Hoodie-Wearing Man Stopped By NJ Police Appears In Court

JACKSON, NJ — An Ocean County man who was told by police officers on video that they stopped him because he was wearing a hoodie in 80-degree weather had his first court appearance on Thursday, according to a report.

Jamaal M. Holmes, 34, was scheduled to be arraigned in Jackson Township Municipal Court on a charge of obstruction of law, according to online court records, in the incident that happened June 2.

That arraignment was delayed for 45 days because Jackson Township police have not yet turned over bodycam footage of the incident, Holmes' attorney, Joseph Champagne, told News 12 New Jersey. Champagne did not immediately respond to a Patch message seeking additional information.

Holmes recorded the encounter with two Jackson police officers up until he was removed from his vehicle. In the 4-minute video, the lead officer tells Holmes he stopped him in part because he was "wearing a sweatshirt in 80-degree weather:

"When we drove by the Muse, I was a little concerned, it looked like you were reaching down, hiding your face. You're wearing a sweatshirt in 80-degree weather, you got a handicap placard up," the officer says. "There's people complaining in the Muse about people parking in handicap spots."

"No, I was just wondering if you have any documentation of that. I'm just telling you everything," the officer says.

"What was your reason for stopping me again?" said Holmes, who had spinal fusion surgery two years ago and has screws and rods in his back.

"When I was patrolling through the Muse, as soon as we went by you, you reached down like your face from us. This is more to say if everything's all right with you, if you're all good, if everything's fine we'll have you right on your way."

"You're conducting a traffic stop because I looked suspicious when you're patrolling through where I live?" Holmes asks.

Holmes then asks the officers to call a supervisor, and the officers tell him to get out of the car, which he refuses to do until the supervisor arrives. It escalated from there until the officers pulled Holmes out of the vehicle.

The officers later said he was pulled over for an expired inspection sticker, though that is never stated to Holmes during the 4-minute video.

Holmes was ticketed for the expired inspection sticker, court records show.

The incident is under review internally, Jackson Township Police Chief Mary Nelson said in a statement on the department's Facebook page.

"The Jackson Township Police Department takes all allegations of discrimination seriously," Nelson wrote. "We are aware of the concerns that have been raised and are reviewing the matter in accordance with our policies and procedures. A thorough and impartial review will be conducted to ensure all relevant facts and circumstances are considered."

Previous reporting: NJ Traffic Stop Over Hoodie Sparks Discrimination Investigation