They find the sealed bottle but the neck of the bottle only. The bottle was on top of the vehicle’s roof when the cop blew the victims head off. The bottle likely hit the ground and shattered. But the sealed top should still be obvious.
The bottle was full.
Full, yes.
Sealed, unknown.
Am awaiting evidence either way.
Am looking at the even better copy of the video on YouTube.
Stopping at the up-close frames of the gin, looks to me like it was NOT sealed. There’s a shiny gap between the plastic top and the plastic collar that holds the top to the bottle until the seal is broken. That “shiny” usually isn’t visible until the seal is broken. An “open container” conviction carries a maximum penalty of a $150 fine.
That the driver had an open bottle of gin at his feet just adds to his escalating list of offenses during the stop and raised the stress level for both, as its easy access and awkward concealment start pointing to drinking _while_ driving. Consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle is a fourth-degree misdemeanor with maximum penalties of 30 days imprisonment or a $250 fine or both.