The Feb. 26, 2017 traffic stop involving Sgt. Kenneth Baker and Uber driver Jesse Bright – during which Becker was captured on cell phone video threatening to take Bright to jail if he continued to video the encounter – took the internet by storm.
Bright's vehicle was stopped because a passenger in his vehicle was suspected of taking part in a drug deal. "Be careful because there is a new law," Becker told Bright during the stop. "Turn (the recording) off or I'll take you to jail.".
Though the deputy, who was never identified, was only "counseled" following the encounter, three weeks later Becker was demoted, which included a pay decrease, and reassigned.
On February 26, 2017, Jesse Bright was stopped by the police in Wilmington. [13] Bright was under the impression that he was taking his passenger to pick up a check and drop him back to his original location. [2] [1] Bright and his passenger were allegedly under suspicion that they were leaving a drug house and that they may have possessed drugs. [2]
Bright filmed the encounter. [1] One of the officers who were at the scene, Officer Kenneth Becker, told him that he'd go to jail if he kept recording him. Bright's car was searched, nothing was found, and he was allowed to go home. The video of Bright confronting the police and being lied to about the legality of filming officers went viral.