DISMISSED! Bench (Judge) Trial: CDL Truck Driver Accused of Following Another Vehicle too Closely

[@nellallen2804]

Well done sir! That was a wicked burn! I didn't see that coming. Nice plot twist at the end. Well worth the 24 minutes of my day.

[@BranDone-qv6qv]

Nell Allen I found it odd that he said no and they just left it at that. I had an idea that would be brought up again. Great job by the defense!! Love watching him work.

[@earladams2836]

From the FMCSA site: CMV Driving Tips - Following Too Closely Following too closely may be defined as, “situations in which one vehicle is following another vehicle so closely that even if the following driver is attentive to the actions of the vehicle ahead he/she could not avoid a collision in the circumstance when the driver in front brakes suddenly."14 In addition to providing enough stopping time, proper following distance allows for more time to make good, well-planned decisions and affords other drivers the opportunity to scan the sides, look far enough ahead, and view the vehicle immediately in front. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) reported that 5 percent of truck crashes occurred when the Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) driver was following the lead vehicle too closely.15

[@Rowgue51]

I saw that coming as soon as he said it. There is a reason that the very first thing that always happens in a trial is the witness is asked whether the person they saw is present in the courtroom. If you can't establish that the defendant as that person then nothing else is relevant. The prosecutor should have known his witness could not do that and should have been ready with other supporting evidence to establish that fundamental fact. Even without that though, I couldn't see a guilty verdict on that charge. The entirety of the prosecution's evidence was a roughly ten second video that didn't seem to support the cops story. The car he was supposedly following too closely did in fact change lanes to get in front of him and was in fact slowing down after making the lane change. And the cop observed the supposed violation for roughly two seconds before deciding to make a stop. And truck was clearly braking multiple times in the time it took the cop to drop back, get behind him, and execute the stop. The cop's "math" is also completely absurd. According to his testimony it's unsafe to be any closer than 120 feet to the vehicle in front of you. That's nonsensical on it's face.

[@stevenmc764]

earl adams omg. You quoted the FMSCA. The FMSCA is a laughable waste of tax payer money. Their load securement rules barely scratch the surface of being safe and actually by following some of them make you more unsafe than using simple common sense. If you want to quote something. Quote the ICC on restricting interstate commerce.

[@oledahl.]

Rowgue51 I assume you have never driven a 20+ ton heavy vehicle (up to 35 tons in Europe). Do you know the minimum stop length for such a heavy vehicle going 55 mph? I'm gonna give you the chance to do the math but I can give you a clue: it's a lot more than 120 feet. I work as a paramedic and I have literally scraped kids body parts of the street for being hit from behind by much lighter vehicles than this. The prosecutor here was a moron and should be fired for being an idiot. A clear case. At this point the traffic rules are the same in the US as it is here in Norway; It is YOUR responsibility ( with only a couple of exceptions, one is someone changing lane right in front of you) to always make sure you can stop no matter what happens in front.

[@wilson2455]

when the cop said, " I couldn't tell whether the front vehicle was slowing down or the rear vehicle was speeding up ", I thought "there goes the case..".

[@xfallofmanx]

When he said he had no idea if the guy sitting in the court room being charged with a crime was the guy he pulled over I thought “Wait isn’t that the whole case? How can they convict this guy if the cop accusing him doesn’t even know if it’s the right guy.” But I forgot about that as the defense didn’t bring it up....and that was the plan. They whole thing was a giant misdirection tactic to get the prosecutor to think about other stuff until the end. This shit is brilliant in its simplicity and execution.

[@stevejones3438]

I actually thought that would be the point the defense could win on. Because the officer couldn't say whether it was the truck speeding up or the car slowing down. Which to me would be the doubt. And I also noticed the cop kept saying the truck was gaining on the car when he should've been saying the distance between them was closing. But the cop knew that inference so he kept using the truck was gaining description instead !

[@delightsantos7174]

Hah! Same!

[@thedirtymammal]

You still have to maintain a safe following distance. I can’t believe that the officer never used those words.

[@tylerscott2896]

@@stevejones3438 The defense also brought up the jake brake which I use to be a semi driver..You leave it activated in congested traffic like in the video...To quickly slow you down instead of getting on the brakes constantly..That semi driver was most likely restricted to the Right lane only in that area..and it’s difficult when vehicles keep cutting in front of you and closing the following distance...That Law Enforcement Officer made a terrible decision that day pulling the driver over.

[@Burn269]

When he said “ I can’t identify him.” The Defense knew it had just won.

[@fredkithcart5237]

Exactly and I also believe the officer testified that he reviewed his documents prior to the hearing. Every officer knows they have to establish who, what, where and how.

[@burke615]

@@fredkithcart5237 This wasn't actually the officer's fault. It was the county's attorney's fault. The officer has to answer the questions honestly, which he seems to have done. He wasn't asked the right questions, which is what the judge told the prosecutor.

[@darkomen42]

All he had to do was follow up, ask how he was identified, by his license, etc etc.

[@YouMakeItHappen]

What's the timestamp on that exchange? I don't remember hearing it and was confused at the end.

[@cjgameon264]

That was amazing!!!! That was very good!!!! Lol!!

[@Waylonvalnes]

I’m going on my 24th year driving truck and from the start of my day every day I can count on being cut off at least a dozen times!!! And from what I seen that car slowed down and that cop never gave him a chance to reposition his distance!!!! PATHETIC AND START PULLING CARS OVER FOR CUTTING TRUCKS OFF!!

[@anomilumiimulimona2924]

Waylon Valnes, Fn a right! I've said it before and it wont be the last time, but hauling 50,000 plus is no joke, and little cars crush easily.

[@werewally3156]

YES.

[@yoyo762]

Agreed. Brainless drivers think a big rig pulling 50k lbs is the same as a compact car . No, it needs stopping distance and space.

