Marijuana and race

Andrew Lloyd Wiggins


Andre Lloyd Wiggins, a 59-year-old Army veteran, was pulled over by Hampton, Virginia police on May 14. The video shows him leaned against a van as officers search it. One officer is holding Wiggins’ foot in an attempt to remove his boot. Wiggins, who is handcuffed, can then be seen losing his balance and toppling over.

“[The officer] was shaking his head and he was apologizing to me,” his wife told local news outlet WAVY. “He said he was so sorry about what had happened and he told me that there was a tape recording of the incident, and he also told me that I could get a copy.”

As a result of hitting the ground full force, face first, Wiggins broke his jaw, lost four teeth and nearly bit off his tongue, local WAVY reports. He has had multiple surgeries and can’t speak.

He was not charged with any crime.
 

Police told reporters the van Wiggins was riding in was stopped at 12:30 a.m. because officers knew the person driving had a suspended license. Because it happened in a “high-crime area” and the time of night, they swept the car with a K-9. When the dog smelled drugs, the three passengers were taken out of the car.

A small amount of marijuana was found in the seat Wiggins was sitting in, which was why he was detained and searched, WAVY reports.

“Officers immediately called for medics and began rendering first aid,” the statement reads.

The video cuts off before aid arrives.

Contents of this path:

  1. Video released two months later
  2. Six stories of people dealing with Marijuana

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