Isn’t that weird that I just did a video on the issue of whether there’s a constitutionally protected right to flash your lights at oncoming traffic, in order to warn them of an approaching speed trap, and then what do you know, it ends up happening again right here in West Virginia. This brand new exclusive footage you’re about to see however, is the worst of those incidents I think you’ll ever see anywhere on Youtube. Frankly, I’m disgusted by the actions of this deputy with the Nicholas County, West Virginia Sheriff’s Department.
Here’s the citation William was given:
This was Corporal J.D. Ellison with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department. His behavior was disgraceful. But I’m also disappointed in the aftermath here. Corporal Ellison shamefully gave this man a ticket for two alleged violations – at least on paper – which were allegedly having an unsigned registration card, which is total garbage, as well as an alleged “special restrictions on lamps,” which was a frivolous charge meant to fabricate the nonexistent crime of warning fellow Americans about government waste, laziness and tyranny.
Here’s the police report by Cpl. Ellison:
You’re really not going to believe this, but William went to court yesterday in the Magistrate Court of Nicholas County – that’s Summersville, West Virginia. He represented himself. He was being prosecuted by a prosecuting attorney from that county, with the matter presiding before Nicholas County Magistrate Michael Hanks. I’m really shocked to tell you that Magistrate Hanks convicted this man of the alleged crime of “Special Restrictions on Lamps.” He did dismiss the bogus charge of having an unsigned registration card because it’s thankfully not even on the books anymore – which by the way was the offense for which William was placed in handcuffs.
Between the prosecutor and the magistrate, which of those great legal minds thought it was a good idea to convict William of “special restriction on lamps?” Just looking at the statute, which is clearly not meant to apply to this situation, it makes an explicit exception, citing a different statute that allows for flashing lights for the purpose of warning the operators of other vehicles “of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing…, etc.”
Here’s the prior video I did on flashing lights to warn of a speed trap:
Stay tuned for updates. I’m going to help William….
This looks like a clear-cut case of conspiracy to deprive of rights along with the actual deprivation of rights.
Thank you for opposing this tyranny by the self-serving, worthless, bureaucratic police state. It’s way past time to end this sort of overbearing persecution of citizens who refuse to bow before tyrants.
thanks for posting and exposing this on going tyranny if one picture says thousand words then a video says millions and it’s beautiful imagine the days before body cams how many people’s all right Scott trampled on how many guys lost their lives for reaching out to a cell phone to call someone tell them about they’re getting arrested or something like that a lot of cops got away with it for so long that it is hard to break that habit now even though after the body cameras
A point of interest, The Deputy was at the end of the stop, an issuing a citation, when he extended the stop to harass the motorist. ( RODRIGUEZ v. UNITED STATES ) What does the Deputy’s Department SOPs say about the use of force (Handcuffing), and were is that report.
Oh the humanity, police lying again, you would think by now they would know most of the public knows this and would be able to recite the law that the public broke rather than making up a lie. It makes them look like fools.
It doesn’t, “make them look like fools,” it reveals them to be the fools they are!
This country needs more attorneys like you. Thankfully, I too was a victim of multiple fourth amendment violations for over two hours on the side of the roadway because I had refused a search of my vehicle. The officer ultimately arrested me for “impeding traffic” so that he could “inventory” the vehicle for towing even though I gave permission to my son (licensed passenger) to take possession of the vehicle. Of course the charges were dropped and the investigation into the officers actions were found permissible by his department despite his admissions to violations on his Incident Report. The event pushed me to learn my rights and thanks to your videos, I can’t wait to exercise them the next time I’m a victim of police misconduct. Thank you!
I posted the incident and my concern on their Facebook page. Their robot replied saying thanks for commenting. We will get back to you. If I had a dollar for Everytime I heard that I would be wealthy. I put up laughing while crying emojis saying, sure you will. You’ll probably take this down I told them expect a lot of calls and a lawsuit.
Earning the hate one incident at a time
Thanks for going bat William in this case. We need 100 more lawyers like you to fight against this bull 💩 tyranny. That cop should never be allowed in LE, EVER.
Publicly available contact info, found via a quick Google search:
Sherriff’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068300134854
Sherriff’s email address, listed on Facebook page:
seemehunt@msn.com
Sheriff Dept web-site
http://www.nicholascosheriff.com/
http://www.nicholascosheriff.com/directory.html
Nicholas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
304-872-7870
The judge who convicted the driver:
Nicholas County Magistrate Michael Hanks
http://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/counties/nicholas.html
He holds an elected position:
https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Hanks
County web-site:
https://www.nicholascountywv.org/
Sheriff William Nunley (304) 782-7880
Prosecuting Attorney Jonathan Sweeney (304) 872-7870
County-related Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/174571593098198/
This Law was meant to keep people from putting lights on there vehicles that resembled Police officers or emergency worker. I have seen it used in the prosecution of Police Impersonators. I don’t think headlights are bright enough or shine far enough for this law to apply. Also It would be hard to prove that during the day you could see his lights 75 feet in front of him.
Enjoy your videos and you have enlightened some many. Keep up the great work.
Maybe my glasses are dirty but the second line of section D says ‘simultaneous’ unlike the way the bad apple noted wig-wags in his report. Surely ho wouldn’t have lied on an official document.
As someone who has installed emergency vehicle lights, it’s kinda germane to point out that Wig-Wag is a specific lighting function or pattern.