[@smartazz61]

How about guys with guns don't get to force you off the road to make the city money. It's a civil infraction at best. A guy with a gun and the authority to kill you if you don't comply quickly enough is a serious problem.

[@pointingdog7235]

@@anomilumiimulimona2924 it boggles my mind how stupid people are driving with trucks around them. I had a cop say to me one time that truckers are the worst and I said to him that my father was a trucker and I was until my health got to a point I had to stop driving trucks. I felt like telling him my Intellect was too high to be a cop. ;)

[@LouisGiliberto]

I grew up in a family of lawyers and judges, and while not in the legal profession myself, I've seen enough to know a good lawyer when I see one. Mr. Forman, from the videos, you're a good lawyer.

[@PrivateOrdover]

He sure is ! I think I have seen most of his videos and I must say he is one of the best lawyers out there !

[@Starchild42]

And, Mr Foreman, I would like to again request to your videos and the ending, please show the ending for our curiosity, you wouldn't throw away a book without reading ending...that's frustrating for viewer who are extremely interested in court case...thanks for your perusal

[@Starchild42]

⁠except he doesn't show the Ending....Arghhhhhh

[@webbac8491]

That's the difference between an attorney and a very good attorney. Welll done sir!

[@chuckmiller5763]

This is why you keep your mouth shut and get an attorney.

[@motodenn]

The attorney did his job, the cop on the stand ruined everything when he said he couldn't identify the driver in the courtroom. Should have prepped his witness

[@Gerald1062]

The officer couldn't identify the driver, but, the officer also said " he couldn't tell if the car was slowing or the truck was speeding. It will look like the truck is gaining on a car if the car is braking. The officer never got a 90 degree angle of the gap between truck and car as he said he does when he turns the camera to the side. I see many reasons for dismissal..

[@edwardsilva895]

or if the cars driver suddenly gets off the throttle

[@RobertGarlinghouse]

Yes! The cop was speeding, he had no idea of the speeds of the other vehicles, because he was driving too fast.

[@insidecat9934]

The real crime here is how fast the trooper drove to catch up to the truck and give him a ticket for something that might happen.

[@ScottHepworthSr]

As soon as I saw the video, that was the only thought that came to mind was look how fast this cop is going in this heavy traffic.

[@mauriccicastanelli2588]

It's call ,for purposes of revenue only.

[@ScottHepworthSr]

@@mauriccicastanelli2588 it's because they don't get in trouble for it

[@pointingdog7235]

And I have had cops driving so close to my vehicle there's no way they could get stopped in time.

[@smartazz61]

He couldn't tell if the person in front 9f the truck had just swervred there or not.

[@elchunkacabra1450]

ive been bingewatching your videos man and i gotta say youre on point. ive spent alot of time in court for numerous things and the way you dismantle these people is just so gratifying

[@brutus6328]

I have to say, I'm just a paramedic (LOL) .....but.....as soon as I heard the officer say he couldn't identify if it was your client or not I immediately thought......"well how can they convict someone if they can't even identify that the person being charged committed the offense?"....what an error on the part of the prosecution to not clarify how he was identified. Great job and great judge too!

[@yoyo762]

Its the most basic step in court for the prosecution to have the cop point out the named defendant.

[@brutus6328]

@@yoyo762 I couldn't agree more! I'm guessing The DUI Guy's face was all smiles from ear to ear inside when he heard that! LOL If you listen close, the cop says "sorry" to the prosecutor on his way out of the court room.

[@brutus6328]

@Funny Lady I was referencing the channel owner "DUI Guy" meaning the expression on his, (the channel owner's) face....( you MAY want to check out the name of the channel PRIOR to replying next and/or get a new set of "readers".......J/K LOL......I can see the misunderstanding)

[@brutus6328]

@Funny Lady Haha....that's what I figured. It's all good.

[@HIDAN228]

Good guy cop for not lying though, he just told what he saw

[@Jusoon]

I love that the truck driver was pretty obviously wondering what was happening after the court's decision and got the heck out of there as soon as possible after it was explained to him. Telling a client that he is free to go after something like that must be a great feeling.

[@thegoatley1]

I couldn't tell if one was slowing or the other was gaining...case closed.

[@boom_911]

Not really, as it doesnt matter. The proper protocol is to increase your distance if the car in front of you slows down. He was still gaining on him, and it obviously wasn't a brake check situation.

[@boom_911]

@@dougdavey9782 right. I said it obviously wasn't a brake check. If it was the truck driver wouldn't of been at fault. So either the truck was moving faster or the car was slowing down. Either way...being that he was still closing the distance and already far too close shows he was negligent. Learn some reading comphrension. And don't follow the mob. You can hate cop's all you want, that doesn't mean they're wrong in every single instance. Learn to speak the truth in every situation, instead of just opposing people you hate.

[@adamdaniel6245]

And right after saying that he goes on to say "all i know is that your client was gaining" lol .. it totally contradicted his statement

[@garyggoldtooth5220]

Too many beers the night before

[@heygus139]

@@boom_911 You of course mean you

[@tocolee6127]

Dismissing corruption 1 case at a time! You're not only fighting road piracy, you're fighting a whole corrupt system that is rotten to its core!

[@shadowbeast2276]

And a toxic police department culture based on revenue generation & near absolute immunity from accountability

[@rebelrrp]

Following too close is a DOT serious violation. That means that if a truck driver gets 2 of them in three years he/she loses their license for 60 days. Is it too much to ask that a prosecutor and cop take a case that can destroy someone's life and career serious enough to be able to identify the the defendant? Good call by the judge this case is a prime example of why you need an attorney when you go to work. An average person defending themselves wouldn't have known how to make that argument. Great Job!

[@poppiarlin5612]

Robert Parker This is also a good reason to have the Commonwealth held responsible for the defendant’s legal fees.

