Motorcycle officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) had stopped the Miami Dolphins star wide receiver outside Hard Rock Stadium on September 8, hours before the team's 2024 season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Traffic court records show the case was tossed owing to "lack of prosecution officer/witness."
Radio host Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 was the first to break the news this morning in a post on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Hill responded from his own account, tweeting, "Where all the internet cops now?"
Shortly after 10 a.m. on opening day, a phalanx of motorcycle officers stopped Hill just outside the stadium. Bystanders captured the ensuing incident on their cellphones as Hill pulled to the side of the road, only to have an irate Miami-Dade officer forcibly remove him from his sports car, slam him to the pavement, and handcuff him.Where all the internet cops now https://t.co/WrEztccMfv
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) November 26, 2024
As the incident unfolded, two of Hill's teammates, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith, arrived at the scene. Both were threatened with arrest and Campbell was placed in handcuffs.
All were subsequently released.
Hill played as scheduled, gaining 130 yards on seven receptions, including an 80-yard catch for a touchdown, in the Dolphins' 20-17 victory over the Jags. After scoring the TD, Hill pantomimed being handcuffed and teammate Jaylen Waddle led him off the turf.
The following day, the county released numerous body-cam videos from the 30-minute traffic stop, leading to widespread public outcry over the officers' actions — Manuel Batista, the arresting officer; and 27-year MDPD veteran Danny Torres, who remains on administrative duty as the department continues to investigate the events of opening day.
In the days that followed, Hill called for the county to fire Torres.
"He gotta go, man," the 30-year-old wideout said. "Because in that instant right there, like, not only did he treat me bad, he also treated my teammates with, you know, disrespect. You know, he had some crazy words towards them, and they ain't even do nothing. Like: What did they do to you? They just walking on the sidewalk."
In a statement to New Times, Hill's attorney, Devon Jacob, asserted that the officers' failure to show up in court shows they knew they were in the wrong.
"As anticipated, the traffic citations against Tyreek Hill were dismissed," the civil rights attorney writes. "Police officers should not issue citations unless they are willing to testify in court, under oath, with respect to same. Officer Torres' and Batista's absence from court today evidences their knowledge of wrongdoing.
Adds Jacob, "These officers should be disciplined for their failure to appear."
A MDPD spokesperson confirmed that Batista failed to appear at the hearing.
"The Miami-Dade Police Department is aware that a docket of citations issued to multiple individuals, including the non-criminal citations issued to Mr. Tyreek Hill, have been dismissed because the officer did not attend the hearing," the spokesperson says in an emailed statement. "A citation dismissed due to this reason does not indicate that the citation held no merit.
"An internal review as to why the officer did not appear in court has revealed an oversight on his behalf," the statement continues. "This matter will be handled administratively."
