I do hope you're kidding.
The kid has got a police scanner in his car along with multiple cameras transmitting to a secure recorder. He's driving around at 2am. He pulls into a deserted commuter parking lot in a high crime area (which is why the cop is there). The kid has absolutely no reason for being in that lot at that time.
In my opinion, that constitutes reasonable suspicion.
When the cop approaches the car and asks a few legitimate questions (why are you here, driver's license, proof of insurance) the kid gets an attitude.
But he's not setting up the cop? Fine. Then why was the kid there at that hour with that equipment in his car?
Same question about multiple cameras and a transmitter/secure recorder.
Even if all of the above were true, it does not constitute probable cause for search since none of the above is the least bit illegal.
The kid had lost a “cops word vs his word” once before and claimed the LEO lied. Since then he wired his car. You are aware this is not the first transcript and video he has put out about local police misconduct? The prior one was not quite as bad, but the LEO was also out of line.
Even us old farts who a number of cross country miles under our belts know enough to record every interaction with LEOs, “just in case”. If you don’t you are a fool. I am not the only one in this thread who has had problems with local yokel LEOs.
If he had walked up to the cop and started trash talking, your claim of a set up or entrapment might have minor merit. He did none of the above.
The perp (the former sgt) based on what has come out should never have had a badge to begin with. A professional LEO would have behaved that way, it would have been a simple ID check and that would have been it.
I may be able to assist you with this transcript coming soon to an Onstar Equipped Vehicle near you:
Onstar Roadside Legal Assistance: What is the nature of your roadside legal Emergency?
Onstar, I have just been pulled over by (State) Highway Law Enforcement on US Highway (NUMBER, Location) What should I do?
Officer, please identify yourself and explain for the record the probable cause for detaining my client in (State, Location). Your answer will be archived in a secure remote location........
Let’s put the high crime area to rest. I lived just above that lot in St. Louis on Mullally Dr. I could look down on it quite clearly. This is not a high crime area.
The house I was in belonged to a former Police Officer that bought it in a safe neighborhood to raise his daughter (that was over 20 years ago). He is recently deceased and I rented the house from his daughter (her husband is a good friend of mine). As you can imagine it is an older neighborhood, but a clean and decent one.
The house is one block outside of St. George as he was required to live in the city of St. Louis, but for all practical purposes it was in St. George (not sure if the commuter lot is actually St. George as St. Louis is very gerrymandered).
It's a tiny town and from the reports of crimes previously committed by both this officer and the chief - it just may be that a lot of citizens have been the victim of this Gestapo behavior.
It isn't a stretch to assume that any complaints would go nowhere, except to probably make them a target for further harassment - teaching the 'populace' to keep their mouths shut and take it.
If this young man 'set' up the thug deliberately or had the cameras to protect himself as he's already had run ins with him - I don't know. But it sounds like maybe this was a bad situation that wasn't going to go away or be looked into any other way.
Added to the above, I think the fact that the cop, illegally, didn't have his dashcam on, tells a tale. He didn't want his behavior on tape.
A good cop would have his tape rolling, for his own protection and because he would have nothing to hide.
I have a feeling there are a lot of relieved people in that little town knowing they wont get pulled over again by this guy...even tho' they still have a chief with a very serious problem - keep your daughters off the road.
This young man may be looked upon as a hero in that little burg - and he took a BIG chance. He could've been shot "resisting" and he could still be a target, given the character of the chief.