[@babydriver8134]

Dash cams are worth their weight in gold. Trucker should have one.

[@dchawk81]

@ahmed King Does your Volvo have air ride in the front?

[@freewaykenny8911]

I’m not a truck driver but I’ve sold a lot of tractors and I’ve never seen one without air ride cab if that’s what you mean Even the class 6 and up trucks I’ve had did and don’t take that as me making fun / being a know it all because I maybe misunderstanding or wrong but I think they all do

[@dchawk81]

@@freewaykenny8911 I was referring to an air ride steer axle.

[@TheAdmiralsRebelyn]

i ran a law office for years. i was the manager and atty who owned the practice's direct assistant. i went to court with him many, many times. he was one hell of a litigator. i enjoyed nothing more than watching him shred the other side. it was truly an art form. you remind me of him in many of those *little* extras that make you so effective. i've just found your channel and have been watching for a couple days. you sir, are an absolute monster to come up against. we need more attys just like you!!

[@rrmerlin3402]

" I don't recall noth' en but what's on the video " case dismissed

[@DylanMaddocks]

21:19 "I wouldn't say their are situations that if someone breaks it's gonna make things worse, I mean that's why they make brakes on vehicles" You heard it here first, there is no incorrect way to use your brakes! Let's get willy nilly now!

[@poppiarlin5612]

Law enforcement at times are their own worst enemy. How much did the defendant pay for his legal fees? Law enforcement loves to blame their loss of respect on race issues. Not always true. This is a very good example of why they are losing respect.

[@beastshawnee4987]

Steven Phillips certainly no reasonable person says all coo issues are race based, however statistical analysis shows strong racial bias in tickets. in sentences and in death rates. A Native American is much more likely to be killed by police than any other person, then a black person is also more likely than a white person. And when you take crime itself out of the factors and only look at people pulled over for no real reason or for minor ticketable offenses such as a license plate light, or improper lane turn, the stats are clear-cops are racially biased against POC.

[@corymhulsey1]

@@beastshawnee4987 race aside, the person's actions and behavior contribute both to being in an interaction with police and how that interaction transpires. It's difficult to have an unfavorable encounter with law enforcement without a person's actions premeditating and warranting the need for the encounter. Once that need has been met, a person's actions, attitude and compliance with the law enforcement officer are key factors to how the encounter will play out. I'm not saying there's no prejudice either way in law enforcement across the country because that would be asinine to assume that every officer is a perfect person just as there are no perfect citizens, but a person's actions play a large part in their experience with law enforcement. I apologize for any run-on sentences, it's late and I'm on mobile. Hope everyone has a great night, that's just my two cents.

[@kaplislemesis4789]

US have turned law into business, he was just makin money for his boss, he clearly knows there wasnt a violation there. But out of 100 false tickets like this 98 doesnt get appealed. Thats cash money, nevermind if the dude goes to jail, more money for the cops and the system

[@andresnoneya]

Well said sir!

[@whitewolf2907]

Hmmm who gives a truck driver the right to endanger the lifes of people driving in front of him. If the car in front of you slows down you do too and you keep your distance.

[@PlanetRockJesus]

The officer should just leave people alone unless there's some blatantly dangerous violation.

[@georgeforall]

PlanetRockJesus then when a truck slams into a row of stopped vehicles everyone screams that more enforcement should have been done.

[@adamunderwood4671]

PlanetRockJesus following too close in a semi is a dangerous violation

[@thewkovacs316]

the cop was doing his job he was just wrong in this case

[@richardthomas1566]

I bet the guy the truck was tailgating was glad the cop pulled him over.

[@JD21055]

You must be down low having any semi ever on your ass for being a slow driver

[@thepicker9079]

This was awesome haha. I love it when lawyers actually work for their clients. Some lawyers wouldn't have wanted to do this to the DA for relationship reasons and i find it rare to find lawyers who are not worried about anything but their clients best interest. Great work Sir.

[@marlboromatt5656]

Absolutely Brilliant. The Attorney was correct when he said “Engine Brake”. The police officer responded “Jake brake” which is just one of many manufacturers of the “Engine Brake”.

[@kentwaltersjr]

He could have also added. Most trucks brake lights do not come on. While engine brakes are in use. From what I saw. The driver had a reasonable distance, until traffic in front was slowing. Most likely caused by, someone ahead noticing the speeding officer approaching in the left. So they got nervous and backed off. This exact scenario is happening somewhere right now.

[@chatpilekid]

@@kentwaltersjr Ding Ding Ding! exactly!

[@TheFrogfeeder]

It’s actually called an engine retarder, but let’s not be the dictionary police here... ;)

[@robertcollins7515]

@@kentwaltersjrI am not saying your wrong, true for the past. we just got new 2019 International tractors. I noticed the the brake lights do come on NOW. No more brake games. Still plenty of Old equipment out there.

[@dennisw1836]

@@kentwaltersjr newer trucks brake lights come on with the jakes.

[@cdistasio]

The world of traffic violations is such a huge Revenue generator. Really if there was no money in it I don't believe much of anything would be going on with traffic violations

[@patrickwilson2650]

I agree. It is a racket

[@MrBubbahunt9]

Sad fact even though the defendant won he still has the incident on his driver's record...

[@awright119021]

If people didn't ignore traffic laws routinely then they wouldn't get money anyway. It's because most humans drive like angry toddlers that they have all the traffic laws and make lots of money off of them.

[@cdistasio]

@@awright119021 most traffic laws are absolutely absurd. They are designed to create a system that is easily offended by someone who's driving. It is a rigged game against you don't ever forget that. Cops, if they want to find a reason to pull you over, will do so even when they know it's completely unjustified.

