Court: Middle finger didnโt warrant traffic stop
RALEIGH, N.C. โ A state trooper's decision to stop a driver who flashed an obscene hand gesture wasn't justified, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled Friday, overturning lower court decisions. Ellis' back-and-forth waving motion with his hand outside the window turned into a pumping up-and-down motion with his middle finger, court documents say. Ellis initially refused to identify himself, and Stevens ultimately cited him for resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer. Stevens also didn't observe traffic violations or other suspicious behavior during the pursuit, she wrote. The Court of Appeals rejected that line of argument, and the Department of Justice said the evidence didn't establish reasonable suspicion.