Mother files lawsuit against city of Detroit alleging wrongful arrest during pregnancy due to use of facial recognition technology by police officers

Black Mother Sues Detroit and Police Detective Over False Arrest Due to Facial Recognition Error

A Black mother in Detroit is filing a federal lawsuit against the city and a Detroit Police Department detective after she was falsely arrested while eight months pregnant. Porcha Woodruff, 32, was at home with her children when six police officers arrived at her door with an arrest warrant for carjacking and robbery. Despite protesting her innocence and pointing out her advanced pregnancy, Woodruff was handcuffed, taken to jail, and booked. It was later revealed that she had been implicated in the alleged incident based on an unreliable facial recognition match and a witness identification that included her mugshot from a previous arrest.

Woodruff’s criminal charges were dismissed less than a month later due to insufficient evidence, but she is now seeking a jury trial to recover punitive and other damages. The lawsuit highlights the troubling implications of facial recognition technology and its potential for wrongful arrests. It argues that facial recognition alone cannot serve as probable cause for arrests, as computer identification is prone to errors that humans might also make. The lawsuit also alleges a pattern of racial discrimination by the Detroit police in their use of facial recognition technology, which has been shown to misidentify Black citizens at a higher rate than others.

This case is part of a larger debate surrounding the risks and dangers of facial recognition technology. Studies have shown that many facial recognition algorithms are more likely to misidentify racial minorities than White people, with Native American, Black, and Asian individuals being disproportionately affected. In response to these concerns, several cities, including San Francisco and Somerville, Massachusetts, have banned the use of facial recognition by city officials.

Woodruff’s attorney believes that facial recognition technology can be a helpful tool if used in conjunction with other investigative measures. However, the lawsuit alleges malicious prosecution by the detective who submitted the faulty warrant that led to Woodruff’s arrest, claiming that her actions appeared to be driven by malice. The Detroit police chief has called the allegations very concerning and stated that the matter is being taken seriously.

This is not the first time the Detroit police department has been involved in the misuse of facial recognition technology. In 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint after a wrongful arrest resulting from a facial recognition match. It was later discovered that the system had suggested the wrong person as a potential match.

Woodruff’s arrest has had lasting trauma for her and her children. She experienced physical and emotional distress during her detention, leading to health complications. Her children are also struggling to cope with the fact that their mother was arrested in front of them for a crime she did not commit.

This case highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and oversight of facial recognition technology. Without proper guidelines and safeguards, innocent individuals like Woodruff will continue to suffer the consequences of faulty algorithms and biased practices.

Original Story at www.cnn.com – 2023-08-08 05:17:00