this post was submitted on 29 May 2026

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After Traffic Stop for Phone in Right Hand, She Called Out the Problem (www.nytimes.com)

submitted 2 days ago by silence7@slrpnk.net to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

70 comments fedilink hide all child comments

But before [the deputy] could get very far with his explanation, Ms. Thomas held up her right arm. There was no phone in it. There had never been a phone in it because she has no right hand.

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[–] kobra@piefed.social 141 points 2 days ago (5 children)

Video of the stop is here: https://youtu.be/47Em_6kCLqI

The reveal is quite hilarious but the cop doubling down is just cringe.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 1 points 20 hours ago

"Hand to God, do you swear you didn't have a phone in your hand?"

"Hand to God."

"Your other hand. Hand to God, do you swear you didn't have a phone in your hand?"

"Hand to God."

"Cool. Have a good day."

WHAT AN ASSHOLE!

[–] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 104 points 2 days ago (2 children)

He just didn't want to admit he was wrong. Fucking ACAB. Goddamn pigs all of them.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 46 points 2 days ago

He could've had a little fun that day and laughed with her and it would've been so freaking wholesome. Probably gone viral for that reason instead of due to embarrassment.

[+] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world -14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I mean, he was following his script. This situation definitely called for some independent thought, but in an unusual situation, he instead just barreled through and stuck to his script...

I'd say there's definitely more incompetence than malice going on here.

(And to be clear, I'm not saying this is ok.) Incompetence is a huge problem when it's in a place of ultimate authority, and it carries deadly weapons with the authority to use them. That is absolutely not a position where incompetence should be tolerated in any society.

But I do want to push back a bit in the tone you were setting, "acab, goddamn pigs, all of them"; that's strong, and again, I don't think this case was malicious, just dumb. Somewhat fittingly, I would call it pig-headed.

[–] 4grams@awful.systems 51 points 2 days ago

Weaponized incompetence is malice. They are about power, and it’s a huge display of power to put morons who cannot think for themselves in positions of authority. They know that these people are useful idiots, and they know how much it demoralizes the rest of us.

ACAB isn’t just a slogan, it’s a strategy.

[–] kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Incompetence isn't an excuse to be shit person and a worse cop. You convinced me that acab, goddamn pigs, all of them

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 58 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Couldn't think of what else to say, guy was obviously stumped.

[–] Grail@multiverse.soulism.net 27 points 2 days ago

He just didn't want to hand it to her

[–] Grail@multiverse.soulism.net 31 points 2 days ago

Why does he keep holding his finger in front of the camera? Is it standard procedure for cops to block their body cams in case they want to do crimes?

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

the cop doubling down

Bro he didn't just double down, he literally asked her to say "hand to God" to promise him that she didn't have a phone in her hand.

Like first of all, you're a cop, imagine you pull a suspect over and you say "I'm suspecting you of this crime. Did you do it?" "No." "Hand to God?" "Hand to God." "Alright go on you rascal, have a good day now."

Second of all, you do not say "Hand to God?" to a person with one fucking hand. Oh my god. 🫪🫣

Wondering if it's staged or AI or something.

[–] AzuraTheSpellkissed@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm retrospect, we can calmly reflect on the situation and imagine how we'd respond. But in an impromptu "this is happening right now, and I didn't even fully process that she's lacking a hand or that I made a mistake" situation, his silly behavior doesn't seem implausible at all.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Of course it doesn't seem implausible that a cop would act this way. But any normal person who would accuse someone of something and be met with this kind of conclusive evidence prima facie would probably not do this.

[–] AzuraTheSpellkissed@lemmy.blahaj.zone -3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In the heat of the moment.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Really giving that "boys will be boys" energy, are we? There's no "heat" here, what are you even talking about? As a cop, surely they've seen more "heat" than this. Armless lady bringing the heat, rofl

[–] AzuraTheSpellkissed@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm not justifying their stupid action, just saying that it doesn't necessarily look scripted to me, because "nobody would act that way"

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Then I completely misunderstood everything you said, apologies. 🤔

Anyway, they really could've had a wholesome time here but just ruined it with pride.