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A transgender civil rights attorney in Oklahoma, United States, Rob Hopkins, was arrested for contempt of court after a heated argument with a female judge last month.
In the incident that took place in Pontotoc County on February 5, Hopkins accused the judge of bias and later screamed “I can’t breathe” while resisting deputies, court surveillance footage showed.
According to The Oklahoma Post, Hopkins, owner of Hopkins Law and Associates, PC, was representing a client in a child custody hearing before Judge Laurie Jackson in Ada when the exchange escalated.
The report stated that the client, Julie Ann Kramer, had failed to appear because of a pending protective order in another county.
Daily Mail reported that the confrontation began off-camera when Hopkins quoted a bailiff who had told him earlier that morning to “get your butt down here” to Pontotoc County and Judge Jackson admonished him for the language.
It moved on-camera as Hopkins raised his voice, interrupted the judge repeatedly, pointed his finger toward her and threw his phone to the floor, claiming it fell accidentally.
The judge warned Hopkins multiple times to stop interrupting.
“Stop, stop, stop! You interrupt me one more time and you are being held in contempt. You can wipe that smirk off your face,” Jackson said, the footage shows.
Hopkins responded that the judge’s actions were because of his identity.
He said, “It’s because I’m a transgender attorney practicing all over this state”.
“I don’t know you from Adam,” the judge retorted, throwing her hands up in apparent frustration.
When an opposing attorney raised an objection related to the client’s warrant, Hopkins continued to speak over the proceedings.
Judge Jackson ended the hearing and held Hopkins in direct contempt of court, ordering deputies to take him into custody.
As deputies moved in, the trans attorney struggled and shouted, “Do not hurt me, do not hurt me … Do not grab me! Do not grab me! I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.”
He also screamed, “Get a female officer now! Get a female officer now!” as he was detained.
Deputies took him to the floor to subdue him as he hyperventilated and continued yelling and additional officers responded after he called for 911.
Hopkins was removed from the courtroom and later released on $25,000 bond.
On February 11, he announced in a video that he was closing his law firm, citing concerns for his physical safety and that of his family, and said he believed he had grounds for a discrimination lawsuit against the county.
The incident was captured on courtroom surveillance video that later circulated widely on social media.
