FORMER D-1 BASKETBALL PLAYER PULLED THROUGH A CAR WINDOW BY HIS DREADS AND PUNCHED... HOW TF DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?! 😡

Here we damn go again.

Former Division I basketball player Tedrick Washington Jr. says he was cooperating during an August 19 traffic stop in Blytheville, Arkansas, when an Arkansas State Trooper smashed the SUV's rear window, ordered him to come through the opening, pulled him out by his dreadlocks and punched him in the face. The encounter was captured on dash-camera video.

And before anybody starts typing:

“Well, why didn't he just get out of the car?”

SIR...

WE KNOW HOW TF TO GET OUT OF A CAR.

🚔 HE WASN'T EVEN THE DRIVER

Washington was a passenger.

Police say the SUV's driver had been traveling about 119 mph and fled from officers before police used a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle. The driver, Adonerus Johnson, was later charged with felony fleeing, resisting arrest, DWI, reckless driving and other offenses.

Now let's be crystal clear:

119 MPH IS DANGEROUS AF.

Police absolutely had reason to stop that vehicle and deal with the driver through the legal system.

But Washington wasn't driving the damn car.

According to the report and video account, Washington briefly had his hands raised in the back seat before Trooper Theodore Henderson broke the window with a baton. Washington then extended an arm through the opening and was pulled through by his hair and punched.

THE WINDOW?!

Cars come with DOORS.

WE KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.

😡 “GET OUT” DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN “GET DRAGGED OUT”

Henderson wrote in his own report that he had ordered Washington to crawl through the opening where the window had been broken.

The trooper also acknowledged striking Washington a second time. Henderson said Washington “postured up” as though he was preparing to swing, which the trooper said prompted the punch. Washington disputes the way the encounter was handled and is reportedly preparing legal action.

Washington was ultimately charged with resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental operations. Those charges deserve their own day in court.

And THAT is my whole damn point.

LET THE NEXT LEVEL OF THE LAW HANDLE THE PUNISHMENT PART.

Officer makes the stop.

Officer secures the scene.

Officer makes the arrest when legally justified.

Prosecutor decides what to prosecute.

Judge and jury handle guilt.

THAT'S THE DAMN SYSTEM.

🚓 YOU HAVE HIS LICENSE PLATE. YOU HAVE THE CAR. YOU HAVE CAMERAS.

And this is where Lady Red gets pissed.

If somebody flees and you can't safely apprehend them immediately, law enforcement has license plates, vehicle records, cameras, warrants, investigators and an entire damn criminal-justice system.

I'm not saying police can never use force. There are circumstances where officers genuinely face an immediate threat and have to protect themselves or somebody else.

But force is supposed to be reasonable for the circumstances, not an automatic punishment because somebody pissed you off.

A badge does not come with a complimentary ass-whupping coupon.

👮🏾‍♂️ “PROTECT AND SERVE” HAS TO MEAN SOMETHING

Police officers have a difficult and sometimes dangerous job.

I KNOW THAT.

And I don't believe every police officer is bad.

But that's exactly why incidents like this should bother good cops too.

Because every time somebody watches another video where a traffic stop escalates into smashing windows, dragging somebody out or throwing punches, another piece of public trust gets tossed straight into the damn garbage disposal.

YOUR JOB IS TO PROTECT AND SERVE.

If somebody committed a crime, ARREST THEM.

Document it.

Charge them.

Take them to jail.

And let the courts determine punishment.

You don't get to be the cop, prosecutor, judge AND punishment on the side of the highway.

🎤 730 BOOM BOTTOM LINE

Tedrick Washington Jr. isn't automatically innocent of every allegation because we don't like what happened on that video.

And the officer's explanation deserves to be part of the record too.

But those questions are EXACTLY why we have courts.

THAT'S WHERE THE DAMN CASE BELONGS.

Not somebody's fist.

Not somebody's dreadlocks.

And not through a busted-out car window when we have been opening car doors successfully since THE MF MODEL T.

🚗😭

If Washington obstructed police, CHARGE HIM AND PROVE IT.

If the driver fled at 119 mph, CHARGE HIM AND PROVE IT.

And if an officer used unreasonable force?

INVESTIGATE THAT SHIT AND HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE TOO.

Because accountability cannot be something law enforcement demands from everybody standing on one side of the badge.

PROTECT. SERVE. ARREST WHEN NECESSARY.

AND LET THE DAMN COURTS HANDLE THE PUNISHMENT.

That's how this shit is SUPPOSED to work.

730 BOOM RADIO 📻

IT HITS DIFFERENT. EVERY TIME. BOOM! 💥