[@Anon_E_Muss]

Road piracy on behalf of the state

[@wallacegrommet9343]

The officer was exhibiting body language that he was increasingly uncomfortable and wanted to get out of there

[@abdullahal-shimri3091]

yep. i see he's almost stammering.

[@totalpublicexposuret.v.cha2874]

[e-mail]

[@paisteuser06]

Nobody will ever understand what that feels like until they're planted before a real life judge in a real life legal courtroom. It's intimidating. I don't care how tough or macho you think you are but everyone stammers and stutters when they're being cross examined by legal counsel.

[@chatpilekid]

I saw that too after he watched the video. Did he just then notice that the traffic was slowing and becoming more congested? Even he was having to slow down before he fell back to make the stop. After the video, he was all swivelly in his chair uncomfortable. Had the failure to identify failed I'm sure the case was toast anyway.

[@spearboy321]

@@paisteuser06 especially when you write a bullshit ticket and hope the driver wont show up.

[@YTjndallas]

Watching this cop wring his hands and cover his face so many times in response to direct questioning and video evidence showed him thinking. “My case is screwed.”

[@christie4322]

The camera without a doubt saved the driver from being extorted by a lying officer.

[@boom_911]

Lol. The camera was proof of the infraction. The defense got him off on a technicality, which was great btw. To say he wasn't guilty after watching the video is just silly though.

[@ericwilliams6915]

@@boom_911 you can't say he's guilty either there was a lot at play there car letting of the throttle then applying the brake then the truck driver reacted by applying his brake

[@W0X42A]

@@boom_911 The sound of the engine brake was clearly audible in the video. When the officer seemed to not understand the question about engine braking and was only looking at brake lights, the case was won.

[@otherbob23]

Dont know if the front vehicle was slowing down and that's why the truck got close? 😳 there goes that case.... 😬 even I can hear the Jake brake on that dash cam..... dude was totally trying to avoid an insurance scam by the car that can decelerate quicker.

[@rippinreaper1353]

This is why cops need to be held to a higher account there tyrants that do every thing but there job up here they take woman behind a school n get in there pants this guy I hope burns in hell. Have a good day😉😉😉😉😉

[@couchtours8323]

Instead of shaking hands with the guys lawyer 24:11 he should of shook hands with the truck driver and apologized for making a fool out of himself but instead he tucked his tail and ran out the door

[@redbull8661]

I actually have to give this trooper credit for being honest. How many officers would have just said he's sitting at the defense table even though they didn't remember. We actually need more like this guy.

[@sorrygobbler32]

It's like that movie scene where they put the wrong person in the defendant seat and don't tell anyone, and the witness says that's them for sure 😂🫢

[@MarkSmith-xs4dz]

You can bet he got exactly that counsel after this disaster.

[@dennismood7476]

@@sorrygobbler32 Better Call Saul did that in his case. He had the defendant sit in the back of the court room while someone else was in the chair next to him. When the witness(I think a police officer) identified that person as the suspect when it wasn't him at all.

[@Voiceofchange-dr]

THE OLE "YOU CANT EVEN IDENTIFY THE DRIVER" CARD......BRILLIANT!

[@umeng2002]

It's the State's case, not the defendant's. He doesn't have to prove his innocence.

[@njc6985]

21:30 "no further questions your honor" we all knew what the decision would be at that point 😂

[@3DGFan9000]

pretty sure the note the judge was writing right after that was about the failure to identify. If DUI guy didn't go for directed verdict i feel like she was going to throw it out anyway.

[@ronclifford3336]

Great Job DUI GUY! Great Decision by Judge Wilcox as well!

[@Ourlandnotyours]

This is the lawyer I want in my case. He is the man, cops don't have a chance. DUI Guy just shows us all how the police make assumptions and don't do their job correctly. Half ass paperwork, half ass stop, and half ass statements. Well done sir you do a great job.

[@JeffryLandry]

Excellent job Counselor, I think you had a winning case even with a proper ID, but as soon as he said he couldn't swear on it today, I knew you had him.

[@JamesBond-pb2qy]

Still waiting to hear him say "I feard for my life " 😂

[@jerrymeeuwse859]

Lol and "stop resisting"

[@sandycartee2109]

Did not see that coming! That made my day. I literally laughed out loud when you made the motion. Well done!

[@ralphdrees8655]

If I ever have an incident in my truck in Kentucky, I'm calling the DUI guy lol

[@rickjason215]

The DA screwed up. Don't you always go through identifying the person charged?

[@Hanzyscure]

Can you identify this Driver? Is he in the Courtroom today? Please point him out with a description for the court records. Prosecutor should write that on the back of his hand.

[@rickjason215]

Hanzy Scure For a good lawyer that’s about as easy as it gets. I was on Grand Jury duty and the DA read the same notes starting each case. He had been doing it for years, but certain stuff just has to be said in court.

[@mikemojc]

@@Hanzyscure back of his eyelids. EVERY criminal case, the prosecution needs to positively identify the defendant. I've seen cases where the defense had an assistant attorney dressed in street clothes and the defendant all groomed up, in a suit, sitting at the defense table. The only witness the prosecution presents is a LEO, and the LEO will point out the wrong person. Defense attorney asks for a directed verdict because the witness identified the wrong person (he's at the defense table wearing the rock band T-shirt, your honor). I heard a PA object to a directed verdict with the statement "They tricked us, your honor!", to which the judge replied, "Your witness positively identified the wrong person, then you and the witness went on to say that this other person did all these things. In the Courts opinion, you have presented no evidence against the named defendant in this case. Objection overruled, motion granted. The defendant is free to go." Then stare at the prosecution like they were idiots. It was hilarious.

[@moparman1962]

Being an intelligent, educated, alert, attention-to-detail defense attorney for your client is not a crime...it is ETHICAL, SMART, FAIR, HONEST, JUST, QUALITY WORK and PERFECTLY LEGAL and CONSTITUTIONAL. (If you are accused of a crime, try to hire or get one of those to represent you folks, as is your right.)

