In a bizarre turn of events, a Michigan man facing charges for driving with a suspended license chose to attend his pretrial hearing via Zoom from the driver's seat of a moving vehicle.
The incident, which took place earlier this month in Washtenaw County District Court, left presiding Judge J. Cedric Simpson visibly perplexed.
The defendant, 44-year-old Corey Harris, informed Judge Simpson that he was pulling into his doctor's office and requested a moment to park before the proceedings began. The video feed from the May 15 hearing showed Harris in the driver's seat, wearing glasses and a seat belt, and actively looking for a parking spot.
Judge Simpson, taken aback by the irony of Harris's actions given the charges he was facing, asked, "You stationary?" To which Harris replied, "Im pulling in right at this second. Yes I am."
Harris's lawyer, Natalie Pate, an assistant public defender, requested a three to four-week adjournment in the case. The judge, still perplexed, asked, "This is a driver with a license suspended?" Pate confirmed, "Yes, your honor."
The judge further questioned, "And he was just driving? And he didnt have a license?" Pate again confirmed, "That is correct, your honor."
Upon realizing the gravity of his actions, Harris fell silent, his mouth agape. Judge Simpson, unable to comprehend Harris's actions, said, "I dont know why he would do that," before ordering Harris to turn himself into the county jail by 6 p.m. that evening.
The video of the hearing, which ended with Harris sighing, "Oh, my God," has been widely shared, reminiscent of several Zoom gaffes that have surfaced during the pandemic. Harris was booked into the Washtenaw County Jail that evening and later released on bond. A hearing in the case is scheduled for June 5.
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