No, unfortunately, she is not, Saxton replied. font-weight: bold; The hearing was rescheduled for March 16. Top billing went to district court judge Jeff Middleton, who has been with the county 40 years. Your bond is canceled. What Better Place To Network Than The Facebook Friends List? During a defendant'svirtual arraignment at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in 3B District Court in Centreville, Judge Jeffrey Middleton asked him his name after reading the name tag for the Zoom account he used to log into the hearing: "Buttf-----3000. Middleton, who has gained attention as a visual curiosity after not having his hair cut in more than 18 months, quickly expressed his gratitude to the five-member county commission. save. The alleged victim in the. He was arraigned Tuesday and pleaded guilty. Absent that, judges won't get a raise until 2024 at the earliest. Harris was arrested after officers found him attending the hearing at the home of his alleged assault victim, from whom he had been ordered to stay away. "Your honor, I have reason to believe that the defendant is in the same apartment as the complaining witness right now," the prosecutor can be heard saying in the viral video. Speaking in front of a nondescript white wall, Harris did not move. display: inline-block; 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. I believe you drove wherever you are in the vehicle youre in and youre dumb enough to go on video with you sitting in the drivers seat of a vehicle. I don't even think that this phone has the charge for that, sir," responded Harris, who was indoors and admitted to being near an electrical outlet. Use a descriptive title. The move comes after State Court Administrator Tom Boyd called Middleton personally. width: 57%; Dont say any more about it, Middleton warned him. : Reach out just to catch up. A minute went by before the victim's Zoom box returned to the screen with Harris speaking to the judge as police appear to be handcuffing him inside the woman's apartment. (Judge Jeffrey Middleton/Youtube) At one point in the hearing, assistant district attorney . Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. color: black; Lets review: there was the lawyer caught shoveling food in his face while on camera, another responding to a judge with sneaky bitch, the classichaving sex on camera during a hearing, or the disturbing sharing your racist views with the world when you thought you were no longer recording, and its been a lot. Whether lawmakers and Cuomo will act remains to be seen. Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. Many clips from the court hearings have been posted to the popular subreddit "Zoom Court" in recent months, with over 21,000 members. 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 pay rate was set by a separate, temporary pay committee, which Cuomo and lawmakers created in 2018 after the existing commission rejected a legislative pay increase the year before. Judge Jeffrey Middleton was hearing a preliminary examination in the case of Coby James Harris, 21, who was accused of assault with intent to commit bodily harm. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Middleton revoked bail and told Harris to stop talking, for his own good. In a statement, three committee members Robert Megna, Peter Madonia and Seymour Lachman said they couldn't support increasing judicial salaries while it's still uncertain how Cuomo and lawmakers will close the budget hole. } background-color: grey; .widget-row.Republican { However, Judge Middleton explained that doing so made another reason to end the streams, as it takes "15 steps" to remove it, making it "cumbersome.". .infobox p { Marks called on Cuomo and state lawmakers to pass a law requiring the pay commission to revisit the decision next year. margin-bottom: 1px; Prosecutor John Barnes said Saxton was found with a used syringe that tested positive for meth residue. share. Coby Harris, of Sturgis, is accused of assaulting his girlfriend in her home, and when both of them appeared in the hearing remotely, Assistant District Attorney Deborah Davis knew something wasn't right. Victims, suspects and witnesses were the people who elevated the hearings to viral-levels, but they were also pinpointed as part of the decision to end the broadcasts. background-color: green; Both Harris and Lindsey were attending a livestream court hearing March 2, along with attorneys and Judge Jeffrey Middleton. In 2023, Judge will earn a base salary of $40,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $40,000,000. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, a March 2 hearing on the case, in front of St. Joseph County District Court Judge Jeffrey Middleton, was virtual, via Zoom and YouTube. : Enjoy. He said he didnt want to appear in court while at someones house. Take the cigarette out of your mouth," Middleton said. This is the first time to my knowledge, if he is in the same venue, that this has occurred.. Middleton ran for re-election to the 3B District Court. 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. The balance of rights under the law absolutely does not require this, she said. