Footage from a Michigan court hearing went viral after defendant Corey Harris, who had a suspended license, joined the Zoom call while clearly behind the wheel.
Ann Arbor District Judge Cedric Simpson is seen in the video reacting with disbelief as Harris dials in, his seat belt visible across his torso and his car clearly in motion.
‘Mr. Harris, are you driving?’ Simpson asked the defendant.
“Actually, I’m driving to my doctor’s office,” Harris replied.
Simpson then asked if Harris was behind the wheel of the car.
A district judge in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was surprised when a man with a suspended driver’s license joined a court Zoom call while driving a car
Ann Arbor District Judge Cedric Simpson is seen in the video reacting with disbelief as Harris dials in, his seat belt visible across his torso and his car clearly in motion
“Actually, I’m going to my doctor’s office,” Harris said. “So just give me a minute… I’m parking now.”
The legal teams in the courtroom were in disbelief, as evidenced by the Zoom call, while those attending the hearing at the back of the court tried their best to contain their laughter.
For your first offense, one count of driving with a suspended license in Michigan can result in a $500 fine and up to 93 days in jail, for which Harris initially had to appear in court.
The judge, bewildered and bewildered, asked if Harris was standing still, which Harris claimed was the case. “Just give me a moment.”
In a last-ditch effort to mitigate Harris’ inevitable indictment, his public defender requested a delay of “possibly up to four weeks if the court would grant it.”
“Okay, so maybe I don’t understand something. This concerns driving while the driver’s license has been revoked [case]and he was just driving, and he didn’t have a driver’s license,” Simpson asked in surprise.
“That’s right, your honor,” the public defender said, defeated.
“I don’t even know why he would do that,” the judge said, perplexed.
“The suspect’s bail has been revoked in this case,” the judge said. “The defendant is scheduled to report to the Washtenaw County Jail today at 6 p.m..”
“Oh my God,” Harris responded, shocked that they would rush to judgment without hearing his side of the argument.
A second offense for driving with a suspended license, which Harris did during the Zoom call, could mean a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.