Black Law Student Says Deputy Mistook Her For A Defendant
Brooklyn Crockton, a Black Roger Williams University School of Law student, says a white sheriff’s deputy mistook her for a defendant when she tried entering a courtroom to represent a client as part of the school’s criminal defense clinic.
According to Boston.com, the third-year law student posted a TikTok video about the experience that happened last week, and now, it’s gone viral.
On Thursday (March 3), Crockton reportedly lined up with fellow lawyers at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence while preparing to enter a courtroom to defend a client in a misdemeanor case. However, she says a sheriff’s deputy put “his body between me and the door” and asked if she step aside. He then asked her, after allowing other attorneys to enter, “Are you sure you are in the right courtroom? Are you the defendant?”
Crockton then had to explain, with folders and binders filled with court papers in tow, that she was an attorney. As to why she believes she was stopped by the deputy, she said “I think we all know why,” referring to the fact that she’s a Black woman.
According to Rhode Island Supreme Court Rule 9, law students are allowed to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases in state District Court under the supervision of a licensed attorney on the RWU Law faculty.
Since posting the video on TikTok, it’s gained over 72,000 likes and more than 400 comments, with many sharing that they’ve had the same experiences as attorneys of color. See what unfolded below.
