Florida Man Found Guilty of Driving Under the Influence After Viral Arrest Video
A viral body worn camera footage from the Tallahassee Police Department showing the arrest of Calvin Riley, 56, last week has led to a guilty verdict for driving under the influence (DUI) in a Florida court on Monday. The incident received widespread attention contact due to allegations of police misconduct.
The edited footage appeared to show an officer, later identified as Officer Oliver, opening a bottle of liquor in Riley’s vehicle and pouring its contents out. The bottle was then put back inside the vehicle, which was presented as evidence against Riley during his trial.
Arrest Trial and Sentencing
The jury, which deliberated for under two hours, found Riley guilty of driving under the influence. The defendant was sentenced to spend ten days in the Leon County Jail and six months on probation. Additionally, he must attend a DUI course, perform 50 hours of community service, submit to random breathalyzer tests, and have his driver’s license suspended for six months.
The Incident and Testimonies
During the two-day trial, testimonies from three officers present during Riley’s traffic stop were heard. Riley himself did not testify. Initially charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended or revoked license, the latter charge was dropped during the trial.
Prosecutor’s Argument
Assistant State Attorney Emma Hirschy, a legal certified intern with the Leon County State Attorney’s Office, argued that Riley admitted to being at a bar on the night of his arrest and having “a couple of drinks.” She also pointed out that Riley was “slurring his words, he was not making sense.”
Defense Argument and Officer Testimonies
Riley’s defense attorneys, Desiree Goodfellow, argued that the police officers involved in the case were not credible. They highlighted instances where two of the officers changed details in their testimonies and all of them turned off their body-worn cameras at one point during the investigation.
Alleged Police Misconduct
Goodfellow emphasized that Officer Oliver had opened a bottle of vodka – a bottle that had never been opened before. She explained, “You hear her break the seal, pour it out and put it back in the car. Then she used that evidence against him.” During the trial, Officer Oliver admitted to opening the bottle and putting it back in the car as a “mistake,” but she and another responding officer denied using the bottle as evidence for the DUI charge.
Apology from Riley
Before being sentenced, Riley expressed remorse for his actions and apologized.