[@gustavoguallar63]

The way the cop answers the question about the engine brake, looks like he doesn’t know how the engine brake operates. He replied that the light weren’t on.

[@moreygloss9248]

Wouldn't you have heard the Jake kick in?

[@dchawk81]

@Puff Dragon I can barely hear my Jakes and I'm sitting right behind the engine. Ain't no cop gonna hear them from inside his brand new cruiser and over his radio from 100 feet. Some modern trucks are just that quiet.

[@frontcentermusician]

@@dchawk81 If you listen carefully with the video. He had his car radio playing too.

[@elmerpridham7294]

Puff Drago

[@Darkrider8893]

@Puff Dragon I use my engine brakes everywhere I go including in the middle of neighborhoods. I fought a ticket in court on this and won, we simply went in and told the court, how can you penalize someone for using a feature of a motor vehicle that is not only standard but legally mandatory on all semi tractors, and that it is part of the braking system and using just brakes alone can cause the brake pads to over heat and fail. Case was dismissed right after that. To this day I roar to a stop at every light in town

[@JamesBond-pb2qy]

Engine brake . He doesn't know what that is but he is "Trained " to do Inspection s ? Wow!.

[@DavidBlake27055]

He also had no clue what overtaking is. “You mean passing?”

[@jefferyholland]

A good attorney already knows the answer or has a good idea the response to a question before they ask it. In this case the the prosecutor did not do his due diligence.

[@sdparrett]

When you’re not smart enough to do anything else to earn a living, be a cop. 🙄

[@DigitalIP]

Honestly, there are things that require a decent amount of intelligence to be a cop. It isnt just learn how to use weapons, subdue suspects, learn certain laws etc. Now while its true for most places all you need is a HS Diploma or a GED, many places require a college education to one extent or another. Being pretty good at mathematics is also beneficial for being a cop. (Not defending cops, just simply saying being a cop isnt merely grunt work, especially as you gain rank). Also, being a security guard is easier than being a cop so you may have the 2 mixed up.

[@robertbennett2796]

I wanted to be a cop to prevent this type of crap but decided not too

[@robertgrossman5626]

That was awesome. I was waiting patiently for you to bring that up. As soon as he said I can’t testify today.... I was like well then how can you say it was him. Awesome work. You are worth every penny you charge!! Wish you were here in Ga. love to see a good whooping by the defense counsel.

[@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP]

When I drove professionally- I would see the same Law Enforcement, doing their jobs too. I would converse with a few at rest areas, while on our breaks. One Officer explained to me- that "they're all speeding, they're all doing _something_ wrong, and he could take a nap in hiding on a municipal road, wake, then pull out and "pull over anyone he wanted" for speeding- and "anything else" that "came up during the course of the investigation". (Show me the person, I'll find a crime). That said- IMO the Trucker was following too closely, and did appear (to me) to speed up behind the car. This is loosely known as "bullying", to get a vehicle to change lanes, and give a Trucker more room in front, rather than slow down to avoid. I have seen many shady doings from both parties, it's all in perspective of the given situation. The underlying fault is when L.E. is allowed to "use their own discretion", rather than "follow the Law". There shouldn't be any deviation; either do- or do not. Police are not robots, and Humans are dumb, dangerous animals as a species- not capable of governing themselves- or each other. "Cop Haters" praise the law breaker, but then call the Police to help them, in their "time of need". I've been pulled over- and falsely ticketed- and I've been ignored two days later for the same thing- it all depends on who's working.

[@SuperBigdan24]

I've always said this Police are human. We all make mistakes both ways just depends on the day.

[@josettpenrod6506]

@@SuperBigdan24 but police mistakes can cost an innocent person a shit ton of money and possibly thier life.

[@StrawberryFields4ever65]

It's reassuring to see a judge that enforces the law. 👍

[@michaelh7527]

That was a good attorney and worth whatever the fee was.

[@pinnedout3793]

Well done officer, you knew what you were doing & saying & I respect that you played a part in helping a hard working American citizen beat the violation that you initially wrote him, again well done officer.

[@EyesonEnforcement911]

Wow... Mr. Foreman, you sir are an absolute gem. You're the 8th wonder of the world, my friend!

[@michaelkaine4590]

Listen to this dope. And he's given a gun?

[@cookielady9995]

Exactly! He uses the word "times" instead of multiply. Makes me more nuts than I already am.

[@theda850two]

,, & doesn't know what overtaking means, = not qualified to enforce traffic laws , holy cow ! such a moron....

[@ChuckWood]

He sounds so undereducated

[@MA-jx6in]

The expectation of becoming a cop must be lower than I thought

[@cjwatts721]

GED and 10 weeks of training in most areas. Takes more to be a barber

[@coronapapi]

Road conditions: Cloudy

[@heyinway]

Looked to be paved and dry surface.

[@adamstroh6815]

The highway was very “condensed”

[@scooterdooter]

Cloudy with a chance of extortion

[@clarkeugene5727]

@@scooterdooter Now that is a good one Truthat. I give you a smile and two chuckles.

[@joshuacollette1759]

As a former law enforcement officer, I have been through situations like this and I say “ok no problem” and I don’t write any more citations for that violation or really write any more traffic citations that I initiate...it’s my discretion, and I wouldnt waste my time anymore, especially having to come out to court on my day off for some BS

[@aaronjohnson8813]

I bet that prosecutor is kicking himself in the behind

[@moparman1962]

Wow, what happened to the video of all of the other cars traveling in relation to the accused truck driver around the 18 min mark? We can't see any of what they were discussing that was relevant to the defense's argument.

