. That's why the Supreme Court intends for this increased transparency to continue.". } 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. It was a sharp-eyed prosecutor, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Davis, who first noticed that something appeared off. font-weight: bold; Centreville is the county seat for St. Joseph County and about 30 miles south of Kalamazoo and 150. [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. Is your sister there? the judge asked him. J: "A fine of $600." Chants of "Jail-em Jeffrey!" can be heard. Whether lawmakers and Cuomo will act remains to be seen. The entire hearing was streamed on the judge's courtroom YouTube channel. | Take your phone with you so that we know youre OK, Davis told her. No, unfortunately, she is not, Saxton replied. "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. Harris is charged with assault, which is usually punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Um, because the police were called, they came here, she said when pressed. New York's judges won't get a pay hike in 2020 and beyond He said his boss picks him up and takes him to work. .widget-row.Green { In 2023, Judge will earn a base salary of $40,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $40,000,000. Is Your Firm Keeping Pace With The Advancements In eDiscovery? Middleton ran for re-election to the 3B District Court. 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 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. She thought authorities were on to the fact that Harris was back in her apartment, she said. Todd Heywood. The presiding judge has prim I just had this feeling that something bad was going to happen, Lindsey said. Use a descriptive title, See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2014 But her voice started to break again when she turned to all these people who have no clue. The proceedings came to a halt minutes in as the prosecutor said that something was amiss. Man's Zoom court hearing ends with handcuffs after he's found attending This Judge Is Having A Particularly Stupid Run Of Defendants In His All rights reserved. The referrals are a nice bonus too! [1] On November 4, 2014, Middleton was re-elected unopposed for another six-year term commencing on January 1, 2015, and expiring on December 31, 2020. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Judge Jeffrey Middleton, a rising YouTube star who hosts a live chat during Zoom court, brusquely dismissed a ding dong who showed up to an arraignment with the name "Buttfucker 3000." Thank. Jeffrey C. Middleton is a district court judge for the 3B District Court in Michigan. Thats the first time I ever had anybody sitting in the next room potentially intimidating a witness to assault.. 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. J: "12 months of probation." The murmurs get louder. Telephone: 269-279-7488 Fax: 269-279-6007 General email: info@threeriversnews.com: info@threeriversnews.com Harris, who kept looking off-screen, also vanished from the call. "This is an issue we didn't have when we had live court.". Judge's District Court YouTube streams come to an end Please, 100 largest cities in America by population, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Jeffrey_C._Middleton&oldid=8845465, Pages using DynamicPageList dplreplace parser function, Pages using DynamicPageList parser function, Successful Michigan judicial candidates, 2014, Michigan district court judges, 3B District, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. } font-weight: bold; Its just so much more complicated than that., A virtual court hearing in Michigan was postponed after the defendant was found at the same home as the alleged victim while the hearing took place on March 2. I didnt want him to be mad at me and then I also didnt want to lie like he told me to, she said. 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. The report came as Gov. Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. State and local courts | (St. Joseph County District Judge Jeffrey Middleton), Your Honor, me and Mary both dont want the no-contact (order). Zoom Hearing Adjourned After Court Discovers Defendant Is in Same Place border:1px solid #FFB81F; 1:07. The attorney finished by asking for some sort of jail time for the individual. Lawrence Marks, who oversees the day-to-day operations of New York's judiciary as the state's chief administrative judge, said judges are "extremely disappointed" with the commission's decision. The zoom call then captured police arresting the suspect during the hearing. Lindsey got up to answer. Your name is not Buttfker 300, you yo-ho, logging into my court with that as your screen name, the judge snapped. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } Court documents released to The Post also give little information beyond stating that Harris has been previously convicted of assault. Michigan Court of Appeals "Why wouldnt you just leave? Lindsey grew reluctant, however, as Davis asked what happened at Lindseys apartment the night of Feb. 9. Your Honor, I have reason to believe that the defendant is in the same apartment as the complaining witness right now, and Im extremely scared for her safety and the fact that shes looking off to the side and hes moving around, Davis said. I knew the cops were outside. font-size: .9em; Lindsey, would you go answer the door? Middleton asked. To some, the derailed, viral hearing was the story of a hero prosecutor and an only-during-a-pandemic problem: a Zoom proceeding cut short as it became clear that a defendant was tuning in from the apartment of his alleged victim. width: 250px; font-weight: bold; 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. .top_disclaimer { } "It's the first time I ever had