It describes alternating Side to Side:
L(hi) R(lo)
L(lo) R(hi)
L(hi) R(lo)
L(lo) R(hi)
this pattern of Highbeam and Lowbeam light is uniquely associated with emergency vehicles and in most all NorthAmerican jurisdictions is just as restricted as running blue flashers.
He would only have been flipping the Hi/Lo circuit
L(hi) R(hi)
L(lo) R(lo)
L(hi) R(hi)
L(lo) R(lo)
What a piece of garbage.
It is amazing that LEOs have so little trouble with the citizenry-
Sure looks like feud-worthy behavior. Certainly this rises above “pig-thievery”
John, Isn’t Ellison the officer that pulled Jones over in 2018 for supposed non working brake light’s?
The officer and the magistrate desperately need to be put in their place. This seems to be where we are these days. The authorities not following the law, essentially saying to citizens, “Make me.” And if we don’t…then we are even bigger fools. I hope you get ’em good.
Where are the elected representatives of the people who should be weighing in on this kind of abuse? Oh, wait, let me guess. They are all out having fundraisers and dinners and raising campaign contributions (bribes) and are WAY too busy to help stamp down corrupted officials and tyranny in their district.
This is why we need a third party in the US. Both of the ones we have, have completely abdicated their sworn duty to protect our rights. This judge and prosecutor and cop need to be set down and straightened out. The cop clearly does not have the right temperament to wear a badge and be armed with a gun because he can’t control his petty impulses to bully, intimidate and be triggered by the most trivial of things (a snicker? Really?)
How did a supervisor even ever approve such an illiterate report!?
US19 is a cesspool of speed traps especially summersville.
Thank you for representing the innocent 🙏🏼🙌🏻
He is stupid for representing himself. He should have hired a lawyer.
As a LEO, this Sheriff abused his authority on this man, I believe this is sufficient evidence for a lawsuit on the Dept. and a possible termination or diciplinary suspension on the Sheriff.
This is the 2nd illustration in 2 days of WV State Police acting egregiously and violating citizen’s rights. Methinks there is a pattern and culture of corruption and egoism to that department. Sad that these MAGA Blue Line bootlickers can’t see what’s right in front of their eyes.
Is anyone appealing this ruling? What are the next steps for this case?
flashing headlights to alert other drivers to an upcoming patrol car has been claimed as a form of expression protected under the free speech clause of the First Amendment. Thus far, courts have generally interpreted the practice as protected free speech
Although this probably doesn’t need to be stated, the laugh that got the guy arrested wasn’t because he thought the citations were funny, but rather was an expression of incredulity at the absurdity of what he was hearing. Not quite Kafkaesque, but still nightmarish. A cop actually believes that the flashing of lights to warn other drivers to proceed cautiously is a violation of the law, rather than a form of expressive speech protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And then, to top it off, he’s hearing that he could spend 6 months in jail because his registration wasn’t signed.
You’d think that the magistrate and prosecutor who (presumably) have law degrees would realize that the term “flashing lights” is a noun and refers to lights that flash automatically and a verb meaning to turn one’s high beams on.
Clear cut case of officer knowing just enough to be a liability to his department. To violate a citizens rights just because you are the “Police” who warned of a speed trap. To go back to the patrol car, look up charges then cop an attitude when called on it by flexing your “I’m in charge here and you are subordinate to me crap”. I still can’t believe this is happening in our country. As a former police officer I know all too well what this ego maniac is doing (seen it many times). Then, to have a DA and magistrate judge back this BS up with a conviction. This creates a network from the top down of constitutional violations that goes unchecked until you have people that say “enough” and do something about it. He needs to lose his job and the legal eagles need to be suspended and indoctrinated again on law.
I get the cops lying or applying laws frivolously (contempt of cop), that’s normal, though still inexcusable. But this “Magistrate” is the real Tyrant here. He should’ve seen this charge and dismissed it right on its face. Such a BS charge and the fact that it wasn’t dismissed shows that the corruption and greed in Nocholas County government has no bounds. This TYRANT should face consequences, disbarment and removal from “public service”.
This deputy is on such a power trip. He makes the good cops look like bad. Terminate his employment.
He needed to get really creative to come up with reasons to arrest him, of course the reasons didnt hold up in court, now this bodycam videos of the police are publicly available?
Hmm, “appeared to be wig wags”, he never checked the lights. The doesn’t even apply to this incident. Please roast these jackholes.
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So in the video the officer says you are being arrested, the police report reads that William is being detained. Is that lying on a police report? 4th amendment right issue in my opinion.
The officer stated he felt the flashing lights looked like “wig wags”. Wig wag lights are headlight flashers that alternate back and forth NOT on and off at the same time like when you flash your brights. A Corporal in the sheriffs department should know this
This police officers is an idiot and should be fired. People like him DO NOT need access to a badge and a gun. If you don’t want to get laughed at don’t do stupid shit ! It’s not a crime to laugh and no one owes you respect when you are disrespectful first Get over your little man syndrome before you really cause a problem. Crazy people given power is a scary Situation.
You don’t know how grateful people are to know that there is someone like you willing to stand up to tyrannical, power abusing, ignorant law enforcement that is the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Dept. To often, people don’t even get a fair hearing. The judge only ever sides with law enforcement. Regardless of their offer being in the wrong. But they are not the only ones. The state police are the same way. I wish I had someone like you in my corner when my rights were violated.