She held them together at chest level and turned them toward the officer.
Naomi Carter: "My name is Naomi Carter. I am a federal judge. I expect you to explain exactly what you just did."
Brooks looked at the cards.
At first, he seemed uncertain about what he was seeing. He leaned forward slightly, studying the official seals and the information printed on the identification.
His expression began to change.
The confidence that had dominated his face only moments earlier disappeared. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly.
Officer Brooks: "Wait... you're a federal judge?"
Naomi Carter: "Yes. You heard me correctly."
Brooks looked at the cards again.
Officer Brooks: "You're actually a federal judge?"
Naomi lowered the identification slightly but kept it visible.
Naomi Carter: "That's correct. And I want to know why you approached me, why you ordered me to put my hands on the vehicle, and why you thought you had the right to strike me."
The officer appeared to struggle for an answer.
Officer Brooks: "I didn't know who you were."
Naomi's expression remained firm.
Naomi Carter: "That is not an answer."
Officer Brooks: "I thought there was suspicious activity."
Naomi Carter: "What suspicious activity?"
Officer Brooks: "I was conducting patrol. I noticed the vehicle and wanted to make sure everything was okay."
Naomi Carter: "What about the vehicle made you believe a crime was taking place?"
Brooks glanced toward the SUV.
Officer Brooks: "I was just checking."
Naomi Carter: "You approached me without identifying a specific concern. You refused to explain your instructions. You made an insulting remark, struck me, and pulled my hair. Now that you know my profession, you suddenly seem concerned about what happened."
Brooks shifted his weight.
Officer Brooks: "Ma'am, I was just doing my job."
Naomi Carter: "Doing your job does not mean treating people however you want."
She paused, looking directly at him.
Naomi Carter: "And I want you to understand something. I am not asking you to respect me because I am a federal judge. I am asking you to respect me because I am a person."
The words appeared to catch him off guard.
Naomi Carter: "If I were a hotel cleaner, a cashier, a university student, or someone who had never studied the law, would you believe you had the right to hit me?"
Brooks did not answer.
Naomi Carter: "If I had no expensive vehicle, no designer shopping bags, and no official identification, would you still think your behavior was acceptable?"
The officer looked toward the growing crowd.
A woman holding a phone stepped closer.
Female Bystander: "We saw everything. She was just putting her shopping bags in the trunk."
Another man spoke from beside a parked sedan.
Male Bystander: "You didn't even explain why you were stopping her."
Brooks raised his hand.
Officer Brooks: "Everyone needs to stay back. This is a police matter."
Naomi Carter: "They are witnesses. You should not be trying to silence them."
Brooks reached toward the radio attached to his shoulder.
He pressed the button and spoke in a quieter voice than before.
Officer Brooks: "Dispatch, this is Officer Brooks. I need a supervisor at the west parking level."
Dispatcher: "Copy, Officer Brooks. What is the situation?"
Brooks looked briefly at Naomi before responding.
Officer Brooks: "I have a situation involving an individual who has presented official federal credentials. Requesting a supervisor."
Dispatcher: "Understood. Is anyone injured?"
Brooks hesitated.
Officer Brooks: "No medical assistance requested at this time."
Naomi immediately responded.
Naomi Carter: "You should report that you used physical force."
Brooks did not answer.
Naomi looked toward the witnesses again.
Naomi Carter: "Please make sure you keep the complete recordings. I want the events before and after the physical contact preserved."
Emily Parker, the woman who had been filming from near the elevator, nodded.
Emily Parker: "I have the beginning of it. I'll keep the original video."
Naomi Carter: "Thank you."
Brooks looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Officer Brooks: "Ma'am, we can resolve this without making a big issue out of it."
Naomi turned back toward him.
Naomi Carter: "You don't get to decide whether an assault is a small issue."
Officer Brooks: "I didn't mean for things to go this far."
Naomi Carter: "You had several opportunities to stop. You could have explained why you approached me. You could have lowered your voice. You could have listened when I asked a reasonable question. Instead, you chose to use force."