I have a new piece in Slate. It tells the story of Judge Roger Benitez, of the Southern District of California, who ordered the handcuffing of a thirteen year old child who had done nothing more than sit quietly in the spectators’ gallery. No, that’s not an exaggeration.
Here are the opening paragraphs:
You might think that any American judge would be severely penalized for tormenting an innocent child in open court, but you would be wrong. Federal judges, protected by life tenure, can mistreat people in their courtrooms, including spectators, with near impunity and little fear of meaningful punishment. That is just what happened last month in San Diego, when senior Federal District Judge Roger Benitez committed what can only be described as a blatant act of child abuse.
When Mario Puente brought his 13-year-old daughter to Benitez’s courtroom, he hoped that her visible support might help him persuade the judge that he was committed to turning his life around, rather than being returned to prison for violating his parole on drug charges. Benitez, a George W. Bush appointee, was indeed moved by the girl’s presence, but in a stunningly inhumane direction. Before the hearing was over, the teenager found herself weeping in handcuffs at the judge’s command, even though she had done nothing more than sit quietly in the spectators’ section while her father attempted to talk himself out of more prison time.
You can read the entire essay in Slate.
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