A New York City police officer testifying at a civil trial over how the department carries out street stops is refuting claims she stopped a man because of his race.

Detective Angelica Salmeron testified Friday in the federal trial challenging the legality of some of the nearly 5 million stops made by police in the past decade.

The detective said she stopped Deon Dennis because he was holding a cup filled with alcohol and had an open bottle of cognac on the street. She said she didn’t rifle through his pockets. She said she handcuffed him because he had an open warrant.

Dennis said he was wrongly stopped in 2008 as he stood outside during his girlfriend’s birthday party. He said he believed police stopped him because he is black.

(AP)