” By definition, this kind of activity is based on ‘a feeling’.”
No, the plate didn’t match the vehicle.
The only real question in this case is if the stop was legal in the first place.
The determining factor in that is was randomly running the plate legal?
I think the courts have ruled it is, otherwise traffic cameras would be illegal.
Second...Was stopping the vehicle for a non matching plate legal? If a plate doesn’t need to match a vehicle description it would be useless to even require license plates.
I think everyone would agree that a stop is justified in that case.
I can’t see how the state lost this case based on the legality of the stop.