[@paulstough2995]

I didnt think it was going to go well for the prosecution when I first heard the prosecutor start to speak. He didnt seem to know what to do, or what to say and acted like it was his first time in a courtroom.

[@johnellwoodtaylor4769]

God bless her… An honest judge calling balls and strikes!

[@ronclifford3336]

Would a Reasonable person speed up when he saw a police officer behind or beside him/her? Most people slow down when they see a police officer coming up behind them? The car saw the police coming up behind them, let off the gas, probably didnt mash their brakes and in that time the truck gained on them because they were slowing down. Thats probably what happened. I agree with the officer that it takes several feet traveled before a person reacts to a situation, but since the driver didnt see any brake lights, there was no situation to react to. Maybe the driver did flip on his jake or mash his brakes when he realized the car was slowing down? Who knows? He obviously had his vehicle under control or else he would have hit the car?

[@code3responsevideos872]

Joe Deal the vehicle the officer was driving was a “slick top” with no light bar and was unmarked. I have been stopped by these mustangs and they are incredibly difficult to tell as a police vehicle.

[@ronclifford3336]

@@code3responsevideos872 Thats true as well. Id just about be willing to bet the trucker knew the police was back there before the police even got to him so I just cant believe the argument that the trucker sped up. Doesnt mean what I believe is true, just means thats my opinion, based on my experience. Everybody has one. Technology has come a long way over the years, some will say for the better and some will say for the worse. Theres good and bad in everything, so both would probably be correct.

[@tomaroni6670]

Great job! I've now watched a couple of your videos and I must say....Much Respect!

[@robarerobare]

What a wast of time and money!!!!!!

[@ronclifford3336]

That Trucker probably feels the same way but Im sure to him, it was worth it. How many non cdl drivers get put out of a job, basically for 3 years, over a following too close ticket- especially in this case where he might not have earned that punishment?

[@pointingdog7235]

And I've seen the police tailgating trucks on the interstate and secondary roads and I guess they feel they have the ability to stop faster than the rest of the world. On top of the fact that I was almost killed on a motorcycle by an off duty officer who in the long run ended my career due to the injuries I had suffered from the accident.

[@Letssee92]

Hearing the prosecutor apologize to the officer is actually hilarious at the end.

[@stevenmcvey3886]

I'm guessing this prosecutor was quickly dispatched to family court, whether he didn't notice or was hoping defense wouldn't spot the mistake he is out of his depth in that court room especially up against Larry Foreman probably the most respected defence Council in USA at the moment, great job Mr. Foreman sir, one of your best and there are plenty other good ones to choose from

[@82ndAbnVet]

That prosecutor learned lessons that day. You can bet your bottom dollar that he'll never forget to ask the cop how the defendant was identified!

[@mtbevins]

What drives me nuts is the cost and trouble brought upon an individual that has done nothing wrong. The scene depicted in the video is very subjective but when police weight their judgment in favor of a citation for their own benefit in the form of quota and job metrics it is not impartial or just.

[@robertcollins7515]

That angle from the back of the tractor is deceiving. You dont have accuracy there. I have thought people were too close, then as you pass you catch the whole view. Good on the driver. Nice fight. That's what they bank on. You just "pay fine,walk away"..

[@RBZ-1]

so this officer has no concept of engine breaking or the fact that applying the brakes in certain situations is not the best idea....like an icy road just as an example...derp.."that's what they make brakes for'

[@luclarabie3721]

I never even anticipated that move man that was brilliant...what we have here ladies and gents is one brilliant mother of a lawyer way to go Foreman!!!

[@thadrepairsitall1278]

One question I was wondering is how long does it take to determine if the semi is following too close or if the lead vehicle created an unsafe following distance for the semi. It appeared to me as though the officer did not observe long enough to determine if the truck driver was attempting to reestablish a safe following distance.

[@jrobbins707]

That was some amazing verbal jujitsu. Thank you.

[@JessE-gz1ug]

Yet 1 more case of innocent people vs corrupt road pirates who police for profit and not public safety. Its diagusting what police have turned into. When police see "suspects or traffic infractions" as $$$' instead of people is disgusting. You shine a spotlight on that and love your work!!

[@FastEddy1959]

I was intrigued when the officer said most people have a 1.5 second reaction time. If I had been the defense, I would’ve walked up and tossed something to the officer, then ask him if it took 1.5 seconds for him to react to the toss.

[@dohc22h]

So flawed that test would be. The only thing it would prove (testing the officers reaction time by throwing something at him) would be how much the defense lawyer did NOT know.

[@FastEddy1959]

J Oakley - please explain. My contention is that 1.5 seconds is a gross overstatement of average reaction time. An experienced driver can brake in reaction to a road event in less than 0.75 seconds. I remember seeing this on TV in a documentary years ago. It talked about how training (experience) can radically reduce the time it takes for someone to react to a particular stimulus. If 1.5 seconds really was the typical reaction time, baseball would be impossible.

[@eddilovee]

Ed Phillips 1.5 seconds makes no sense. Just like in the state of Indiana. You have to give at least 300 yards in order to pass. 300 yards to pass is a set up to give out tickets and extort the people. Minimum should be 100 yards in my opinion. 300 yards is way too far, that a car behind you might think you’re never getting over.

[@mikemojc]

@@eddilovee 300 yards is well over an eighth of a mile, nearly a quarter.

[@babylonisfallen4411]

Good think you weren't the attorney lol

[@Thandius]

When the judge said "let me just write a note, before I turn over" - Pretty sure the judge realized the exact same thing, that's why she was aware and so prepped when the motion was called that she had that immediate answer. Nice :)

[@cannoncarpetcleaning]

So why when they swear to tell the truth they don’t get In trouble when they lie

[@nickfehrenbach382]

Because they would just say that they was misinformed about what they felt was accurate even though it gets proven that they are wrong. They'll just blame it on lack of training/better knowledge

[@finris1]

Because prosecutors are the ones who choose to charge officers who perjure themselves, and what prosecutor is going to risk their relationship with cops (and look anti cop like people who support BLM)?

