Danny Williams is black. That's important to this story.
Kim Thomas is black, too. Williams is a Maryland Transit Administration bus driver who was operating the No. 27 bus on Dec. 4, when Sarah Kreager and her boyfriend, Troy Ennis, were allegedly beaten by a group of students from Robert Poole Middle School. Six boys and three girls were eventually charged with assault; three boys had their cases delayed and one girl pleaded guilty.
Thomas is the defense attorney for Nikita McDaniels, whom Kreager identified as the student who started the fight with her. McDaniels filed countercharges, alleging that Kreager spat on her after Ennis told her to "spit on one of those niggers."
Both Kreager and Ennis are white; all five students facing adjudicatory hearings at the Juvenile Justice Center are black. When Williams testified Monday at the hearing, he had a feisty exchange with Thomas about the use of what he referred to as "the N-word."
Thomas didn't use the euphemism. She uttered the full word when she asked Williams if he heard Ennis tell Kreager to "spit on one of those niggers." Williams testified that Ennis said no such thing, and then asked Judge David Young to order Thomas to use the term "N-word," not the actual word.
"I find that word offensive," Williams told Young.
"I find it offensive, too, for the record," Young, who is also black, answered.
"I also find it offensive," Thomas added, which may be why Ennis' alleged uttering of the word and Kreager's alleged spitting have been the crux of her defense of McDaniels.
Williams is one of three prosecution witnesses who were on that No. 27 bus on Dec. 4. Kreager was the first to testify. Ennis followed, and at one point Thomas challenged him about his alleged use of the N-word. Ennis denied it, tapping his left forefinger to his left temple in explaining to Thomas why he never would have used it, at least on that bus on that day.
"Common sense, ma'am," he said. "Common sense not to say that on a bus full of African-Americans."
Ennis and Kreager were adamant that no racial slurs were used; Williams was every bit as adamant in agreeing with them.
"I didn't hear any students objecting about the use of the N-word," Williams said. "It would have offended me, too, being a black man."
What Williams did hear, he testified, was a heavyset girl telling someone, "You can't sit down" followed by Ennis' voice saying, "Leave my girlfriend alone." Williams said he shouted back for the student to let Kreager sit down.
