It took the first half-day of the three-day Dibor Roberts trial to pick a jury. By Wednesday afternoon, that jury and a small camp of Roberts' supporters in the audience heard how the wheels were churning in the mind of an officer sitting on a radar speed patrol on Beaver Head Flats Road.
Sgt. Jeff Newnum was the first witness. He told the court that he was parked perpendicular to the unlit rural road and when two vehicles went by and lit up the side of his Ford Expedition police cruiser. He clocked a minivan at 50 miles per hour and another small passenger car at 65 mph. That's when he turned on his overhead lights. The minivan yielded and pulled to the right, but he wanted the small Nissan Sentra to pull over.
That didn't happen.
And for the next several hours, the jury heard the details of what happened during the ensuing 10 minutes until Dibor Roberts was in handcuffs.
It was as if the two players spoke a different language and could not communicate at 10:45 p.m. on that dark road July 29, 2007. The prosecution prepared a video showing the stretch of roadway from the time Newnum turned on his overheads one mile north of Cornville Road until Roberts was stopped two miles west of the intersection. They showed the road during the daytime, they showed the police car on the side of the road at night, they showed the fireworks of police lights as seen at night.
Newnum has worked 12 years on the force as a DUI officer, doing police training, as a detective in sex crimes and traffic. He worked in criminal investigation of homicides and property crimes, internal affairs and undercover narcotics.
But that night, Newnum was running a speed patrol.
He expected the small car to pull over at the wide spot on the side of the road at the Cornville Road intersection, but Roberts turned right and continued.
By then Newnum turned on his siren and believed the driver was impaired.
He pulled along side the Sentra and told the court how impaired drivers often keep a firm grip on the wheel and don't look at an officer.
The second time he pulled to the side, she appeared to be yelling at him. He said, she was yelling at him and "I knew I had an angry driver." He radioed to dispatch that he was attempting to stop a black female who had refused to stop.
The last time he passed her, he pulled to a distance in front of the small car and coasted to a stop. She did not try to pass but stopped in the traffic lane.
This time, he emerged from his SUV with his gun drawn at a "low ready," yelling, "Let me see your hands." Newnum told the jurors, "That was my threat." She was still yelling and "I was worried about her hands."
He put the gun back in the holster, but was unable to open the locked door.
"My only concern was to gain control of the situation." He used his collapsible baton to break out the rear passenger window and opened the front door.
Roberts at that time was yelling, "No. No. No. You can't do this to me." He said he could hear the words clearly, but did not understand, he said.
By this time Newnum did "not view her attacking" him and "did not consider she would overpower me. But, I wanted to get control."
She backed into the seat and grabbed the stick and the car began to move, riding over Newnum's right foot with the left rear tire.
Within minutes four more officers were on hand and Roberts was telling how she wanted to get to a lighted place after talking with her husband about police impersonators in Phoenix.
The jury also heard briefly from Collin Bass, a wrangler, who has worked as a tribal police officer. He was pulled to the side of the road, text-messaging his girlfriend, when he saw the police vehicle with open doors and wondered if there was a problem.
The trial runs through Friday and Roberts' attorney has promised she will take the stand as well. In his opening remarks, he questioned how Roberts could resist arrest, when she was not advised she was under arrest until she was in handcuffs.
Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Brian Carlson
Let us have a reality check. There are extreme views on both sides of the Dibor Roberts issue. I believe that Mrs. Roberts and Officer Newnum are both good people that had to make some fast decisions on a dark road in Cornville.
Aside from the infamous traffic stop, there is no evidence that Dibor Roberts is a criminal or a danger to society. Neither is there any evidence to support that Sgt Newnum is a woman hater or a racist.
Dibor Roberts was pulled over for speeding 65mph where the posted speed limit was 50 mph. She was not pulled over because she is a woman or because she is black.
I do not doubt that Mrs. Roberts was fearful about being pulled over on a dark road. Even though her fear was very real, it would be impossible for law enforcement to react in accordance with every fear that a driver may have.
Mrs. Roberts could have made choices to keep this incident from taking place. She could have driven the posted speed limit.
Sgt Newnum could have waited for backup and followed Mrs. Roberts to a better place. There are not a lot of well lighted areas in Cornville, so I’m not sure what a reasonable distance would be to allow a stop in a lighted area.
The people in law enforcement have a tough job already. The best they can do is to treat each person equally. During a traffic stop the officer does not have time to evaluate the personal phobias of the driver, or special treatment because of gender, race, or origin.
Dibor Roberts could have made better choices during this incident, but I believe the charges against her are rather harsh. Sgt Newnum could have also used some restraint before busting out Mrs. Roberts window.
Some of Mrs. Roberts supporters would like us to believe that the Yavapai County Sheriff Office and the Ku Klux Klan are one and the same. I do not believe that race was an issue. We need to look at this incident and find answers to make every person feel safe driving at night regardless of race or gender.
Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Rez
You guys need to get a grip. The only person who knew Roberts was a black female at the time of the violation was Roberts. It was dark and the deputy couldn't see her when she went blowing by him in the first place. Here's a hint my father gave me when I was young. If you don't want to get stopped by the police, don't violate traffic laws. If you don't want the police chasing you, pull over when they turn the lights on you. If you don't want to be drug out of the car by the cops, get out when told to do so. It's the officers who choose where and when you pull over, not the offender. The only person making this out to be racially motivated is Roberts and her defense attorney along with the NAACP. I am not a supporter of Sheriff Waugh but he is right on this one. Kudos to the Sergeant for doing the job we pay him to do.
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Article comment by:
Ron
Ok. So this Deputy pulled someone over in the dark. My question to yavpromise and malik797, how could this Deputy identify this person who was breaking the law as black? So you think this deputy is a racist? This is not racial profiling. Don't break the law and it won't happen. This lady deserves to be punished by law, she broke it, not the Deputy.
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Article comment by:
vanberleon
What a lousy cop. He shames the entire, otherwise honorable, profession.
Give him a long unpaid vacation.
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Article comment by:
yavpromise
Racial Profiling Must Stop in Yavapai County NOW!
According to a study conducted by the law firm of Lee Phillips of Flagstaff White motorists are 60 percent less likely to be stopped by a DPS Officer relative to their known representation within the violator population. African American motorists are 3,693 percent more likely to be
stopped relative to their representation within the
violator population. Hispanic motorists are 62 percent more likely to be stopped relative to their representation within the violator population.
This study clearly demonstrates that the colorable claim test of racial profiling taking place on I-17 within the boundaries of Yavapai County is met. The
Department of Public Safety Officers are targeting
minority motorists, particularly African American and
Hispanic motorists, on I-17 in Yavapai County. Racial
profiling is a violation of our Human Rights and MUST be halted! The law provides that even if a person were found guilty, when he is stopped as a result of
racial profiling, he cannot be convicted. Being treated with indignity and differently from others is yet another indication and proof of racial profiling.
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Article comment by:
malik797
Results from a recent study shows Blacks are being targeted by Officers from The
Department of Public Safety on I-17 in Yavapai County. RACIAL
PROFILING is a violation of our Human Rights and must
be halted NOW!
