A Black judge in Detroit threatened to jail a white defendant who audaciously called him a “f—–g d–k” during an on-camera proceeding in which the court had just dismissed the man’s case for having an invalid registration.
Judge Sean B. Perkins scolded Michael Wayne Gowens after the ungrateful defendant apparently forgot to turn his mic off before he insulted Perkins on camera.
“Guy’s a f—–g d–k, bro,” Gowens said brazenly after the judge granted him a reprieve.
Perkins, who’s gained a reputation for his no-nonsense approach while presiding on the 36th District Court since 2021, stopped short of jailing Gowens but excoriated the defendant for his outrageous remarks after the judge dismissed the man’s case just moments before.
Flummoxed by what he heard, Judge Perkins sat up in his chair and exclaimed, “Who was that? What was that?”
Video from the January hearing has since gone viral on social media, showing Gowens as he provided valid documentation for his vehicle but then spoke foolishly about the judge, thinking he had already turned his camera off.
Realizing his mistake, Gowens initially tried to play it off as if his phone had somehow malfunctioned, but the judge was already furious.
“You’re going to be in contempt of court, Mr. Gowens. I’m going to give you another court date,” Perkins said angrily, pointing at the defendant with his ink pen.
“I heard your comments, sir,” Perkins said, putting Gowens on the spot.
The defendant rolled his eyes as he admitted what he said, saying “I know sir, I’m sorry.”
Initially, the judge repeatedly urged Gowens to come back on camera after he ducked away momentarily, clearly embarrassed that he got caught.
“I heard what you said,” Perkins said sternly. “Too bad you didn’t say that after you left the room.”
The judge kept Gowens on the hot seat for several minutes, making him admit to what he said while ordering him to repeat the disrespectful phrase for the record, which Gowens did.
By now, Gowens’ tone had changed as he answered to Judge Perkins with “Yes, sir,” “I’m sorry, sir,” and “I understand, sir.”
Gowens showed obvious signs of frustration with himself, rubbing his hand on his forehead as he pleaded with the judge to accept his apology.
Perkins then paused the man’s hearing and pushed it back on the docket, saying “I’m going to take you last. Because I’m going to show you how I can be what you said I am.”
After about an hour of waiting online and conferring with his lawyer, Gowens remained apologetic as the judge pushed him to say the vulgarities again.
“I’m sorry. I thought the phone was off,” Gowens said.
“No, that’s not what you called me,” Judge Perkins fired back. “You did call me something. And you thought the phone was off and you didn’t think I heard you. So let me hear what you called me.”
At that point, Gowens was cornered and repeated the disrespectful phrase.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Perkins fumed.
Gowens apologized feebly, but continued to speak disrespectfully to the judge.
“Please accept my apology, man. I’m sorry, man. I don’t need these problems, please.”
“So, I didn’t bring the problems on you,” Perkins said. “You’re the type that seems like you throw the stone and hide your hand. When you thought I wasn’t listening, then you go and call me these expletives. I don’t know why.”
Judge Perkins then called on the man’s attorney, Elwood Berry, as part of a hearing to address Gowens’ disrespect.
“Mr. Berry, you may be his only hope. He managed to turn a dismissed case into contempt of court by himself already,” Perkins said. “But we can have a contempt mirror because in the court’s presence, he made awesome, very descriptive expletives. Maybe that’s the way I need to run my show.”
Berry then called Gowens’ wife to take the stand as a witness.
“Yes, Your Honor, we are ready to deal with this situation,” Berry said confidently. “And if the court would permit me to call the witness, Mrs. Gowens.”
But the judge cut him off, saying “this is not a trial or anything right now. I’m just going to hear what you have to say.”
Berry then proceeded to tell the judge that he had misunderstood Gowens.
“The Gowens have a 20 year old autistic child who in the last 24 hours has been very, very difficult. And he was directing his comments to his wife, regarding his son’s conduct and his difficulty in dealing with him overnight and over the past 24 hours.”
Perkins loudly interrupted Berry and talked over him, saying, “So you called your 20 year old autistic child a f—–g d–k behind his back instead? That’s honestly worse than what you really did. And that’s the situation.”
At the same time, Berry finished his point that Gowens had “inadvertently” left his channel open and spoke the words, but argued that “his comments were not directed at the court.”
But Perkins said Berry was not being truthful about what happened.
“I don’t agree,” the judge said, adding “I think Mr. Gowens has all but admitted. They were in the court. You guys sat in that room for an hour and all you could come up with was the worst lie ever?”
Perkins then reprimanded Gowens about handling his frustrations better, and said the defendant should have simply owned up to what he said instead of making excuses.
“If I’m going to call them that, I’m a call them that to their face,” Perkins said angrily. “That’s just how I do it.”
Not typically known for leniency, Perkins expressed pity for the defendant and let him off the hook for the second time that day.
“You know something, Mr. Gowens, I’m going to let it go as that is not the first time and I’m sure that it certainly won’t be the last time,” Perkins said, ending the tense standoff, while Gowens breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m going to wish you a very happy New Year. I hope you control your frustrations a little bit better enough right? Let this be a lesson for everyone. If you’re gonna say it, say it to their face.”
