'I had spit to defend myself': Shorewood woman takes stand in trial

SHOREWOOD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Tuesday, April 18, the trial continued for Shorewood attorney Stephanie Rapkin. She is accused of spitting in the face of a Black teenager during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020.

Court started with Eric Lucas taking the stand. Lucas is the man who claims Rapkin spit in his face.

Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney James Griffin asked Lucas to identify Rapkin in the courtroom and Lucas explained what Rapkin was wearing and pointed her out. Griffin concluded the argument.

The defense for Rapkin, Attorney Anthony Cotton, then cross-examined Lucas.

Cotton asked Lucas about his engagement and history with civil protest.

Cotton continued, and asked how Lucas came to organize the June protest -- what process did he go through in making the protest official?

Lucas responded and said he was not the primary organizer; no official channels were used.

Shortly after Lucas' testimony, Griffin called three witnesses to testify about what they believed occurred in the summer of 2020.

The first witness called was 20-year-old Ilijah Taylor Jordan, a former friend of Lucas.

Taylor Jordan gave his accounts of that day.

"A Black teenager was protesting. During the protest, this white woman, we don’t know who she is, stopping the protest by spitting on this Black teenager," said Taylor Jordan.

Minutes before a two-hour break, Griffin called a new witness to the stand, Julie Roubik.

Roubik participated in the Black Lives Matter protest.

Roubik said Rapkin parked her car and blocked protesters from continuing down the street.

"I thought police might get called, and I wanted to document the car," said Roubik. Roubik took photos of the car.

Griffin later called witness Sarah Spencer to the stand; her daughter helped organize the march.

Spencer also participated in the protest while driving her car. She claimed Shorewood law enforcement would not be involved in the march. She, along with other driving protesters, acted as a 'buffer' for protesters on foot.

Spencer confirmed she knew Rapkin prior to the day in question. She said she saw Rapkin block the road and she got out of her car and confronted Rapkin, asking her to move her car.

After hearing from the state's three witnesses, Rapkin and her team of lawyers decided she would take the stand.

Rapkin spoke about her upbringing and her ties to Milwaukee County.

She spoke on her longstanding career as an attorney. She touched on her political affiliation, calling herself a liberal.

Rapkin's attorney then turned their questions to the day of the alleged spitting.

Rapkin admitted she spat in the direction of Lucas, but not at him.

"I said very clearly to the officer at my home, I had spit to defend myself on the ground," said Rapkin to Griffin.

She said she felt unsafe, and she was trying to get out of the way of protesters.

Rapkin was the sole witness for the defense.

The case is expected to be wrapped by Wednesday.