If you’re ever in the unfortunate position to have to appear in court, you’re always told to look your best—not because you’ll be dismissed otherwise, but to put forth a good impression of you being a standup citizen. But maybe there is a little more to it as Yancina Johnson learned the hard way Tuesday. The Mobile, AL, woman was set to testify against Hykeem Kemp, a man who she says has been threatening her family since her son’s murder in February, and whom she believes had something to do with his killing, but when she arrived to go before the judge, she wasn’t allowed her day in court because of what she was wearing.

Johnson told the Local 15 news:

“I told (the bailiff) my name, she said, ‘Okay, but you can’t go back in the courtroom because what you have on is not appropriate.’”

Though Johnson didn’t exactly put her best fashion foot forward in a sundress with thin straps, the reaction seems a bit harsh and unprecedented. Johnson said she was still told to wait in the hall until she was called to testify but that never happened.

“Nobody came and got me, nobody came and talked to me,” she said. “How could they have his trial without me being there?”

Kemp, the man she was supposed to testify against, ended up receiving credit for time served and being released from jail that day, making the circumstances of her son’s murder seem all the more suspicious to Johnson. In February, her son, Darrius Rowser, was found shot to death multiple times in his car with the engine still running. Four months later no one has been charged with the killing. Johnson said she’s continuously been given the runaround by police and the court system, with the dress debacle being the latest dead end. She also said witnesses are too scared to come forward because Kemp and other men have intimidated them, which is why she felt giving her testimony was so crucial.

“They need to find out what’s going on in my neighborhood so these people can be put somewhere before they hurt somebody else,” she said. “They need to be serious about other stuff than a tank top.”

When the local news station spoke with Presiding Judge Holmes Whiddon about Johnson’s removal from the courtroom, all he had to say is it’s up to the bailiff to decide whether an outfit is appropriate for court. He also said it’s possible Johnson’s testimony was no longer needed if Kemp took a plea deal, but you would think someone would have informed her if that was the case.

Do you think people should be stopped from testifying in court over their clothing?

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Sure we love our jeans, our pants and shorts but nothing exudes femininity than donning a dress that fits our frame perfectly and makes us feel glad to be a woman. It’s the symbol of femininity and it can be worn anywhere. You don’t need a wardrobe full of frocks, but you might want to be covered for these occasions… 

Once the weather is nice there always seems to be an event to attend. Rather it’s a visit to the local zoo or a beach wedding, your closet should be versatile enough to take you anywhere. One of the biggest shopping issues women face is finding the right piece to wear more than once, but feel comfortable in any setting.

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