[@carlosherring7577]

Seems like it's ok to lie and commit perjury in some cases. Not just cops testifying

[@jinfante59]

Because they are above the law that's what they think

[@JeremiahDouglas]

If you notice his wording everything is his opinion and he's an asshole

[@TheGolfster3]

You can't recall the nature of the incident but you can recall a vehicle following too close to another vehicle? How ironic!

[@mehameha4453]

A warning would have been sufficient. I drove my own truck for years. Yes the driver in the video was following too close. But the officer was also following too close for speed when he got behind the trailer. There was no 2 second gap and I always slowed down and left at least 3 seconds when driving my rig. The cars are the problem but you have to back off and leave room. I see a lot of unsafe tailgating by so called professional drivers in Semi trucks. It is more prevalent than when I was out there doing it. It only takes once to kill someone and wind up bankrupting your business and your family. Leave lots of space around you even if it means you must back off. Perfect driving now for 44 years this June.

[@mehameha4453]

Jason Jennings That does happen. But safe commercial drivers instantly back off and leave that cushion of space. You have to drive for others. I have seen aggressive truck drivers who when someone does cut them off they crowd the offenders bumper. They let road rage win over reason. Not saying that is what happened here but there is evidence that the driver was following too closely and I could not count at least 2 seconds between them. I always allowed 3 with my equipment.

[@mehameha4453]

Jason Jennings I agree the whole stop was unnecessary. And like I said a warning is usually what most officers would do in the situation if any at all.

[@rufusm6]

You are absolutely correct, Mehameha, I've driven a truc k for many years also, and I see a lot of drivers that follow too close for a truck, as you can plainly see the truck driver never attempted to slow down, his brake lights never came on, even if the car in front slowed, the truck was too close to begin with ! He should have been a lot further back to begin with, to be a safe driver ! If I had been the boss of the truck driver I would have fired him, for driving unsafe !

[@mehameha4453]

rufusm6 Sometimes the comments I read here make no sense unless they are watching a different video. I just could not justify following anyone that close. It doesn’t matter if the car ahead is driving unsafe. But I see so many young aggressive truck drivers today. I didn’t get old by being stupid. Some guys are just too full of ego and are never ever going to admit they did anything wrong. Those kind are negative loud and extremely uneducated, thus they bore me. I prefer humans like myself that can laugh at themselves and realize they have no real control over anyone but themselves.

[@richb1576]

Procucution made a rookie mistake and the defense caught it. Good job. 👍 The Judge said there was good testimony but had to rule for the motion. This is probably the best video to show people who want to defend themselves. Who would know to use that argument to get you client off scott free??

[@MarineTrucker1775]

Wow! That tactic was great! I wanted to stand up and applaud you on that one!

[@JasonKifner]

When the client turned to DUI Guy at the end you can imagine the conversation went something like: Client, "What the hell happened?!" DUI Guy, "They dun fuq'd up brah. GTF outta here." Followed by a puff of smoke and a client shaped cut out in the wall.

[@S.JerseyJim]

The real question here is “ is this the hottest judge anyone has ever seen in a court room?”

[@craigmosley]

Kinda noticed that myself.

[@code_name_ninja]

Yes. She's so sexy

[@Redspeciality]

I’d almost break the law to be judged by her!

[@cpoul]

I bet DUI guy got laid.

[@robertrogers6099]

I've been before this judge, very honest, very fair, and VERY VERY SEXY. She looks even better in person fellas

[@JB-dk3qc]

An officer seeing a millisecond of something and making such a judgment is a f joke.

[@fls360]

Checkmate! And thanks for keeping the pocket pirate off the streets for at least a couple hours. LOL Nice and smooth as glass.

[@abrahamrosa8142]

That was a genius move by the lawyer. He noticed that during the states examination, the DA did not asked if the accused was in court, not if he could ID him. At that point, the defense lawyer kept it simple and stopped his interrogation. Brilliant! Also, that’s a great judge!!

[@frank6733]

That following to close is very serious for a trucker if a trucker get 3 serious csa violations you lose your CDL

[@ronclifford3336]

Actually its two serious violations in three years.

[@Robocline]

Craig G apparently you like to drive slow in the middle lanes. You may have noticed the signs that say trucks use two right lanes. Those aren’t just suggestions. If you’re in the second lane going slow and matching the speed of the person in the right lane you’re going to get trucks run up on you. They can’t pass on the right because it’s blocked and passing on the left is illegal. Moral of the story is get out of the middle or left lanes unless you’re passing someone.

[@leftlane9750]

Craig G I would also like to say the same thing Robert said a lot of cars in passenger vehicles on the highway do you not understand it is illegal for us to be in the left lane although we do it or I should say I do it for a safety reasons, trucks in the right lane or even two right lanes in the city with on ramps merging on automobiles it is not very safety conscience to have a 70 foot barrier in the way especially one that is rolling the same direction most trucks are driving through town in the left lane is a lot safer

[@rosh_corbinSC]

ADA @ 22:16 That sinking moment when you realize you should have known the answer to the question you asked your witness before you asked it.

[@pjtja9523]

Its ok for the officer to drive 80miles an hour...

[@budalanemac3115]

@Rafael Felan Go go power rangers

[@cbritt7637]

I personally think if the state does something like this, they fail to have any evidence or they violated someone's rights they should have to reimburse the defendant for legal fees. If they would have to do that I guarantee police and DA would do their job right. It would stop malicious prosecution as well.

[@dwayners13]

So how long did you have that card in your hand before you decide to play it, or did you just realize you had it?

