You think that law degree is going to protect you. Camille pulled out her phone, opened the camera app, hit record. State your name and badge number for the record. Travis froze.
His eyes went to the phone, then to the security camera mounted on the garage ceiling 20 ft away. His jaw worked. I'm off duty. I don't have to tell you anything.
Then this conversation is over. She kept the camera pointed at him. Keeping him in frame. If you continue approaching me, I'll file a harassment complaint with the Durham County Sheriff's Office.
Harassment. He laughed, but it didn't sound amused. I'm trying to give you friendly advice. Watch yourself.
Courthouse isn't always safe. Lots of people coming and going, some of them unstable. Would be a shame if something happened to you. Are you threatening me, Officer Mundy?
I'm expressing concern for your safety, that's all. But his eyes were hard. They stood there for 5 seconds. 10.
Camille kept recording. Finally, Travis turned and walked back toward the elevator. She waited until the doors closed behind him, then stopped recording, saved the video with timestamp and location data, uploaded it to three different cloud services immediately. Then she got in her car, locked all the doors, and drove to Professor Washington's office.
He watched the video twice. The second time he paused it on Travis's face when he said, "Would be a shame if something happened to you. That's a threat." Plausibly deniable, Camille said.
He can claim he was expressing concern. Maybe in isolation, but combined with the pattern of secondary screenings, the escalating delays, the confrontational behavior. This is harassment. You need to file a formal complaint.
With who? The sheriff's office. Travis works for them. With everyone sheriff's office, yes, but also the ACLU.
And Professor Washington pulled out his phone. I'm calling Marcus Chen right now. He dialed, put it on speaker. Three rings.
Marcus Chen. Marcus, it's Jamal Washington at Duke. I'm here with a student who needs your help. You got a minute for you?
Always. What's going on? Professor Washington gestured to Camille. She explained the whole thing starting with the first secondary screening on September 12th.
The pattern of delays, Sharon Puit's refusal to file her documents, Judge Hargrove's dismissiveness, Elliot's warning about making enemies, Alana's sabotage attempt with the overruled case, and finally, Travis's confrontation in the parking garage. Marcus was quiet for a moment after she finished. How much of this have you documented? All of it.
Dates, times, witnesses, exact quotes where I can remember them. Screenshots of emails, video of the parking garage incident, statistical analysis of the secondary screenings compared to other attorneys. Send it to me. Everything.
I'll review it over the weekend and call you Monday. Do you think it's enough for a civil rights complaint? I think it's enough for a pattern and practice investigation. Maybe more.
But let me look at the evidence first. Jamal, you still there? Yeah. She safe.
Professor Washington looked at Camille. Are you? I'm careful. I don't go to the courthouse alone anymore.
I tell people where I'm going. I document everything. That's not what I asked. Camille thought about Travis's hand near his holster, his threat in the parking garage, the way his eyes had gone flat and cold.
I don't know. Then we act fast, Marcus said. Send me everything tonight. I'll have a preliminary review done by Monday morning.
And Camille, until we figure out next steps, you don't go to that courthouse without someone with you. Understood? Understood. They hung up.
Professor Washington walked her to her car, waited until she was inside with the doors locked before heading to his own vehicle. That night, Camille compiled everything, created a master document with timeline, incident reports, supporting evidence, 37 pages, 13 separate incidents. 42 white attorneys observed passing through security without secondary screening while she was detained. Average delay, 13 minutes 22 seconds.
Pattern clear, statistically significant, legally actionable. She attached the video of Travis's threat, screenshots of Alana's sabotage attempt, copies of her motions with Sharon's handwritten notes, scheduling hearings after evictions, transcript excerpts from Judge Hargrove's comments about her inexperience. She sent it all to Marcus Chen at 11:43 p.m. He responded at 11:45. Got it.
Go get some sleep. We'll talk Monday. But she couldn't sleep. Instead, she opened a new document and started drafting complaint for injunctive relief and damages.
Camille Booker, plaintiff, v. Durham County. Travis Mundy, Sharon Puit, Elliot Chandler, John Doe. Security officers 1:5 and Jane Doe clerks 1-3 defendants violations 42 U.S.C. 1983 denial of access to courts 18 U.S.C..
Section 242 deprivation of rights under color of law North Carolina General Statute 143-422.3 discriminatory enforcement Brady violation withholding exculpatory evidence she wrote until 3:00 a.m. When she finally stopped, she had 49 pages evidence, legal analysis, prayer for relief that included damages, injunctive relief, policy reforms, and attorneys' fees. She saved it, but didn't file it. Not yet. Wait for Marcus' review.
Wait for the right moment. But the complaint was ready. Loaded. Just waiting for the trigger.
Monday morning, Marcus called at 9:00 a.m. I reviewed everything you sent. This is solid. Really solid. Pattern of harassment, discriminatory enforcement, possible judicial bias.
We could file tomorrow if you wanted to. But I think we should wait. Let them escalate a bit more. Right now, they can claim isolated incidents, misunderstandings, judgment calls.
If we wait, they'll keep pushing. And every time they push, you document it. Build the pattern until it's absolutely undeniable. How long?
Through your oral arguments in March. That's 4 months. Keep documenting every courthouse visit, every interaction, every delay. By the time we file, we'll have 6 months of evidence instead of two.