Why did Soda look at Pony "like he was sentencing me to the electric chair" before he answered the judge that Dally was their good buddy?

This is from the outsiders

Soda was worried that his testimony that they were all close with Dally would get Ponyboy in trouble. If Ponyboy was found guilty of any of the charges that were or could've been against him, Ponyboy could be sent to a juvenile detention center and/or Darry would lose custody of Ponyboy and he be sent to a boys' home. To Soda, who is sensitive and caring, these options would be akin to Ponyboy being sent to the electric chair.