float:right; The Washington Post could not reach 21-year-old Coby Harris, who is charged with assaulting Lindsey with the intent to commit great bodily harm less than the crime of murder. His lawyer did not respond to multiple calls and emails requesting comment, and online court records do not show a plea yet for the assault charge. The man apologized and said "that should not be. The county responded with annual salary data for 4,906 total employees. Apparently, a surefire way to get a western Michigan man in hot water with a judge. Allen said Middleton has always had and continues to have a strong memory. 124 North Main Street Box 130 Three Rivers, MI 49093. I know everybody thinks Im an idiot for staying in the relationship, said Lindsey, 31, tearful and struggling to speak at times in a Wednesday interview after her night shift as a waitress. font-weight: bold; A Michigan man reportedly made an ass of himself when he signed in for a virtual arraignment on Zoom using the screen name Buttfker 3000.. How to vote | But planned legislative pay hikes in 2020 and 2021 were scuttled by the state courts, which ruled the temporary committee exceeded its authority by tying those increases to a strict cap on lawmakers' pay for outside work. 6. Lawmakers also agreed to increase Cuomo's pay from $179,000 to $200,000 earlier this year, with future raises set to push his salary to $250,000 in 2021. Saxton reappeared a few minutes later and said his sister had set up his Zoom account, adding that the unfortunate name was an inside joke.Im embarrassed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. An eagle-eyed Michigan prosecutor, a quick-thinking judge and fast-moving police caught a man violating a restraining order in a dramatic confrontation that unfolded during a virtual court hearing. The judge, police and prosecutors sat silent for several moments, waiting to see what was going on at Lindseys apartment. Lillywhite said he has seen a number of faces on the county commission, and he appreciates its involvement in working for the betterment of the sheriffs department. State legislature | A happy end to an era," commented one Reddit user. KIRO 7 News Seattle facebook feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle twitter feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle youtube feed(Opens a new window), streamed on the judges courtroom YouTube channel, Multiple western Washington residents indicted in connection to coast-to-coast drug ring, Seattle firefighters battle massive Lake City building fire for hours, Court finds Federal Way gun store in contempt of court, Powerball jackpot winner identified as longtime Boeing employee, Puyallup police officer charged with rape makes first court appearance. He initially pleaded not guilty but later admitted to having a syringe and other paraphernalia when Middleton noted that the normal fine for the offense is $200 which he ended up having to pay.. "The decision threatens a return to the dysfunctional and demoralizing periods when New Yorks judges were denied cost of living adjustments for long, multi-year stretches," Marks said in a statement. Deborah Davis, assistant prosecuting attorney for St. Joseph County, Mich., reacts as defendant Coby Harris is arrested during a March 2, 2021, court hearing held via Zoom. } Harris was arrested after officers found him attending the Zoom hearing at the home of the woman, from whom he had been ordered to stay away. Mans Zoom court hearing ends with handcuffs after hes found attending from victims home Court officials, attorneys and defendant Coby Harris, bottom right, watch during a March 2, 2021, court hearing as Harris' alleged assault victim, bottom left, answers her door for police. This Aint One Of Them: Get to figuring your way around AI sooner rather than later. The presiding judge has prim But the committee's convoluted voting rules require a proposal to have support from members appointed by Cuomo, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and legislative leaders in order to pass. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. Im sorry, said Saxton, who faced a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia in the city of Three Rivers, an alleged violation punishable by up to 90 days in the slammer and a $500 fine. Davis told Middleton she believed Harris and Lindsey were in the same location. ", Middleton scolded him and said, "I'll put you in the waiting room, you can sit in limbo for a while and think about what you call yourself online.". Then came the court hearing. Heres how Lexis Search Advantage | Transactional unites internal and external research to create better deals faster. In addition to the definitely overloaded car, he was speeding 75 mph down a country road. margin-bottom:0px; .widget-row { background-color: #f9f9f9; The hearing