Not that long ago, we discussed a case where an elderly couple was pulled over by Tennessee police because they had Buckeye leaf decal as Ohio State football fans — including a leaf image that police mistook for a marijuana leaf. They were told to be more careful in showing such images in the future. It seems that the entire state of Colorado could receive the same treatment after Darien Roseen, 70, was stopped when he was returning from a baby shower. He says he was searched because he had a Colorado plate. Since the state recently legalized marijuana, Idaho State Trooper Justin Klitch allegedly stopped his car in what is being called a case of “license plate profiling.” He is now suing over the stop and search.
Roseen was on I-84 when Klitch followed Roseen off an exit. He says that Klitch did not explain why he was stopped but later said it was due to his failure to use a signal at the exit and bumping the curb. When Roseen said he stopped to go to the bathroom, he quotes the officer of saying “You didn’t have to go to the bathroom before you saw me … I’m telling you, you pulled in here to avoid me.” Klitch also allegedly asked why his eyes looked “glassy” and said that he suspected that Klitch had something “in his vehicle that he should not have.”
When Roseen noted that he only had valid prescription medications, Trooper Klitch allegedly asked him, “When is the last time you used any marijuana?” He was asked for permission to search his vehicle and Roseen refused. Klitch reportedly then said that his evasion gave him a stronger suspicion of illegal activity. Roseen finally consented to a search after Klitch allegedly threatened to make him wait for a drug-sniffing dog. When Klitch opened the trunk, Roseen said that Klitch announced that he could smell marijuana. Another officer was called in and Klitch said that the smell allowed him to search the whole vehicle. Roseen was put into the cruiser without reading his Miranda rights and his car driven to a search area where various officers searched it thoroughly. Nothing was found and he was given a ticket of “inattentive/careless” driving.
Roseen’s account contains disturbing similarity to other accounts of pretexual stops by officers seeking drug seizures. We have previously discussed the problem of such pretextual stops. For a prior column, click here.
The failure to use a signal at an exit is widely viewed as a transparent pretextual rationale. The removal of the car for a search is particularly outrageous. There is no indication of any disciplinary of Klitch or response to the allegations, though clearly his nose for marijuana needs some recalibration.
Post this in all the town newspapers, television news shows and web outlets in Colorado. When the Idaho license plates cross the border, put out an all points bulletin describing license plate number, make, color and description of car and occupants. They are likely to be carrying potatoes with contagious ricin which will destroy the potato crop in Colorado and if eaten by a human will make them puke.
Drug laws result in victims like the gentleman in the article – but the winners list is a long, powerful one that begins with the biggest drug cartel in the world, HQ
in Langley, Va. Add LEO, Lawyers, private prisons, bail bondsmen, suppliers of guns, ammo, spy equipment etc. – and you’ve got yourself a group of corporate Welfare Queens driving Bimmers, that would make R.Reagan’s mythical Welfare Queen look pale and weak, by comparison.
Vote HILLARY! — she knows Prohibition is the problem.
Idaho’s highwaymen must really be out of control to try this stunt on a 69-year-old corporate executive who never used cannabis, not that it would be any more appropriate to pull on a twenty-five year-old who does. May he win a judgement that gives Idaho pause before it does this again; may citizens defend themselves against these illegal depredations using any means necessary! Klitch should be fired, but he is an enemy combatant against American Liberty and should have no place in this country.
No argument there, Anne. If this nation was sensible about helping the poor, it would provide tax incentives to donate food to the hungry. Instead, politicians fund a food stamp program that enriches corporations, artificially inflates demand for food, driving up the cost for all taxpayers who, by the way, pay for the food stamp program in the first place. I predict that we will be sending food stamps to Africa in the not too distant future so the starving will have the choice to begin eating expensive junk food, rather than preparing meals from staples from scratch. And millions of gullible people will sign on in the name of helping starving people in Africa, too witless to see through the smoke in mirrors.
Darren Smith did the same post this weekend.
Rather than running guns to Mexico, wouldn’t it be great if the DOJ had a task force to travel around the country having stops like this one happen to them? After jailing a few bad cops, I bet this practice would stop. What a fantastic sting! Alas, another justice pipedream.
Be savvy, but NEVER consent to searches and ALWAYS record the police. In addition, law professor Mr. James Duane’s YT video says it best, “Never talk to the police!”
Just a bunch of potato farmers, wadya expect.
riccardocabeza – when my tags had expired I did exactly what the trooper accused him of. 🙂
“I’m telling you, you pulled in here to avoid me.” – Idaho State Trooper Justin Klitch
Gee, why would anyone want to avoid a cop?
I’m writing from Idaho, one of the dumbest states in the Union.
Well raff… You can only make such much money on potatoes…. Here ya have “Ida” left….. To go to Ore-gon…. So alls you have left is the idaHO state troopers needing your Dough…..
I detect a money making pattern here! These out of control police officers need to be weeded out, along with their supervisors that order this behavior or turn their head when it happens.