Driving While Black: Black Motorists Pulled Over by Police

Niecy's traffic stop on Being Mary Jane is reality for many.

Niecy's Traffic Stop Is Scary Reality for Many - On the season finale of Being Mary Jane, the issue of driving while Black has hit close to home for Mary Jane as her niece, Niecy Patterson, has a scary encounter with police officers after a traffic stop. Being pulled over by police has been a humiliating and sometimes deadly experience for Black motorists. Here is a look at some cases that have made major headlines in the past. (Photo: BET)

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Niecy's Traffic Stop Is Scary Reality for Many - On the season finale of Being Mary Jane, the issue of driving while Black has hit close to home for Mary Jane as her niece, Niecy Patterson, has a scary encounter with police officers after a traffic stop. Being pulled over by police has been a humiliating and sometimes deadly experience for Black motorists. Here is a look at some cases that have made major headlines in the past. (Photo: BET)

Rodney King - In 1991, the world watched in horror as unarmed African-American motorist Rodney King was beaten by seven Los Angeles policemen, an act that was videotaped by a stranger and released to media outlets. The police, who claimed King was resisting arrest, though the videotape did not support this, were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by a jury, resulting in the L.A. Riots of 1992. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Rodney King - In 1991, the world watched in horror as unarmed African-American motorist Rodney King was beaten by seven Los Angeles policemen, an act that was videotaped by a stranger and released to media outlets. The police, who claimed King was resisting arrest, though the videotape did not support this, were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by a jury, resulting in the L.A. Riots of 1992. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Kendra James - In April 2003, Kendra Jones, an unarmed 21-year-old woman, was shot to death by Portland police officer Scott McCollister, who opened fire on her as she drove off after a traffic stop. He said his body was hanging out of her car as he tried to pull her out of the vehicle. The cop said he feared for his life. McCollister was suspended for five-and-a-half months. (Photo: KOIN NEWS 6)

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Kendra James - In April 2003, Kendra Jones, an unarmed 21-year-old woman, was shot to death by Portland police officer Scott McCollister, who opened fire on her as she drove off after a traffic stop. He said his body was hanging out of her car as he tried to pull her out of the vehicle. The cop said he feared for his life. McCollister was suspended for five-and-a-half months. (Photo: KOIN NEWS 6)

Sean Bell - On Nov. 25, 2006, an unarmed Sean Bell was fatally gunned down and two of his friends were injured by a team of plainclothes, undercover New York City police officers in a hail of 50 bullets while leaving his bachelor party in Queens, New York. He was to be married later that day. The officers in the case were acquitted. (Photo: Pix 11 News)

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Sean Bell - On Nov. 25, 2006, an unarmed Sean Bell was fatally gunned down and two of his friends were injured by a team of plainclothes, undercover New York City police officers in a hail of 50 bullets while leaving his bachelor party in Queens, New York. He was to be married later that day. The officers in the case were acquitted. (Photo: Pix 11 News)

Joël Debellefeuille - Joël Debellefeuille is a Black Canadian who was pulled over by police, who questioned whether he was the owner of the Mercedes Benz he was driving. They said his last name on his ID did not match his skin color, according to CBC. The first incident took place in 2012 in Longueuille, a city near Montreal, Quebec. In a recent October encounter with police, he was issued a ticket for driving with a passenger under the age of 16 who was not wearing a seatbelt. However, Debellefeuille said that he was alone in his vehicle. (Photo: CBC NEWS)

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Joël Debellefeuille - Joël Debellefeuille is a Black Canadian who was pulled over by police, who questioned whether he was the owner of the Mercedes Benz he was driving. They said his last name on his ID did not match his skin color, according to CBC. The first incident took place in 2012 in Longueuille, a city near Montreal, Quebec. In a recent October encounter with police, he was issued a ticket for driving with a passenger under the age of 16 who was not wearing a seatbelt. However, Debellefeuille said that he was alone in his vehicle. (Photo: CBC NEWS)

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Leon Ford Jr. - Police brutality victim-turned-activist Leon Ford Jr. was fortunate to survive after being shot five times and left paralyzed by Pittsburgh police during a traffic stop in November 2012. He faced charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, escape and aggravated assault, which were all dropped in January 2015.  (Photo: Leon Ford Jr. via Facebook)

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Leon Ford Jr. - Police brutality victim-turned-activist Leon Ford Jr. was fortunate to survive after being shot five times and left paralyzed by Pittsburgh police during a traffic stop in November 2012. He faced charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, escape and aggravated assault, which were all dropped in January 2015.  (Photo: Leon Ford Jr. via Facebook)

Cherie Johnson and Dennis White - In September 2013, actors Cherie Johnson (Punky Brewster, Family Matters) and Dennis White (Notorious) were driving to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and stopped to walk in a cotton field and take a photo. When they walked back to their car, a police officer began questioning them about drugs and handcuffed them before letting them go. The couple said they were stopped because they were Black. (Photo: HLN)

