Rev. Hugh King’s press conference really wasn’t for the white community or the press. It was to defend himself in front of his congregation and the African-American community. There is a strong feeling among blacks in Pensacola and Escambia County that their most outspoken leaders are targeted by law enforcement and treated unfairly by the News Journal.
There is a certain amount of DWB incidents – traffic stops focused on blacks (Driving While Black) that have no basis for the stops. Officers claim that they are stopping the driver because of a bad break light -when there is no such problem.
If King is innocent, he should take his case to court – however the video tape of the arrest appears to be fairly incriminating. The pre-trial intervention seems to be the wisest course of action.
In complete fairness to the black community, the truthfulness of local enforcement isn’t the best. While the Pensacola Police Department has had few incidents of false police reports written, the Escambia County Sheriff’s office has had several revealed in the press and in court over the past year – even one incident in which a deputy cooked the evidence tape on his grill to avoid prosecution.