Lawyer for Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill says ‘overzealous officers’ caused traffic stop problems
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Police handcuff, detain Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill
Miami-Dade police handcuffed, placed a knee on Tyreek Hill during a traffic stop before the season-opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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The attorney for Miami Dolphins All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill laid the blame for Sunday’s pregame traffic stop kerfuffle outside Hard Rock Stadium at the feet of “overzealous officers attempting to impose their authority” on Hill.
That’s from a Monday afternoon statement emailed to the Miami Herald by Atlanta-based lawyer Julius B. Collins.
“We believe that this matter was escalated due to overzealous officers attempting to impose their authority on Mr. Hill because they were not pleased with how fast he complied with their request and that Mr. Hill did not roll down his window far enough to their liking,” Collins wrote.
“Mr. Hill’s legal team is exploring all legal remedies that may be available to Mr. Hill as we believe that the officers’ actions on Sept. 8, 2024 were excessive.”
Of the four officers on the scene of the traffic stop about three hours before the Dolphins’ 20-17 win against Jacksonville, one has been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation.
READ MORE: Body-cam footage led police director to reassign officer in Tyreek Hill detention
Miami-Dade Police Department Director Stephanie Daniels said she ordered the reassignment after seeing some of the body camera footage. The department released 105 minutes of body camera footage Monday evening.
Hours earlier, the head of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association officers’ union, Steadman Stahl, faulted Hill for winding up on the ground while being handcuffed.
“Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs,” Stahl wrote. “Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground.
“Once the situation was sorted out within a few minutes, Mr. Hill was issued two traffic citations and was free to leave.”
Videos from passing drivers showed an officer cursing at Hill while handcuffing him.
READ MORE: Drivers’ videos show police, Tyreek Hill’s actions during Hard Rock Stadium traffic stop
The statement by Collins, Hill’s attorney, acknowledged the stop “originated as a traffic infraction but was then escalated after Mr. Hill provided officers his driver’s license and then rolled his window back up.”
Videos showed an officer twice in succession ordering Hill to keep his driver’s side window rolled down, then giving him less than a second to comply before ordering Hill to get out of the car.
“Mr. Hill rolled down his window each time he was requested to do so by the requesting officers,” Collins statement said. “Mr. Hill understands the inherently dangerous job that law enforcement is tasked with and understands that officer safety is important; however, at no point in time did Mr. Hill pose a threat to these officers.”
In the game’s turning point, one play after the Dolphins recovered a Jacksonville fumble in the end zone while down 17-7, Hill took a long pass from Tua Tagovailoa 80 yards for a touchdown. Hill celebrated by putting his hands behind his back as if handcuffed, then teammate Jaylen Waddle came from behind and acted as if he was releasing Hill.
Miami Herald staff writers Grethel Aguila and Doug Hanks contributed to this report
This story was originally published September 9, 2024 at 5:59 PM.
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