The "Terry Stop" by the police takes away your rights.

Cop Asks "Where You Coming From?" Say THIS & They'll Back Off.

Daniel Cross & Co.
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"Where are you coming from?" sounds like small talk. Legally, it's the opener to an investigation — and how you respond in the next 30 seconds decides what happens in court six months later. Defense attorney Daniel Cross explains the exact sentence that protects you, and why silence alone won't. 📌 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: •

Why you are NOT legally required to answer where you're coming from or going — but why staying silent is actually the worst of both worlds •

The 2013 Supreme Court ruling (Salinas v. Texas) that most drivers have never heard of — and why it changes everything about what silence means at a traffic stop • The one sentence that invokes your Fifth Amendment right, requests counsel, and tests the Rodriguez clock — all at once • Why the officer is NOT required to read you your rights before asking questions (Berkemer v. McCarty, explained plainly) • The exact documents you hand over — and the exact ones you don't •

How to refuse a search without creating reasonable suspicion • The 30-day window to preserve body-camera footage before departments delete it • What stop-and-identify statutes mean in the 26 states that have them — and what even those states CANNOT legally compel you to say ⚖️ KEY CASES COVERED: → Terry v. Ohio (196 — what a traffic stop legally is, and what it isn't → Berkemer v. McCarty (1984) — why no Miranda warning is coming → Salinas v. Texas (2013) — why silence alone is not self-executing → Berghuis v. Thompkins — why invocation must be unambiguous, not implied → Rodriguez v. United States (2015) — the clock that limits every stop → Schneckloth v. Bustamonte — what makes consent legally valid (and how to refuse it) → Pennsylvania v. Mimms — why you step out when ordered, and still keep your rights → Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court (2004) — name-only states, explained → Florida v. Bostick — why declining to answer is NOT obstruction → Ohio v. Robinette — why you have to ask if you're free to go

🗣️ THE SENTENCE TO MEMORIZE: "Officer, I'm going to remain silent. I'd like to speak with a lawyer. Am I free to go?" That one sentence satisfies Salinas, invokes counsel, and forces the officer to either end the stop or articulate — on bodycam — an independent reason to continue it. 🗺️

JURISDICTIONAL FLAG: 26 states have stop-and-identify statutes (including NV, FL, OH, IN, NY). In those states, you may be required to provide your name if the officer has reasonable suspicion. No state can require you to answer where you're coming from, where you're going, or what you've been doing. Know which side of the line you're on before you need to. 📋

THE 6-STEP PROTOCOL: 1. Say the sentence (invocation + counsel + Rodriguez test — all at once) 2. Hand over license, registration, and proof of insurance — nothing more 3. Decline any search: "I do not consent to any searches" 4. Comply with all lawful physical orders (step out if told to — that's Mimms) 5. Ask: "Am I being detained, or am I free to go?" once the citation is issued

6. Document everything within 24 hours — and send a written bodycam preservation request within 30 days

******Document everything within 24 hours — and send a written bodycam preservation request within 30 days