The Miami Herald recently reported on a disturbing case involving law enforcement’s repeated run-ins with a particular man in Miami Gardens. Over the course of the last four years, Earl Sampson has been stopped and questioned by Miami Gardens police 258 times, searched 100 times, and arrested and taken to jail 56 times. Considering these substantially numerous run-ins with the law, it is surprising that he has never been convicted of any crime besides simple possession of marijuana. The offense he has repeatedly been arrested for? Trespassing at a convenience store. Sampson works at the store as a clerk.
Samson is apparently just one of many other store employees and customers who are stopped and searched by police. The majority of the suspects are low-income and African American. The Owner of the store grew so desperate at the interaction that he decided to install surveillance cameras. As a result, he has obtained more than two dozen videos since June of 2012 that depict some concerning conduct on the part of Miami Gardens police.Read More