His Character Was Questioned For No Good Reason

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PushBlack
April 9, 2019

Maryland Legal Aid attorney Rashad James showed up to work, prepared to represent his client in expungement proceedings with professionalism. 

Rather than let the brother do his job, a court deputy stepped in. 

Thinking he was a defendant impersonating a lawyer, the official asked for identification. 

No one - including the judge - questioned James as he performed his responsibilities. Yet the deputy refused to believe this Black man was an attorney, escalating things further even after James showed his driver’s license. 

James was detained for 10 minutes until a call could be made to his supervisor to validate his identity. 

Imagine working hard to succeed in your career and court personnel, like this out of order deputy, gives you a hard time - moving as though your Black skin is cause for suspicion of your character.

Racial profiling like this plays out in courtrooms, on roadways, and in all manner of spaces where people view Black excellence as unfathomable. 

Thankfully an investigation is being launched into this incident and others involving the discriminatory behavior of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. Perhaps afterwards there can be a new directive passed along to “mind your business” when you’re not used to Black people succeeding in positions of power. 

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