[@ganashal]

He waited until the Commonwealth was unable to bring any further witnesses and/or evidence in the manner that the Judge stated. If he had brought it up during his cross the prosecutor would have come back to it on his redirect. If he had brought it up before the prosecutor had declared no more witnesses then they would have recalled the officer, or called some other witness to rebut. He basically held out until the other guys had showed that they had not done their job correctly. Well played.

[@moreygloss9248]

Classic mis-direction. All the BS with the video et al was pure smoke, he had the ID notion up his sleeve the whole time.

[@ganashal]

@@moreygloss9248 yeah totally. Plus, just in case the judge somehow decided to go against him (which still would have left room for appeal) he wanted to set himself up in case he had to go forward too

[@TheDUIGuyPlus]

I already knew when the judge asked for a moment to write something down because she wrote down exactly what I was thinking because she gave me a glance and at that moment I knew that we were both on the same page

[@moreygloss9248]

@@TheDUIGuyPlus It's kinda odd, because in my country I sat in court waiting for my time and someone before me suggested that the mis-spelling of his name plus the incorrect date on his ticket might get him off. The judge just said "if that's not you, please explain how you came to be in possession of that ticket and why you feel compelled to come to court to defend yourself", Why didn't this judge do the same in this case?

[@SnickleFritz]

Officer: “Maybe if I sound like I am good at math I’ll look trustworthy.” 14:23 I love how he is hugging himself for comfort. He can sit still and is turning side to side. His posture isn’t totally straight. He is lean just slightly forward. These are things cop use against us when asking us questions as indicators that we are “hiding something”. So what do you think he’s doing? Lol.

[@DandyBeingTandi]

I loved how Larry gave the cop (& prosecutor!) the handshake and the "good ole pal" slap on the shoulder at the end, like he honestly felt bad for the guy 😂😂😂😂

[@xa9590]

I like how cordial everyone is with each other and everyone shook hands at the end.

[@ericwsmith7722]

" I am also certified in commercial vehicle inspections" ...professional policing for profit,

[@gtoal3891]

Damn this cop is so full of himself but he is not trained properly

This moron can’t be trained . He’s s moron .

[@jameswest9261]

Is there a cop who isn't so full of himself and is trained properly?

[@MrJPort10]

19:10 and thats when.... nevermind he's a cop he is probably clueless but anyway That's when WE knew he fked up

[@simonsantander248]

I SEEN THEM PULL TRUCKS TO FILL THEIR QUOTAS AT THE EXPENSE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FEED YOUR FAMILY THROUGH THIS INDUSTRY. THEY THINK IS FUNNY.

[@walkermom100]

Yes because the fines are higher.

[@JohnJones-cg2xm]

They pull over sports cars even more often than trucks. Didn't get a ticket in 20 year, then got four in the first two years of owning a sports car. All for lower speeds than I drove in my family car.

[@karenhanes9887]

No such thing as quotas

[@joebarbjb6668]

SIMON SANTANDER you’re full of shit.

[@jameswoughter4150]

As a prior leo... there's no qoata!

[@livingforJesus2120]

My oh my, that was entertaining. We ALL make mistakes and this one was a big fat one. I'm impressed.

[@bill3641]

The cop could have made a positive impression by stopping the truck and suggesting that the driver watch his following distance instead of jumping on the quota wagon .

[@Matt-kg3ge]

You really think that they have a quota. I have friends who are Dot officers who I served with in the marine corps and family members who were and retired from both state and federal Dot officers and when I asked them about a quota they laughed and said that they didn't like writing tickets cause it took to much time to mess with. And that there is no quota for it cause if there were they would have met it in one day. So also I have been and still are driving over the road for 40 years. And I think that when I hear or read that people in general think that there is a quota that's funny.

[@saywhat3104]

Lmao your an idiot my dude of course they have a quota every truck driver is aware of BLitz week, it when state troopers go out trying to write as many tickets as possible to increase state revenue and increase the “good guy” statistic

[@Hooverdarnit]

@@Matt-kg3ge Well guess what. There are plenty of counties and cities that do have UNWRITTEN quotas for traffic stops.

[@RemmySkye]

Hows the county feel about their cops driving mustang's? I'm sure it's totally necessary right?

[@cannoncarpetcleaning]

Plus the cop didn’t know if the car slowed down or if the truck speed up, that’s dismissed alone!!

[@mikemojc]

That's a judgement call that the defense would have been able to tear to shreds, had they gotten that far.

[@davereeves1967]

It's your responsibility as the following driver to maintain a safe distance, even if that means braking because the vehicle in front of you slows down.

[@jeffhaman9010]

I wonder where they came up with the second and a half reaction time?

[@simonsantander248]

THEY SEE A BRAND NEW TRUCK...AND PULL IT TO THE SIDE FOR INSPECTION.

[@colinsphoneemail]

Not always. I was in 3 brand new trucks. Its usually the older ones they look for problems on. Also, all 3 new ones i was in, 2019 volvo, 2020 LT and a 2020 peterbilt 579. They all had that radar and auto breaking.

[@mikekeaton6067]

True. I was told that by the DOT. Nice new truck= easy inspection

[@Angel04166]

Love watching you and glad that we got to see the outcome 😊

[@usfreight]

Use to be they would care that a ticket would impact negativity on someone's livelihood and take that in consideration. No longer does this apply.

[@13UB187]

It's us against them. Them being the police state who have a standing army we were warned about.

[@Randomvidz657]

This is why every officer should also have a bodycam turned on for every encounter, if it turns in to citation, have the bodycam footage linked to that citation, 2 years down the line you're going to court, load up the bodycam footage and you'll never have to worry about forgetting a face.

[@dsabre4990]

Great job. DA probably won't make that mistake again.

[@volodyanarchist]

This was a teaching moment.

[@grrmonkey]

I've heard of one committing that mistake back to back lol