“I was slammed on my trunk four times while being told not to resist”

Excerpt from Stacks, a defendant and complainant at the Hall of Justice in San Jose in winter 2022

Interviewer: […] if you could change anything about the city you live in, what things would you change about it?  

Stacks: I would, I would reform the whole police department. Because the police department here, in Santa Clara County, they have a, a large percentage of complaints every year from minorities and from people that aren’t making over $100,000 a year or aren’t driving a certain car, ya know?

Interviewer: Mm mhm.  

Stacks: And then when, when a cop here pulls you over, the entire police force shows up. 

Interviewer: Oh wow.  

Stacks: There's like 15 cars, yeah, it's like it—it's a, it's a big spectacle. And it’s a big thing. And it could been for like a, you know, blinker being out. And then, not only that; they're very jumpy and they resort to violence. Very quickly. I was slammed on my trunk four times while being told not to resist, when I wasn't resisting.  

Interviewer: Wow.  

Stacks: Yeah… and there's—I had it all on video, and there's, like, a lawsuit and everything, so.  

Interviewer: Mhm.  

Stacks: But yeah, definitely, I would start with the police department.  

Interviewer: Yeah.  

Stacks: … People are supposed to feel safe because of them, not worried if they're going to get shot or not.  

Interviewer: Mhm. Yeah, thank you.  

Stacks: And, I'm saying that—I'm saying that as a white male.  

Interviewer: Mhm.  

Stacks: You know I mean, like, and… and I could, I could see other places where like, people get white privilege and this and that. But over here, it's not that. It's like a—it's a status like, um, if they think you're a certain status or not in life. If you make enough money or not, for them. You know what I mean?