Judge Orders Apology for Loud Legal Test

A federal judge has ordered lawyers involved in a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia to apologize after they conducted a 'scream test' in a residential area, causing distress among residents. U.S. Judge John F. Murphy criticized the test, which involved blasting a recording of a woman screaming at 122 decibels for an hour during the early morning hours of September 23, as lacking foresight and creating a 'potentially dangerous situation.' The lawyers are representing Termaine Hicks, who is suing the city over his wrongful conviction for rape; the test aimed to determine whether he could have heard screams from two blocks away. Residents described the sound as jarring and traumatizing, particularly for those who had experienced violence. The lawyers must issue a written apology to all affected residents and make in-person apologies by the end of October. The city also acknowledged the incident, stating that they had limited control over the situation but recognized the need for better oversight in such tests.