She checked to ensure nothing was missing. I am leaving now, Evelyn announced. But before I go, I am issuing a verbal preservation order. Captain, I want the body camera footage from Officer Braden immediately downloaded and secured. I want the dash cam footage.
I want the GPS logs of his vehicle. I want the dispatch recordings of the initial call he claims to have received. If one second of that footage goes missing, if one log entry is deleted, I will have the district attorney bring charges for destruction of evidence and obstruction of justice against every person in this chain of command. Do I make myself clear? Crystal clear, judge, Henderson said.
He was sweating. It will be locked down within the hour. I want a copy of the incident report by close of business today, Evelyn continued. And I want the name and badge number of the sergeant on duty, she nodded at Miller. Though to be fair, Sergeant Miller acted appropriately once he discovered the error.
The liability lies with Officer Braden. Braden was standing against the wall. He looked small. He looked young. He looked like a child who had broken a priceless vase and was waiting for the spanking. you," Evelyn said, turning to him one last time.
"You have no business wearing that uniform. You lack the temperament, the judgment, and the basic knowledge of the law required for the job. You viewed me not as a citizen to be protected, but as a subject to be subjugated. You are dangerous. " She didn't wait for a response.
She turned and walked toward the exit. Captain Henderson followed her. "Judge, can I offer you a ride home? I'll drive you myself. I would rather walk, Evelyn said.
But my ankle is sore from being shoved into your car. You may call me a taxi. I'll call a town car service on the department's account, Henderson said quickly. Fine. Evelyn waited in the lobby.
She didn't sit. She stood staring at the wall, composing herself. The adrenaline was fading and the pain in her shoulder was sharpening into a dull, throbbing ache. She felt a wave of exhaustion hit her, but she pushed it back. There would be time to rest later.
Now was the time for war. When the car arrived, she got in without a word. She watched the police station fade into the distance. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, which Miller had returned to her. She dialed a number she knew by heart.
Hello, a voice answered. It was David Gold, the best civil rights attorney in the state and a personal friend. David, Evelyn said, "It's Evelyn. Are you free for lunch? I have a case for you, and you are going to want to sit down when I tell you who the plaintiff is.
" The lawsuit hit the city clerk's desk at 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning. It was a masterpiece of legal drafting, precise, brutal, and unassailable. It alleged violations of the fourth and 14th amendments, false arrest, excessive force, and malicious prosecution. It named the city, the police department, and officer Kyle Braden individually. By noon, the story had leaked to the press.
By 2:00 p.m., the video from Mrs. Higgins porch was on every news channel in the country. The visual was undeniable. a calm, well-dressed black woman standing on a manicured lawn, asking reasonable questions, being manhandled by a young, aggressive white officer. The moment where he cuffed her while the elderly white neighbor took the dog became an instant symbol of the racial disparities in policing. The fallout was swift and catastrophic for the department. The internal affairs investigation, usually a slow, opaque process, was completed in record time.
The evidence was overwhelming. The suspicious person report Braden had cited turned out to be a call from 3 hours prior in a different neighborhood describing a teenager in a hoodie. Braden had fabricated the connection to justify his stop. Furthermore, a review of Braden's history revealed a pattern. In his four years, he had stopped black motorists at four times the rate of white motorists.
He had a history of insubordination complaints from citizens that had been dismissed by previous supervisors, but they couldn't dismiss this one. They couldn't dismiss Judge Evelyn Moore. Three weeks later, Kyle Braden sat across a table from the chief of police and his union representative. The union rep, usually a bulldog for his officers, was silent. He had viewed the footage.
He had read the judge's deposition. He knew there was no defense. Officer Braden, the chief said, sliding a piece of paper across the table. Your employment is terminated effective immediately. We are also recommending to the state board that your certification be permanently revoked.