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } 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. The proceedings came to a halt minutes in as the prosecutor said that something was amiss. Court documents released to The Post also give little information beyond stating that Harris has been previously convicted of assault. J: "A fine of $600." Chants of "Jail-em Jeffrey!" can be heard. The prosecutor and Harris' attorney could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday. How to vote | The woman confirmed that she and her then-boyfriend had argued and that the police had arrived but offered few details about why. Michigan Circuit Court Middleton fined him $200, according to the records. The group says it has contacted officials with concerns about victim privacy but got only one county to change its practices and remove videos after 24 hours. State and local courts | We want to know your views on law firm policies and culture. 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. Courts, Deborah Davis, Jeffrey Middleton, Zoom. Heres How To Get Yours Right. background-color: #003388; Because if you were to say, what percentage of domestic violence cases involve intimidation like this, I would say 100 percent just that you dont get to see it.. Allen said Middleton has always had and continues to have a strong memory. IE 11 is not supported. 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. .widget-row.value-only { background-color: #f9f9f9; As with most things that go viral online, the videos also caused an influx of negative responses, according to Judge Middleton. J: "And 30 days in county jail!" The crowd erupts into cheering, people high-fiving each . 0:00. Use a descriptive title, See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2014 Lindsey has started an online fundraiser that she says will help her move out of the area and get good therapy. "Well, that's what it says," the judge told him. Harris was arrested after officers found him attending the hearing at the home of his alleged assault victim, from whom he had been ordered to stay away. } width: 250px; 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. Since then, judicial salaries have steadily increased in New York, first with a 27% raise over three years beginning in 2012 and a tie-in to federal judge pay rates starting in 2016. } I just cant quit you! 2. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The county prosecutors office did not immediately respond to The Post on Thursday, and Davis declined to comment when reached Wednesday evening, citing the pending case. What kind of idiot logs into court like that? the appalled jurist added. 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. STURGIS, Mich. A Michigan court defendant finds himself in even more trouble after he got caught attending a Zoom hearing from his alleged victims home last week. Posted by 2 years ago. To advocates, however, the moment was a grim window into the intimidation that domestic violence victims face constantly. Knocking on the door.. Harris faces a charge of assault with the intent to create great bodily harm, a felony that carries up to 10 years in prison. Legal Knowledge Management To Drive Dealmaking, Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. display: block; Find contact information, experience, peer reviews, directions, and more at Martindale.com. As ordered by the Michigan Supreme Court at the time, YouTube live-streams began as a way to remain transparent during Zoom hearings, as public court hearings allow people to watch. } Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Centreville is the county seat for St. Joseph County and about 30 miles south of Kalamazoo and 150 miles west of Detroit. County commissioners staged their annual Employee Service Recognition event Tuesday. Im sorry I lied to you. .widget-row.value-only.white { 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. There wouldnt be 800,000 views for this particular survivor on this particular day, Gwinn said. 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! The state Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation issued a report Friday that failed to raise judges' salariesfor the next four years, leaving state Supreme Court justices with a pay rate of $210,900. Judge Middleton pointed to the viral videos as one of the reasons for the end of the broadcasts, with fears of the streams being used for entertainment instead of the intended educational purposes. The video even has her home address they made me say it twice.. As she questioned Lindsey about what took place during the February argument, Lindseys eyes kept darting to her left, away from the camera. Ballotpedia features 395,557 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. The defendant had a story about why it wasnt a blatant violation: The man told the judge he was sitting in his boss vehicle and that he didnt drive there. }, Jeffrey C. Middleton is a district court judge for the 3B District Court in Michigan. When asked his location, Harris told the judge he was at a home on East Lafayette Street. Support me on Patreon for exclusive weekly videoshttps://www.patreon.com/vanbalionchannelSubscribe to my main channelVan the Manhttps://youtube.com/channel/U. The hearing included appearances by Harris and the victim, presumably from separate locations. The report came as Gov. background-color: grey; This is an issue we didnt have when we had live court, Middleton said as the hearing unraveled. Advertisement Key Data Her answers to the prosecutors questions were also evasive. Content should be organized in different stages, from when potential clients search for initial information to eventually contacting your law firm. This Tool Can Help. 