Video Transcript

NBCThis is NBC Ten News.

Demanding answers today we have this new video that shows deputies in Georgia searching personal items of the Delaware State University team lacrosse team. Just yesterday, the Sheriff said no personal items were searched. It was not a case of racial profiling, he said. When the team’s bus was pulled over.

The Liberty County Sheriff says he believes his deputies handled this stop properly. Delaware’s attorney general now does not seem to think so. NBC Ten Delaware reporter Tim Furlong has the latest.

It began with an April 20 traffic stop because the man driving the Delaware State women’s lacrosse team bus didn’t know commercial vehicles couldn’t cruise in the left Lane. But after realizing this was a team of College players, one Liberty County Sheriff’s deputy said this on the radio.

There’s a bunch of things school girls on the bus, maybe.

Then he said this to the players.

If there is something in there that is questionable. Please tell me now, because if we find it, guess what? We’re not going to be able to help you.

The Sheriff says their canine hit on something outside the bus and that was reason enough for them to start searching the players bags. And they went through a lot of their personal things. They even tore into an unopened gift from one player’s aunt. It was a dictionary. They found no drugs and sent the bus on its way.

We’re going to get out of here. You guys enjoy the rest of your trip.

In a letter to the Department of justice asking them to further investigate this stop, Delaware Attorney General Cathy Jennings says she is deeply troubled by what she saw and calls the deputy’s reasoning for the search questionable at best.

Well, my first reaction was it just wouldn’t that be allowed in Pennsylvania?

Enrique L1 Latoison is a Delaware County criminal defense attorney and NBC 10 legal analyst, and he says what happened in Georgia couldn’t happen here. He says PA’s laws have changed to offer more privacy to people unless police have not one, but two justifications for a search. The dog can be the first justification.

A dog sniffs around the vehicle and the dog hits or alerts. Probable cause has now been established. However, exigent circumstances has not been established.

But he says officers in PA still need to see something more to let them go next level.

I think that our Fourth Amendment protections are pretty limited when it comes to the exercise of our vehicles.

Dwayne Benson is with the ACLU of Delaware. He says while some traffic stops do lead to legitimate arrests for serious crimes, he says people of color are often over-policed. And while he doesn’t have all the details about the Delaware State case in Georgia, it’s hard to know if the officers would have done such an extensive search on a bus that wasn’t full of predominantly black passengers.

I don’t think those officers would admit that they treated these young women any differently than they would have treated a bus full of blonde, blue-eyed Villanova students. But we know that our internal biases do come into play.

Ladies, we don’t single anybody out and I’ll explain, this is our job. This is what we do.

Tim Ferlon, NBC 10 News, and Delaware State University’s President just released a statement minutes ago that statement saying it’s become abundantly more clear that this incident must be investigated by objective external authorities. He said he spoke to the Sheriff yesterday and the President went on to say the Sheriff’s public statement and the new camera video raises more questions than answers. So this story, it has sparked a lot of interest. You can watch Tim’s story from the beginning of the case on the NBC10 app and we will continue to follow the investigation for you. Now to newly released bodycam video showing deputies in Georgia searching items aboard the team bus for Delaware State University’s lacrosse team. The Sheriff said his deputies were in the right when they stopped and searched the bus, but Delaware’s attorney general is now calling for a federal investigation. It’s amid allegations of racial profiling. NBC10 Delaware reporter Tim Furlong has the latest.

Ladies, we don’t single anybody out and I’ll explain, this is our job. This is what we do.

Liberty County, Georgia Sheriff’s deputies might not have been able to know what the passengers on the bus looked like when they pulled the driver over for illegally using the left Lane. But the predominantly black team members are pretty sure the stop lasted longer and their bags were more thoroughly searched because they were black. And they’re pretty sure that’s why the deputies talked down at them and suggested they knew they had drugs in their bags.

If there is something in there that is questionable. Please tell me now, because if we find it, guess what? We’re not going to be able to help you.

The County Sheriff is African American and says the stop was legit because he says a police canine somehow smelled something outside the bus along the busy piece of I 95. One of the deputies said this on the radio before anything was even searched.

It’s a bunch of things school girls on the bus and find some weeds, maybe.

That search was extensive and deputies found nothing illegal.

Pennsylvania State Supreme Court said that you have to have two things. You have to have probable cause and you have to have exigent circumstances.

NBC10 legal analyst Enrique L1 Latoison says in PA that search probably wouldn’t have happened. Police need more tangible information before they can search personal belongings like that. Delaware’s attorney general has now sent a letter to the US Department of justice asking them to investigate the stop. Kathy Jennings saying she is deeply troubled by what she saw and calling the deputy’s reasoning for the search questionable at best. Late today, the President of Dell State University said he spoke with the Sheriff, but says the body Cam footage raises more questions than it answers.

We’re going to check your luggage, okay?

An attorney with the ACLU of Delaware says the fourth Amendment doesn’t offer you as much protection as you might think. He says. While some traffic stops do lead to legitimate arrest for serious crimes, he says people of color are often over pleased. And while he doesn’t have all the details about the Delaware State case in Georgia, it’s hard to know if the officers would have done such an extensive search on a bus that wasn’t full of predominantly black passengers.

I don’t think those officers would admit that they treated these young women any differently than they would have treated a bus full of blonde, blue eyed Villanova students. But we know that our internal biases do come into play.

We’re going to get out of here. You guys enjoy the rest of your trip.

Tim Furlong, NBC10 news.

Transferring ownership of your property? Stop by one of our offices today where we can help you get started on your deed!