included. Middleton ran for re-election to the 3B District Court. When Judge Middleton noted that the fine for this offence is normally $200, Saxton appeared to change his mind, admitting to being in possession of the syringe and other paraphernalia. Some groups are pushing for less exposure at a time when many domestic violence victims are facing new dangers during the pandemic cooped up at home, less likely to get help or be seen, more dependent than ever on partners. He said he didnt want to appear in court while at someones house. Shortly after the woman let officers inside, her box on Zoom vanished and Harris' did, too. In the year since it started, the 3B District Court broadcasts had amassed a regular large following, which has been clear to see in the response following their cancellation. The hearing is adjourned. 1:07. .widget-row.Republican { And, yeah, Judge Middleton was NOT pleased: "Your name's . Lindsey could be seen walking to the door and answering it, at which point her connection to the call dropped. County commissioners staged their annual Employee Service Recognition event Tuesday. The hearing was rescheduled for March 16. Many hearing videos from elsewhere in Michigan, stretching back months, remain online, according to the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Support me on Patreon for exclusive weekly videoshttps://www.patreon.com/vanbalionchannelSubscribe to my main channelVan the Manhttps://youtube.com/channel/U. It featured those whose notable anniversaries were in 2020 as well as this year. J: "A fine of $600." Chants of "Jail-em Jeffrey!" can be heard. .infobox p { Apply today! Lawyers have had a hard time adjusting to the new virtual world. He later identified the person on the other end of the line as a police officer who went to Lindseys home. | Um, because the police were called, they came here, she said when pressed. background-color: #003388; Judge Jeffrey Middleton called out the defendant for his unpaid fines, and yeah, he noted the whole appearing-in-court-from-the-drivers-seat-while-having-a-suspended-license thing: The one Im struggling with is the driving suspended. He should have been a stand-up comedian and I say that because hes emceed a lot of things hes very well spoken, and makes things happy and fun, Allen said. width: 250px; See our privacy policy. The federal judiciary is getting more diverse. I don't know why I lied to you.". "A footnote in history, sure. } Coby Harris back in court! This Tool Can Help. State and local courts | David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. "No one asked them 'What do you think about being broadcasted on YouTube and having '1.5 million hits,' so that's the downside of this," explained Judge Middleton. I'm sorry," he explained. margin-top: 1px; This is an issue we didnt have when we had live court, Middleton said as the hearing unraveled. She said he acted like Feb. 9 was nothing and wanted her to say the same. This article was published more than1 year ago. : Enjoy. The video even has her home address they made me say it twice.. At some point before he went off screen, the defendant's name tag changed to his actual name. 2. Lindsey said she had never told Harris she called authorities Feb. 9. If this was a real court hearing in a real courtroom, there would be two people in the courtroom. Unfortunately, that isnt what has been happening, said Johanna Kononen, an attorney with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. He said his boss picks him up and takes him to work. General: He was unopposed in the general election on November 3, 2020.Cite error: Invalid tag; name cannot be a simple integer. County board chairman Dennis Allen introduced Middleton. The case exploded into public view after a Zoom hearing March 2 that began with routine questions. Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. Take your phone with you so that we know youre OK, Davis told her. Meg Garvin, executive director of the National Crime Victim Law Institute, emphasized that open courts language in state and federal constitutions does not mean hearings must be live-streamed, especially when sensitive personal information is at stake. This story has been shared 119,476 times. Fast, informative and written just for locals. [] Makes me think you havent gotten the message. Also consider other hobbies. