Meet David Floyd, the Man At the Center of the NYPD’s Stop-and-Frisk Trial

His story has become all too common for men of color in New York City.

By Jamilah King Mar 19, 2013

On the first day of testimony in the Stop-and-Frisk trial, lead plaintiff David Floyd took the stand and testified that he’d been humiliated by the NYPD when they stopped him twice near his Bronx home. [Here’s more from the Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/18/david-floyd-stop-and-frisk-trial_n_2903682.html#slide=2236751): > The Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit civil rights legal group, is bringing the lawsuit, Floyd v. City of New York, against the city, alleging stop and frisk as it is currently being practiced violates constitutional protections against racial discrimination and unreasonable search. > > …Floyd, who is black, is currently studying to become a doctor. He testified for more than an hour on Monday, wearing a dress shirt and tie, and recalled in a strong, even voice two police stops near his house. > > In April 2007, Floyd said, he was stopped by three police officers who demanded his identification and then proceeded to pat him down from his groin to his ankle on both legs. Despite telling the officers that he did not consent to the search they went ahead, one using a finger to search in Floyd’s pants. > > The entire stop lasted no more than 10 minutes, but for Floyd it was a jarring experience. He said he felt "frustrated, humiliated — because it was on my block where I live, and I wasn’t doing anything." All he could think, he said, was that he wanted to get back to the safety of his home. Floyd’s story is an interesting one, but it’s also a common one. [Read more about his first day of testimony over at The Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/18/david-floyd-stop-and-frisk-trial_n_2903682.html#slide=2236751).