A Pennsylvania judge goes from “All rise” to “Guilty” – but this time, she’s the one on the other side of the bench.

In this episode of The Black Docket, we dive into the rise and fall of former Dauphin County Judge Sonya McKnight, a Black woman who beat the odds, won a magisterial seat in Harrisburg, and built a reputation as the judge who “understood the community.” But behind the robe, the story at home was chaos: protection-from-abuse orders, a volatile marriage, blurred lines between “mom” and “judge,” and a long history of the system trying to check her.

Everything explodes on a quiet street in Susquehanna Township when her boyfriend, Michael McCoy, goes to bed in his own house and wakes up blind in one eye, shot in the head while he slept. With only two people in the home that night, the question for the jury is simple: if he says he didn’t shoot himself… then who did?

We walk through the case step by step

If you’re into Black true crime, courtroom cases, judicial misconduct, domestic violence, and stories about what happens when the legal system turns on its own – especially when it’s us on the docket – this episode is for you.

New to The Black Docket? Hit follow/subscribe, rate the show, and share this episode with someone who loves true crime told by Black voices, for Black listeners.

Because on The Black Docket… when it’s us on the docket, we gon’ talk it.

🕊️🕊️The Missing Docket🕊️🕊️

Bryce Hawthorne

Age: 12

Height: 5’5

Weight: 110lbs

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Short

If you see him or know anything please contact the Philadelphia Police Department 215-686-2343

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