A 50-year-old Black man in Covington, Kentucky, has twice been frisked and searched in current months throughout stops for minor visitors violations: driving a motorbike at evening and not using a mild, and jaywalking. For the latter he was additionally arrested and brought to jail, it seems, by certainly one of metropolis’s extra aggressive, just lately disciplined cops.
Incensed, he obtained and uploaded police physique cam and dashboard video of the stops, which shed little mild on why Covington cops determined to detain and search him.
Within the first incident, round 6 am on Sept. 25, police video exhibits a person sitting on a motorbike in a darkish buying heart parking zone. An officer shouts that his mild isn’t on, and the bike mild then goes on. Requested his identify, the person twice identifies himself as Martel Hunter, and says he has no ID. He explains that he was on his approach to purchase some cigarettes and that his mild “shorts out” typically.
One officer tells Hunter to take a seat down on the bottom, “so I can ID you.”
“I’m too outdated to be sitting on the bottom over a motorbike,” Hunter responds, including, “I received a damaged hip.” He asks them to “simply write me a ticket.”
The 2 officers insist that he sit down, and he grumpily complies, demanding the officer’s identify and badge quantity and to speak to a supervisor.
Officer Terrell Meadows, who identifies himself and offers his badge quantity, 0392, asks Hunter his identify once more. Hunter replies, “I already gave it to you.”
Meadows then helps Hunter to face up and frisks him, patting him down over his hoodie jacket and sweatpants. When Hunter asks why he’s doing this, Meadows says, “For security. I don’t know what’s in your pockets.”
Seemingly discovering nothing of curiosity, Meadows cuffs Hunter along with his palms behind his again and has him sit down on the curb once more whereas he prepares the quotation within the patrol automotive.
Throughout the encounter, Hunter accuses the 2 officers of being racist, says they “hate Black individuals,” and questions their actions.
“I can see if I assaulted anyone, hit anyone on my bike and stored going,” he mentioned, noting, “It is a Terry cease,” referencing a Terry stop-and-frisk, a police motion which the U.S. Supreme Courtroom has dominated often requires affordable suspicion {that a} suspect is armed and harmful earlier than conducting an over-the-clothing pat-down. A authentic visitors cease permits officers to frisk somebody working a car (together with a motorbike).
Meadows returns from the automotive with a ticket for driving a motorbike with no mild and tells him when his court docket date is. Hunter angrily brushes off the officers’ effort to assist him stand, after which they uncuff him.
“That’s nice, that’s nice,” Hunter says as they achieve this, promising authorized motion.
Within the second incident, on Jan. 27, Hunter is heard saying, “Ain’t nowhere to stroll!” because the police video begins. The scene seems to be a four-lane street in a business space with giant snow drifts and ice protecting the sidewalk.
“You’re not going to stroll in the midst of the fu—ing street, you perceive me?” says a male officer.
Hunter provides his full identify and says that he doesn’t have identification.
When the officer asks him his identify once more, Hunter replies, “I’m not repeating my identify since you stubborn at me.”
“You’re stepping into handcuffs,” the officer says, and turns Hunter round and cuffs his arms behind his again, walks him over to his patrol automotive, and frisks him. He additionally searches inside his coat and pants pockets, pulling out some gadgets.
“I simply instructed you I’m Martel Hunter,” the cuffed man says because the search continues.
“I’m taking you to jail,” the officer replies.
Then Hunter appears to note the officer’s badge and acknowledge him.
“Weren’t you the one punching ladies on the bridge? You about to lose your job!” he says.
“Please enlighten me why I’m going to lose my job,” Officer Zachary Stayton replies.
Hunter was referring to a confrontation in July 2025 between Covington cops and folks protesting in opposition to ICE on the John A. Roebling Suspension bridge between Cincinnati and Covington, throughout which a number of protesters had been handled roughly by police, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
On the time of Hunter’s arrest, Stayton was nonetheless underneath investigation for punching two protesters in the course of the incident, together with a girl whom he had yanked round by her hair. He additionally shoved one other girl who was strolling on the bridge.
On Oct. 29, the interior affairs investigators concluded that Stayton used extreme pressure on one girl and exhibited conduct unbecoming an officer with the opposite and was suspended with out pay for 30 days. Throughout that incident, Stayton was assisted by Meadows (who arrested Hunter for the bike mild violation), then a brand new officer he was coaching.
“You pleased with your self?” Hunter requested Stayton as he continued to look him.
“Sure, I do good work,” Stayton answered, then put Hunter in his patrol automotive. After conferring with one other officer who arrived, he proceeded to take him to jail.
Throughout the 53-minute video, the 2 males criticize and rib one another.
“Your breath stink,” Hunter tells Stayton.
“I may say the identical factor about you,” replied the officer.
When Hunter accuses Stayton of racially profiling him, Stayton replies, “You had a facemask on. I didn’t know what race you had been.”
“It’s at all times enjoyable ‘til the rabbit received the gun,” Hunter replies. “You’re already well-known for beating on ladies, pulling your gun on harmless civilians.” He threatens to sue him, then says, “I do God’s work. The facility of God is coming to you.”
Stayton then proceeds to blast rock music within the patrol automotive for the subsequent a number of minutes, together with “Kryptonite” by 3 Doorways Down and “Californication” by the Pink Scorching Chili Peppers.
When the music dies down, Hunter argues, “There was nowhere to stroll at,” to clarify why he was on the street. “I’m 50. You assume I’m gonna get hit by a automotive?”
“You’re a compulsive liar, dude,” Stayton replies.
“You had been too busy being aggressive,” Hunter says. “You didn’t hear my identify.”
Stayton tells him he’s being charged with jaywalking.
“I ain’t by no means had certainly one of them!” Hunter says, laughing. Then he tells the officer to repent.
“I attempt to assist caught individuals get unstuck. What do you do for individuals?” Hunter asks.
“I’m attempting to be a greater man,” Stayton replies.
“Effectively, you had each likelihood to be a civilized human being doing his job, and also you selected to not,” Hunter says.
After Stayton palms off Hunter to a feminine officer on the jail, he tells the cuffed man, “Mr. Hunter, my karma already began, dude. My fu—ing zipper on my jacket simply broke off.”
“I don’t don’t have anything to do with you no extra,” Hunter replies. “I’m speaking to this woman now. I really feel secure.”
When requested what was authorized foundation for cuffing, looking out and arresting Hunter for the minor visitors violations, Covington Police Division Investigations Bureau Commander Capt. Bradbury replied in an e-mail to Atlanta Black Star, “We’re conscious of the movies circulating on-line. The Metropolis is reviewing the incidents referenced. As a result of one of many issues stays energetic within the court docket system, it will be inappropriate to remark additional at the moment.”
In one other video Hunter posted on Jan. 27, the evening of his launch from jail, he returned on bike to the spot the place he was arrested for jaywalking, and filmed what gave the impression to be 3- to 4-foot excessive snow banks protecting the sidewalks and roadside.
“How may I get out of the road?” he requested. “There’s mountains of snow, as huge as me.”
