Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Wrongful Arrest of Pregnant Detroit Woman Misidentified by Facial Recognition

September 8, 2025

Porcha Woodruff, a Black pregnant woman, was wrongfully arrested for carjacking in Detroit after facial recognition technology misidentified her in surveillance footage. Despite her subsequent release and the charges being dropped, U.S. District Judge Judith Levy dismissed Woodruff's civil rights lawsuit against the officer who pursued the arrest warrant. The case highlights the persistent inaccuracy of facial recognition technology in identifying Black faces and its real-world consequences when used in policing.

Who is affected

Porcha Woodruff, a pregnant Black woman who was wrongfully arrested
Woodruff's children, who developed anxiety and fear of police after witnessing her arrest
Black and Brown individuals who face higher error rates with facial recognition technology
Communities of color that experience heavy surveillance
Detroit residents like Robert Williams who was previously wrongfully arrested due to similar misidentification

What action is being taken

Woodruff's attorney is appealing the court's dismissal of her civil rights lawsuit
Detroit police have changed their policy to not make arrests based solely on facial recognition results or photo lineups created from them
The City of Detroit is attempting to regulate rather than ban facial recognition technology

Why it matters

Facial recognition technology has significantly higher error rates for Black women compared to white men according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology
These technological failures can disrupt lives, as Woodruff was jailed for 10 hours, suffered from dehydration and stress-induced contractions, and continues to experience anxiety and postpartum depression
The case reveals how algorithmic suggestions can lead to serious consequences in communities already subject to heavy surveillance
It raises questions about accountability when imperfect tools are used in law enforcement and highlights tensions between adopting new technologies and protecting civil rights

What's next

Woodruff's case is now headed for appeal
No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle