Couple sues MSP over racial profiling with the help of the ACLU

DETROIT, Mich. - The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Michigan State Police for what they say is racial profiling.

According to the ACLU, on August 15, 2019, Camara Sankofa and Shanelle Thomas were pulled over for driving while black, and they say MSP is doing nothing about it.

"I knew I had done nothing wrong," said Sankofa. 

Mark Fancher, attorney for ACLU Michigan, says, "In that time, our clients were made to exit their vehicle they were asked if wether they possessed illegal drugs, they were questioned separately, canine units were called, their vehicle was emptied and searched."

Fancher says his clients were subjected to two hours of stress, intimidation, and humiliation, and there is no reason they should have been pulled over other than the reason they were black, which the ACLU says is typical.

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"Even worse, the troopers assumed we were caring narcotics for one reason and one reason only- because we were Black people," Thomas said. 

The Michigan State Police had this to say in response to the allegations, "Long-standing department policies prohibit members from stopping or detaining anyone based solely on the race, ethnicity or possible immigration status."

There is no court date set for this case as of yet.