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Cherie Johnson and Dennis White - In September 2013, actors Cherie Johnson (Punky Brewster, Family Matters) and Dennis White (Notorious) were driving to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and stopped to walk in a cotton field and take a photo. When they walked back to their car, a police officer began questioning them about drugs and handcuffed them before letting them go. The couple said they were stopped because they were Black. (Photo: HLN)

Jamal Jones - An Indiana family filed a lawsuit against the Hammond Police Department after officers drew their guns, smashed a car window and used a Taser on a passenger during a traffic stop. Jamal Jones and his girlfriend Lisa Mahone, along with her two children, were driving on Sept. 24, 2014, when police stopped and ticketed Mahone for a seat belt violation. Raw Story reports that the family was headed to a Chicago hospital, where doctors had said Mahone’s mother was near death. (Photo: NBC)

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Jamal Jones - An Indiana family filed a lawsuit against the Hammond Police Department after officers drew their guns, smashed a car window and used a Taser on a passenger during a traffic stop. Jamal Jones and his girlfriend Lisa Mahone, along with her two children, were driving on Sept. 24, 2014, when police stopped and ticketed Mahone for a seat belt violation. Raw Story reports that the family was headed to a Chicago hospital, where doctors had said Mahone’s mother was near death. (Photo: NBC)

Walter Scott - On Saturday April 4, 2015, Walter Scott, an unarmed 50-year-old man, was shot multiple times by Officer Michael T. Slager in a vacant lot after being stopped for a broken taillight on his Mercedes-Benz. Slager was a white North Charleston, South Carolina, police officer who was later charged with murder in the killing of Scott. His family received $6.5 million in a settlement from the city. Scott faces 30 years to life in prison for the shooting. (Photo: Walter Scott via Facebook)

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Walter Scott - On Saturday April 4, 2015, Walter Scott, an unarmed 50-year-old man, was shot multiple times by Officer Michael T. Slager in a vacant lot after being stopped for a broken taillight on his Mercedes-Benz. Slager was a white North Charleston, South Carolina, police officer who was later charged with murder in the killing of Scott. His family received $6.5 million in a settlement from the city. Scott faces 30 years to life in prison for the shooting. (Photo: Walter Scott via Facebook)

No Indictment in Sandra Bland's Case - On Monday, a Waller County grand jury decided not to indict any officers Sandra Bland encountered before her death in custody in July. Her case continues to spark outrage, as many still question what happened to the 28-year-old African-American woman before her death. Take a look at a round-up of Twitter responses to the news, from presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders to rapper Big Boi.(Photo: Sandra Bland via Facebook)

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Sandra Bland - Sandra Bland was a 28-year-old Chicago native and activist who was found dead in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015, after being pulled over three days earlier for a traffic violation. Bland, who was driving to Texas to begin a new job, was violently ordered to get out of her vehicle by an officer who threatened to “light” her up with his stun gun if she did not oblige. The actual cause of her death is unclear, but police concluded that Bland hanged herself in the cell. (Photo: Sandra Bland via Facebook)

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Sam Dubose - Samuel Dubose, a 43-year-old African-American man, was shot dead by University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing on July 19, 2015. Dubose was pulled over after Officer Ray Tensing saw him driving without a front license plate, WCPO reports. Tensing pleaded not guilty to murder and involuntary manslaughter. A pre-trial hearing for Tensing is set for February 2016.  (Photo: Courtesy of the Dubose Family via NBC News)

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Sam Dubose - Samuel Dubose, a 43-year-old African-American man, was shot dead by University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing on July 19, 2015. Dubose was pulled over after Officer Ray Tensing saw him driving without a front license plate, WCPO reports. Tensing pleaded not guilty to murder and involuntary manslaughter. A pre-trial hearing for Tensing is set for February 2016.  (Photo: Courtesy of the Dubose Family via NBC News)

Darrius Stewart - Darrius Stewart, 19, was shot and killed while in a police patrol car after an officer detained him following a traffic stop. Stewart was riding in the backseat of his friend's car, when the police pulled the vehicle over and checked the IDs of the individuals in the car. After the officer found a warrant in Stewart's name, he placed Stewart in the back of his patrol car. The officer said he shot Stewart after Stewart attempted to attack him with handcuffs. (Photo: Courtesy of the Stewart family)

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Darrius Stewart - Darrius Stewart, 19, was shot and killed while in a police patrol car after an officer detained him following a traffic stop. Stewart was riding in the backseat of his friend's car, when the police pulled the vehicle over and checked the IDs of the individuals in the car. After the officer found a warrant in Stewart's name, he placed Stewart in the back of his patrol car. The officer said he shot Stewart after Stewart attempted to attack him with handcuffs. (Photo: Courtesy of the Stewart family)