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Radical NY senators get a well-deserved slapdown from acting top judge, Jussie Smollett appeals conviction for hate crime hoax, argues bias, AG aims gun at experts head to dismiss Murdaugh defense theory, Alec Baldwin not allowed to drink alcohol, own gun after not guilty plea in Rust shooting. On the driving with a suspended license charge, he was given two days in jail (to be served on the weekend). [2] On November 3, 2020, Middleton was re-elected unopposed for another six-year term commencing on January 1, 2021, and expiring on December 31, 2026.Cite error: Invalid tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Both Harris and Lindsey were attending a livestream court hearing March 2, along with attorneys and Judge Jeffrey Middleton. A visibly upset Davis facepalmed as she realized her hunch had been correct. We may need to adjourn this, your honor, Davis said. Judge Jeffrey Middleton called out the defendant for his unpaid fines, and yeah, he noted the whole appearing-in-court-from-the-driver's-seat-while-having-a-suspended-license thing: Sponsored. He also faces obstruction of justice charges in connection with the virtual court incident, the judge said. Harris was taken into custody and his bond was canceled, according to court records. The cover photo, she said, is a picture of her 4-year-old daughter, who had started asking why her mom was crying all the time. .widget-row.heading { .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court (Video: Judge Jeffrey Middleton/YouTube). The Global Legal News You Need, When You Need It. Its the first time I ever had anybody sitting in the next room, potentially intimidating a witness, the judge said later. Many people commenting online are supportive. As she questioned Lindsey about what took place during the February argument, Lindseys eyes kept darting to her left, away from the camera. Ms. background-color: grey; When Lindseys livestream came back online, Harris was being handcuffed. The fact that Lindseys hearing was posted online led to a stunning awareness-raising moment in America, said Casey Gwinn, president of Alliance for Hope International, a nonprofit organization that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. [3], Speaking in front of a nondescript. 0:00. Conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. At the same time, Harris appeared to hit a button on his phone, at which point his screen went black for a few moments. Harris is charged with assault, which is usually punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Then well bring this fool in, Middleton said, as the offensive name popped up before the mans face appeared. In the live-stream he explained: "This morning I got a call, someone left a message on our answering machine that I was 'deplorable,' so I guess it's hard to please everyone.". How to run for office | This year, the pay commission sounded concern about the state's worsening fiscal position, which will see Cuomo and lawmakers try to tackle a major budget deficit fueled by Medicaid costs. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} In 2011, lawmakers created the seven-memberpay commission and tasked it with periodically setting judges' pay in New York. Is Your Firm Keeping Pace With The Advancements In eDiscovery? } In a courtroom video posted to YouTube Tuesday, St. Joseph District Court Judge Jeffrey Middleton presided over a Zoom conference that included eight people with matters before the court.. The entire hearing was streamed on the judges courtroom YouTube channel. A Zoom hearing for her domestic violence case went viral. text-align: center; Speaking to The Washington Post, she declined to go into details of that night, saying only that Harris left her with bruises. It turns out the Harris called the victim from jail and told her not to show up to court, and lo and behold, she didn't show up! (St. Joseph County District Judge Jeffrey Middleton). Released from jail last month as his case was pending, Harris had come back to the apartment they shared, Lindsey said, in violation of no-contact orders. Hes making more money from Hogwarts: Legacy than her anyway. Dont say any more about it, Middleton warned him. Marks called on Cuomo and state lawmakers to pass a law requiring the pay commission to revisit the decision next year. Do you love watching the courtroom antics of long-hair-don't-care Judge Middleton? Family had tipped them off, she said, and then police were knocking outside as she tried to answer questions. } I want some confirmation that she is safe before we continue.. In their last brush with acclaim, Davis was the prosecutor who noticed something was amiss during a hearing in an assault case, and it turned out that defendant was appearing at the hearing FROM THE VICTIMS HOUSE, despite having a no-contact order. The zoom call then captured police arresting the suspect during the hearing. He appeared in court, from the inside of car in the drivers seat and yes, he still had a suspended license. "Why wouldnt you just leave? Heres How To Get Yours Right. Ballot measures, Who represents me? He was arraigned Tuesday and pleaded guilty. Centreville is the county seat for St. Joseph County and about 30 miles south of Kalamazoo and 150 miles west of Detroit.