this post was submitted on 31 May 2024

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1217

The American Justice System (lemmy.world)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 143 points 5 months ago (5 children)

I had to look up the first guy

On May 15, 2024, Harris joined a Zoom call court hearing from his phone while he was behind the wheel. Since June 2023, Michigan's "hands-free" state law makes it "illegal to manually use a cell phone or other mobile electronic devices while operating a vehicle on Michigan roads."

Presiding Judge J. Cedric Simpson straightforwardly asked the defendant, "Mr. Harris are you driving?" To which Harris replied, "Actually, I am pulling into my doctor's office," adding, "so just give me one second, I'm parking right now."

Nearly a minute later, Harris informs the court that he is stationary.

After looking through the paperwork, which includes Harris' record, Simpson says, "Okay, so maybe I don't understand something, this is for driving while license suspended?"

"That is correct, your honor," the defendant's lawyer, Washtenaw County Assistant Public Defender Natalie Pate confirmed.

"And he was just driving. And he didn't have a license," Simpson said. He appears to smile and hold back a laugh.

Moments later, Simpson shook his head in disbelief, saying, "I don't even know why he would do that. So, defendant's bond is revoked in this matter." He added that Harris must turn himself in to Michigan's Washtenaw County Jail that evening.

C'mon, man, it would've been better to be late by a few minutes than to show yourself driving with a suspended license to the goddamn judge.

[–] [email protected] 103 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Watching his lawyer and the judge trying so hard not to laugh is the funniest goddamn thing.

Also these two:

[–] [email protected] 65 points 5 months ago (1 children)

My favorite part is right after the judge says "and he was just driving, and he didn't have a license," when you can see the realization that he just incriminated himself (further) wash over Harris' face. 🫤 😮 😬 "...oh."

[–] [email protected] 23 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Actually, I’m thinking that face is the “what? It’s not a big deal” expression people have when they think they’re entitled and they just found out they’re not.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago

Maybe. Either way, it's comedy gold!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Is there a video? Preferably with Benny Hill theme song?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiB7u8-qRXE

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Lmao the judge dropping pen 🤣

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Apparently his license had been restored in 2022, but due to a clerical error it was still listed as suspended. That's part of the reason for the hearing.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 months ago

Maybe the guy just might be way too used to driving everywhere without thinking, almost like a muscle memory at this point.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (6 children)

Supposedly he was driving his wife to get some urgent care. I dunno what the facts are here, but yeah. Not the best look.

Think I heard about it here: https://www.wxyz.com/news/hear-from-the-man-caught-driving-during-virtual-court-hearing-for-suspended-license

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Is there a source for that? I checked a few of the more recent articles and didn't see anything.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

https://www.wxyz.com/news/hear-from-the-man-caught-driving-during-virtual-court-hearing-for-suspended-license

7 News Detroit asked Harris what was he thinking when he made his appearance in court via video where he was seen driving.

"What was I thinking? I was thinking about about getting my wife medical help. That's what I was thinking," Harris said. "I wasn't thinking about the fact that I got a suspended license. I don't care about all that."

... Harris told us that he never should have been charged with driving on a suspended license last fall, and he blames the mix-up on Saginaw Friend of the Court.

"They were supposed to have been lifted it two years ago, but they didn't," Harris said.

Secretary of State records show Harris' license was first suspended in 2010 for unpaid child support in Saginaw County.

Then in 2022, court records show that a judge rescinded that suspension, allowing Harris to drive again. But it appears that information never got to the Secretary of State where even as of Thursday afternoon, Harris' license is still listed as suspended — the same records police and the judge were going by.

..."Always double-check behind these workers because they will say that they will do something and they don't do it," Harris said.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Wow... thanks for more context! So a state agency error results in the judge and prosecutor not having the correct information, but how does the defense attorney not look that up? Maybe overworked, but I would hope for more... And Harris should've spoken up himself that the suspension was lifted on this date by this agency! He could've also just said- I'm driving legally right now. That would have allowed the lawyers to look into it more.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (11 children)

on the other hand how is one supposed to live without being able to drive in the us?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's pretty damn hard, no doubt. But that doesn't mean everyone should be able to drive by default and we should just do away with driver's licenses (or whatever you may be suggesting)

Also, it's pretty stupidly easy to get a license here, and easier yet to keep it.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Even if he "had" to cheat and drive, he could've chosen to be like a minute later and call from anywhere except a driver's seat of a moving vehicle.

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[–] [email protected] 78 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

I know people with a single non-violent felony and are destitute. This mother fucker has 34 and has a chance at being president. Dying empire led by bad people is exactly right.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (2 children)

But he can't vote anymore. Oh thank God for that!

[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago

Felons in New York can vote as long as they're not incarcerated.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Nah he can still vote, it's NY

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Isn't he a Florida resident?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Florida's voting rights rule for felons convicted out of state is to follow the laws of the state in which they were convicted.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

I think a guilty verdict of 34 counts still only means 1 felony conviction. Plus there is still the appeal unfortunately...

[–] [email protected] 57 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This isn't about the justice system. It's about the average American voter.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's also about the justice system. If you are I commit multiple felonies, will get locked up. If we tried screwing around in court that much, if we were held in contempt multiple times, the same result would occur. But he's rich and famous, at least for now, so he gets away with it, or at least he gets away with it for a lot longer.

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[–] [email protected] 54 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Bruh...

His license was suspended and the hearing was to delay his reporting to jail by 4 weeks...

And he didn't show up to the courthouse like he was supposed to, then face timed in while driving...

He was already sentenced to jail, he just didn't have to report yet.

Like, the court date wasn't just for driving with a suspended license. It was for whatever caused him to already lose his license and get sent to jail.

So the judge ruled against his request for delay and ordered him to report to jail that evening.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 5 months ago

Yeah to be real, that first guy definitely fucked up bad. I'm not gonna pretend he's some kind of poster child for anti-maga.

I'm still against carceral punishment though.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Pretty sure the hearing wasn’t about asking for an adjournment, and the public defender tried to end the hearing by asking for an adjournment because her client was a dumbass.

I assume he was there to get a summary ruling on the misdemeanor- or maybe try and convince the judge to let it be a fine or something.

Which the judge ignored, because he ain’t stupid either.

Edit- it was just a misdemeanor, unless he hurt someone while driving. So it would have been a max of 93 days and/or max of 500 bucks. Almost certainly less than that- and at least here, it’s a “pay this standard fine or you can go to jail.” (I’m not in Michigan, mind,)

[–] [email protected] 38 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Yo let this man be. He wasn't driving without a suspended license. The judge was working on false information.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/hear-from-the-man-caught-driving-during-virtual-court-hearing-for-suspended-license

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Even if we ignore the whole "suspended license" part of it, he still showed up to court breaking MI law by using a cell phone while driving. Thinking he is going to avoid ridicule for this is a pipe dream.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Don't forget he was also found liable for rape.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

to be fair plenty of liberals and other non-abolitionist folk probably also had the top reaction 🙃

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