An Orlando city commissioner is found to have done nothing wrong the night she called the police chief when her son was stopped by a patrolman.
Three years ago, Daisy Lynum called then chief Mike McMoy in the middle of the night to say she feared her son was the victim of racial profiling during a traffic stop.
It turned out he was pulled over for having a tail light out.
After complaints against her actions, an administrative judge recommended she be reprimanded but the Florida Ethics Commission on Friday found nothing wrong with what she did.
Her attorney, Rick Jancha, pointed out that the $11 ticket was paid after the commissioner learned about it. He says the ethics panel could not fault her for complaining, because racial profiling is against the law.
Attorney Mark NeJame, who helped defend Lynum, said there's never been a substantiated case of racial profiling by Orlando police, although complaints continue to be made.
"We're not criticizing," he said, but added, "It's foolhardy to believe that there's been no racial profiling on any stop that's occurred in Orlando."
Lynum told reporters that racial profiling isn't just about a taillight being out.
"It's what happens after you're stopped." she said. "It's a 50-50 chance every time a black boy or girl leaves home they could be stopped by a police officer for any reason."
"Racial profiling is not unique to Orlando, it's across the country."
