A 50-year-old Black man in Covington, Kentucky, has twice been frisked and searched in recent months during stops for minor traffic violations: riding a bike at night without a light, and jaywalking. For the latter he was also arrested and taken to jail, it turns out, by one of city’s more aggress ive, recently disciplined cops. Incensed, he obtained and uploaded police body cam and dashboard video of the stops, which shed little light on why Covington police officers decided to detain and search him. In the first incident, around 6 am on Sept. 25, police video shows a man sitting on a bike in a dark shopping center parking lot. An officer shouts that his light isn’t on, and the bike light then goes on. Asked his name, the man twice identifies himself as Martel Hunter, and says he has no ID. He explains that he was on his way to buy some cigarettes and that his light “shorts out” sometimes. Covington, Kentucky resident Martel Hunter was cuffed and frisked during a traffic stop for riding his bike without a light on on Sept. 2, 2025 (left) and for jaywalking on Jan. 27, 2026. He was arrested and jailed for the jaywalking violation. (Photos: Covington Police Department body camera video via Martel Hunter YouTube post screenshots) One officer tells Hunter to sit down on the ground, “so I can ID you.” “I’m too old to be sitting on the ground over a bike,” Hunter responds, adding, “I got a broken hip.” He asks them to “just write me a ticket.” The two officers insist that he sit down, and he grumpily complies, demanding the officer’s name and badge number and to talk to a supervisor. Officer Terrell Meadows, who identifies himself and gives his badge number, 0392, asks Hunter his name again. Hunter replies, “I already gave it to you.” Meadows then helps Hunter to stand up and frisks him, patting him down over his hoodie jacket and sweatpants. When Hunter asks why he’s doing this, Meadows says, “For safety. I don’t know what’s in your pockets.”Seemingly finding nothing of interest, Meadows cuffs Hunter with his hands behind his back and has him sit down on the curb again while he prepares the citation in the patrol car. During the encounter, Hunter accuses the two officers of being racist, says they “hate Black people,” and questions their actions. “I can see if I assaulted somebody, hit somebody on my bike and kept going,” he said, noting, “This is a Terry stop,” referencing a Terry stop-and-frisk, a police action which the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled usually requires reasonable suspicion that a suspect is armed and dangerous before conducting an over-the-clothing pat-down. A legitimate traffic stop allows officers to frisk someone operating a vehicle (including a bike). Meadows returns from the car with a ticket for riding a bike with no light and tells him when his court date is. Hunter angrily brushes off the officers’ effort to help him stand, and then they uncuff him. “That’s fine, that’s fine,” Hunter says as they do so, promising legal action. In the second incident, on Jan. 27, Hunter is heard saying, “Ain’t nowhere to walk!” as the police video starts. The scene appears to be a four-lane road in a commercial area with large snow drifts and ice covering the sidewalk. “You’re not going to walk in the middle of the fu—ing road, you understand me?” says a male officer. Hunter supplies his full name and says that he does not have identification. When the officer asks him his name again, Hunter replies, “I’m not repeating my name because you cussed at me.” “You’re going in handcuffs,” the officer says, and turns Hunter around and cuffs his arms behind his back, walks him over to his patrol car, and frisks him. He also searches inside his coat and pants pockets, pulling out some items.“I just told you I’m Martel Hunter,” the cuffed man says as the search continues. “I’m taking you to jail,” the officer replies. Then Hunter seems to notice the officer’s badge and recognize him. “Weren’t you the one punching women on the bridge? You about to lose your job!” he says. “Please enlighten me why I’m going to lose my job,” Officer Zachary Stayton replies. Hunter was referring to a confrontation in July 2025 between Covington police officers and people protesting against ICE on the John A. Roebling Suspension bridge between Cincinnati and Covington, during which several protesters were treated roughly by police, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. At the time of Hunter’s arrest, Stayton was still under investigation for punching two protesters during the incident, including a woman whom he had yanked around by her hair. He also shoved another woman who was walking on the bridge. On Oct. 29, the internal affairs investigators concluded that Stayton used excessive force on one woman and exhibited conduct unbecoming an officer with the other and was suspended without pay for 30 days. During that incident, Stayton was assisted by Meadows (who arrested Hunter for the bike light violation), then a new officer he was training. “You proud of yourself?” Hunter asked Stayton as he continued to search him. “Yes, I do good work,” Stayton answered, then put Hunter in his patrol car. After conferring with another officer who arrived, he proceeded to take him to jail. During the 53-minute video, the two men criticize and rib each other. “Your breath stink,” Hunter tells Stayton. “I could say the same thing about you,” replied the officer. When Hunter accuses Stayton of racially profiling him, Stayton replies, “You had a facemask on. I didn’t know what race you were.” “It’s always fun ‘til the rabbit got the gun,” Hunter replies. “You’re already famous for beating on women, pulling your gun on innocent civilians.” He threatens to sue him, then says, “I do God’s work. The power of God is coming to you.” Stayton then proceeds to blast rock music in the patrol car for the next several minutes, including “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down and “Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When the music dies down, Hunter argues, “There was nowhere to walk at,” to explain why he was in the street. “I’m 50. You think I’m gonna get hit by a car?” “You’re a compulsive liar, dude,” Stayton replies. “You were too busy being aggressive,” Hunter says. “You didn’t hear my name.” Stayton tells him he’s being charged with jaywalking. “I ain’t never had one of them!” Hunter says, laughing. Then he tells the officer to repent. “I try to help stuck people get unstuck. What do you do for people?” Hunter asks. “I’m trying to be a better man,” Stayton replies. “Well, you had every chance to be a civilized human being doing his job, and you chose not to,” Hunter says. After Stayton hands off Hunter to a female officer at the jail, he tells the cuffed man, “Mr. Hunter, my karma already started, dude. My fu—ing zipper on my jacket just broke off.” “I don’t have nothing to do with you no more,” Hunter replies. “I’m talking to this lady now. I feel safe.” When asked what was legal basis for cuffing, searching and arresting Hunter for the minor traffic violations, Covington Police Department Investigations Bureau Commander Capt. Bradbury replied in an email to Atlanta Black Star, “We are aware of the videos circulating online. The City is reviewing the incidents referenced. Because one of the matters remains active in the court system, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.” In another video Hunter posted on Jan. 27, the night of his release from jail, he returned on bike to the spot where he was arrested for jaywalking, and filmed what appeared to be 3- to 4-foot high snow banks covering the sidewalks and roadside. “How could I get out of the street?” he asked. “There’s mountains of snow, as big as me.” ‘You Proud of Yourself?’: Black Man Arrested for Jaywalking In Kentucky Exposes Aggressive Police Tactics Caught on Bodycam Video ...read more read less