Michigan Man Appears in Zoom Court Hearing for Driving with Suspended License While Actually Driving
In a bizarre turn of events, a Michigan man, Corey Harris, 44, appeared in a Zoom court hearing for driving with a suspended license while actually behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. The incident took place during a pre-trial hearing in Washtenaw County District Court earlier this month, leaving the judge, J. Cedric Simpson, perplexed.
The video feed from the May 15 hearing showed Mr. Harris in the driver’s seat of a vehicle, wearing glasses and a seatbelt as he turned the wheel, looking for a place to park. Judge Simpson, taken aback by the irony of the situation, asked Mr. Harris if he was stationary, to which Mr. Harris initially replied that he was pulling into his doctor’s office.
Mr. Harris’s lawyer, Natalie Pate, requested an adjournment of three to four weeks, which led Judge Simpson to question the situation further. Upon realizing that Mr. Harris was driving with a suspended license, the judge revoked his bond and ordered him to turn himself in at the county jail by 6 p.m. that evening.
The video clip ends with Mr. Harris visibly shocked, exclaiming, “Oh, my God.” He was booked into the Washtenaw County Jail that evening but was eventually released on bond. A hearing in the case is scheduled for June 5.
This incident, reminiscent of Zoom conference meeting gaffes during the pandemic, serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of not taking legal matters seriously. It also highlights the challenges of adapting to the world’s online transition.
As the story of Mr. Harris’s Zoom court hearing spreads, it serves as a reminder that there are better ways to make one’s case than from behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.