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. 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The referrals are a nice bonus too, Get to figuring your way around AI sooner rather than later, Enjoy. He appeared in court, from the inside of car in the drivers seat and yes, he still had a suspended license. This is an issue we didnt have when we were having live court, the judge said. display: inline-block; At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. This pay is 61 percent higher than average and 63 percent higher than median salary in County Of St Joseph. The entire hearing was streamed on the judge's courtroom YouTube channel. Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot. Different courts have taken different approaches, but in many places, mundane proceedings have never been so widely accessible and primed for sharing, and that has created a trade-off between transparency and privacy. } If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. .widget-row.value-only.black { } .clearfix { .widget-row.Democratic {
. Middleton ran for re-election to the 3B District Court.General: He was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014. The judge acknowledged that Harris' defense attorney clearly had no idea his client was violating a court order and he thanked Sturgis police for getting to the woman's apartment so fast. Middleton chalked up the episode to another oddity of life in a pandemic. A cigarette jutted from his lips as he addressed the court. "The Supreme Court are the ones who told us to start the YouTube live feed some year ago, and I thought 'If they're the ones that told me to start it, I guess I should listen to them when they tell me to stop it'," said Judge Middleton during the live-stream. Though they werent present Tuesday, judicial secretary Lori Rumsey and now-retired friend of the court William Thistlethwaite were next with 30 years of service. Allen worked at the sheriffs department when Lillywhite was hired in 1995. 2023 www.democratandchronicle.com. It featured those whose notable anniversaries were in 2020 as well as this year. She said he acted like Feb. 9 was nothing and wanted her to say the same. There is some purpose to allowing people to view court proceedings, but there are real people involved here, and this thing just sort of took on a life of its own, Middleton said in an interview. The positive side is that the whole world gets to see what domestic violence victims live with day in and day out, Gwinn said. Twenty-five years of public service, hes our sheriff and its an honor and a pleasure to be able to give this to you, Allen said, presenting Lillywhite a name-engraved clock. } When The Founder Of SCOTUSblog Calles It Quits, You Know Something Is UP: 5 is a tough crowd, 6 is a waste of time. The latest virtual snafu happened when a defendant logged into an arraignment hearing with an unfortunate moniker Buttfucker 3000. Does An In Depth Analysis Predicting SCOTUS Decisions Help You Wind Down? Youve always looked out for the best interest of the county, its a thankless job and I appreciate the fact that youre here, Middleton said. Your Honor, Davis said. The reported victim in that attack is Mary Lindsey. What kind of idiot logs into court like that? Registration or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Hon. I'm sorry," he explained. Speaking in front of a nondescript. The entire hearing was streamed on the judges courtroom YouTube channel. The attorney finished by asking for some sort of jail time for the individual.
float:right; More than seven minutes into the hearing, as Harris' attorney objected to a question by prosecutor Deborah Davis, the woman appeared to look off camera to her right. 3B District Court went viral just last week, May 11, after a defendant entered the live-streamed court hearing under the name "Buttf*****3000." And, yeah, Judge Middleton was NOT pleased: "Your name's . Judges at the Supreme Court level the statetrial-level court were being paid $136,700. } I dont know why I. ", "Good morning, sir. } Apparently, a surefire way to get a western Michigan man in hot water with a judge. color: white; At the time, New York judges had seen their pay frozen for the prior 12 years. Then came the court hearing. float: right; What's in a name? font-weight: bold; I want my fundraiser to be able to raise awareness on what a victim goes through, the reasons they stay, Lindsey wrote on Facebook. But he also thinks that Lindseys privacy was violated, in a case that is not confidential but that in pre-pandemic times would never have been broadcast to the world. save. [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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Also, if Judge Middleton ever sees this, I think the hair is great. 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. According to court records, Saxton was set to appear before the judge on a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. You a Fan? Acknowledged for their silver anniversary were Sheriff Mark Lillywhite, deputy friend of the court Mary Herendeen, friend of the court enforcement officer Susan Dentler, IT technician Dave Cover, circuit court judicial secretary Anita Buscher, and retired corrections officer Andrew Stienbarger. Though he initially pleaded not guilty but later changed it when the judge said the normal fine for the count is $200. Top billing went to district court judge Jeff Middleton, who has been with the county 40 years.