Appeals Court Overturns Ruling Against Richmond Police on Racial Traffic Stops

A federal appeals court has overturned a lower court ruling that dismissed firearm charges against Keith Rodney Moore, a Richmond man stopped by police in 2020 for driving a vehicle with a fake temporary license tag. The original dismissal, issued by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., was based on data showing that Richmond police disproportionately stopped Black drivers, which he described as a "disgraceful disparity" and a violation of the Constitution. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit found that the evidence did not prove intentional racial discrimination in Moore's stop, noting the stop was due to the fraudulent tag and that officers had attempted to stop multiple vehicles with the same tag that night. The appeals court reinstated Moore's charges, emphasizing the lack of direct evidence of discriminatory intent and criticizing the lower court's reliance on statistical disparities alone. Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards praised the appeals court decision, calling the initial ruling "confounding" and a morale blow to the department. Moore's case will return to district court unless further appeals are pursued.