I told them is to comply with law enforcement and live,' she said. 'Live to be able to challenge anything that you feel may be unconstitutional or have been done in violation of your rights, but the most important thing is to be able to live.' A statement from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office: 'This incident in question has not yet been adjudicated; therefore, we are unable to provide specific details at this time. What we can confirm is that all departmental policies and state laws were followed during the course of the traffic stop. The driver was issued a citation and released.' 'All traffic stops conducted by our deputies are recorded on body-worn cameras. Additionally, incidents are reviewed internally by Patrol Command and the Office of Professional Standards, regardless of whether a public complaint is filed.' 'The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the safety of both our community and our deputies.' 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Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Southern University board names new law center chancellor
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Alvin R. Washington was named Southern University Law Center chancellor by the board of supervisors Friday. Southern University System President Dennis J. Shields celebrated Washington's hire, saying he has been an extraordinary leader as interim and looks forward to working with him. 'As I step into this role of leading the Southern University Law Center, my primary focus will be on collaborating with our faculty, staff, and students to improve our first-time and ultimate bar passage rates,' Washington said. 'This goal is crucial for our institution's success, as it directly impacts the future careers of our students and further advances our mission of providing legal educational opportunities to the underserved and producing lawyer leaders.' Washington is currently the managing professor for the law center's mediation clinic and teaches courses on legal research, statutory analysis, alternate dispute resolution, and legal negotiations. He graduated from Grambling State University in 1983 and Southern University Law Center in 1987. He has served as a military trial lawyer and department head for the claims division in the U.S. Navy and was appointed as a special assistant to the United States Attorney General for the Central District of California. Washington's term as chancellor will begin once the board approves a contract. Honoring Black History: Southern University School of Nursing voted best program in the US Luigi Mangione makes first court appearance since arraignment in UnitedHealthcare CEO's death Judge clears path to pull USAID personnel off the job Trump administration reassigns acting ICE director Eggs seized at border as prices hit record highs in US Gonzales grocery store honors employee killed in June shooting Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