anybody sitting in the next room, potentially intimidating a witness," Middleton said. Im extremely scared for her safety, the prosecutor said in a clip viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube before it was taken down. Moorish Sovcit v Judge Jeffrey Middleton (Part 1) - YouTube 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. This story has been shared 119,476 times. The prosecutor and Harris' attorney could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday. Use a descriptive title. Harris, who was charged as a habitual offender, faces an enhanced sentence of up to 15 years in prison. WATCH: Assault suspect caught violating restraining order during virtual court hearing. Top billing went to district court judge Jeff Middleton, who has been with the county 40 years. When asked his location, Harris told the judge he was at a home on East Lafayette Street. St. Joseph County District Judge Jeffrey Middleton ordered the defendant to walk outside and show him the number on the home from which he was Zooming. width: 100%; As of April 1, 2019, state Supreme Court justices were paid the same amount as U.S. District Court judges $210,900 while county court judges earn 95% of that and city court judges outside New York city earn 90%. "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. color: white; What kind of idiot logs into court like that? Michigan's 3B District Court has announced the end of the daily court live-streams which previously sent them viral. } The video even has her home address they made me say it twice.. Man's Zoom court hearing ends with handcuffs after he's found attending Michigan judge blasts man for logging into virtual hearing under name 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. padding-left: 10px; Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Unfortunately, that isnt what has been happening, said Johanna Kononen, an attorney with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. @media (max-width:600px) { It was not immediately clear what additional charges he will face following the court hearing. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Thestate budget isdue March 31. background-color: #003388; He said the board always makes decisions that support the countys courts system. Also consider other hobbies. Aaron Judge Contract Details, Salaries, & Earnings | Spotrac Secure New Clients Using A Content Marketing Funnel, Seth Klarman Doesnt Care Whether J.K. Rowling Is Cancelled. She said she had looked through the comments on news articles: A lot of people are saying, well, its her fault., It was just really frustrating to me that everyone was watching, she said. .widget-row.Democratic { Lindsey could be seen walking to the door and answering it, at which point her connection to the call dropped. Knitting, perhaps? Judge reads off charges, the crowd goes silent. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Then well bring this fool in, Middleton said, as the offensive name popped up before the mans face appeared. 'Buttf*cker 3000' Makes A Court Appearance, As One Does Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk, Zoom court hearing ends with defendant in handcuffs, Mans Zoom court hearing ends with handcuffs after hes found attending from victims home. We want to know your views on law firm policies and culture. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. } 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.. .widget-row { (Judge Jeffrey Middleton/Youtube) At one point in the hearing, assistant district attorney . Centreville is the county seat for St. Joseph County and about 30 miles south of Kalamazoo and 150 miles west of Detroit. Courts, Deborah Davis, Jeffrey Middleton, Zoom. The other thing is, he missed his calling. background-color: red; Mr. float:right; Lindsey said she had never told Harris she called authorities Feb. 9. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Apparently, a surefire way to get a western Michigan man in hot water with a judge. Advertisement Key Data Middleton demanded to know the address, which she gave him. Saxon was eventually brought back into the meeting where he explained to the judge that his sister set up his account, the name camefrom a bluetooth speaker and, "it's an inside joke. 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. Middleton chalked up the episode to another oddity of life in a pandemic. color: white; Im sorry I lied to you. Many people commenting online are supportive. The judge, police and prosecutors sat silent for several moments, waiting to see what was going on at Lindseys apartment.
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. See our privacy policy. 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. Take your phone with you, so that I know youre okay, Davis said, eventually burying her face in her hand as Harris protested that me and Mary both dont want the no-contact. The judge declared the situation unprecedented. (Video: Judge Jeffrey Middleton/YouTube). Its my house.. It is definitely possible to balance the competing interests of privacy and access, and we have suggested that courts stream hearings, then immediately take them down at the conclusion of the hearing. 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.. Speaking in front of a nondescript white wall, Harris did not move. "This is entirely unacceptable, and we will be urging the Legislature and the governor in the coming weeks to amend the law to authorize the commission to revisit the issue of judicial salaries next year," Marks said. 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. U.S. Congress | The dimwitted defendant said he did not believe he typed anything like that and apologized before the judge briefly kicked him out of the Zoom feed. There were five additional employees with 15 years of employment and 14 more recognized for a decade of service to the county. Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation, uncertain how Cuomo and lawmakers will close the budget hole, Legislature's 213 members received their first pay raise, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. }, Jeffrey C. Middleton is a district court judge for the 3B District Court in Michigan. text-align: center; Though they weren't present Tuesday, judicial secretary Lori Rumsey and now-retired friend of the. School districts | Tell her she almost got you put in jail for contempt of court, Middleton said, eliciting another apology. This pay is 61 percent higher than average and 63 percent higher than median salary in County Of St Joseph. background-color: white; JudgeJeffreyMiddleton - reddit The alleged victim in the. Judge Middleton goes off on guy who lies about his employment - reddit According to court records, Saxton was set to appear before the judge on a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. [2] Judges at the Supreme Court level the statetrial-level court were being paid $136,700. } "Umm why? .widget-row.heading { .widget-row.Republican { font-weight: bold; The move comes after State Court Administrator Tom Boyd called Middleton personally. 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. When Lindseys livestream came back online, Harris was being handcuffed. . padding-left: 10px; width: 43%; County commissioners staged their annual Employee Service Recognition event Tuesday. } Conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. "Mr. Harris my advice is don't say anything else. U.S. President | 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.". The entire hearing was streamed on the judges courtroom YouTube channel. Counties | Privacy Center | 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. St. Joseph District Judge Jeffrey Middleton, a rising YouTube star, posted courtroom video Tuesday of the mans anal gaffe, Law and Crime reported. Harris was taken into custody and his bond was canceled, according to court records. What kind of idiot logs into court like that? the appalled jurist added. Shortly after the woman let officers inside, her box on Zoom vanished and Harris' did, too. Zoom court hearing ends with defendant in handcuffs (NCD). On the driving with a suspended license charge, he was given two days in jail (to be served on the weekend). They combat COVID vaccine hesitancy by going door-to-door:Their goal? .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Virtual court hearing takes turn after prosecutor spots assault suspect Michigan Circuit Court Family had tipped them off, she said, and then police were knocking outside as she tried to answer questions. font-weight: bold; Feel free to email herwith any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1). ", "I'm embarrassed," he told the judge. 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. 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. margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 0; Its the first time I ever had anybody sitting in the next room, potentially intimidating a witness, the judge said later. You know nothing happened, she said he told her. 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. Find contact information, experience, peer reviews, directions, and more at Martindale.com. Michigan judge in viral videos pulls YouTube stream Allen offered a few words about his godson, Lillywhite. That payment plan also includes the prior laundry list of unpaid fees and costs. Heres How To Get Yours Right. As she questioned Lindsey about what took place during the February argument, Lindseys eyes kept darting to her left, away from the camera. 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. A visibly upset Davis facepalmed as she realized her hunch had been correct. 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. Judge Jeffrey Middleton, prosecutor Deborah Davis. The fact that shes looking off to the side and hes moving around, I want some confirmation that she is safe before we continue.. The decision ensures judges will join state lawmakers in seeing their pay remain stagnant in 2020 after the courts invalidateda planned raise for legislators earlier this year. 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. .widget-key { color: white; Lindsey has started an online fundraiser that she says will help her move out of the area and get good therapy. 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. How to vote | } ", The defendant seemed surprised and told Middleton "I don't believe I typed in anything like that.". Jeffrey Middleton C in 2015 was employed in County Of St Joseph and had a reported pay of $47,221 according to public records. Davis told Middleton she believed Harris and Lindsey were in the same location. At the time, New York judges had seen their pay frozen for the prior 12 years. I knew the cops were outside. font-weight: bold; Jacob Keokuk Attends Court in Driver's Seat After Traffic Violations As with most things that go viral online, the videos also caused an influx of negative responses, according to Judge Middleton. The reported victim in that attack is Mary Lindsey. 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. Coby Harris back in court! Judge Jeffrey Middleton, prosecutor Deborah } Though he initially pleaded not guilty but later changed it when the judge said the normal fine for the count is $200. vertical-align: top; Thirty-three people with milestone anniversaries as St. Joseph County employees were recognized by the county board this week. Jeffrey Middleton C | GovSalaries Jeffrey "Drunk driving, I hearby sentence you to." a murmur starts up in the stands . background-color: #f9f9f9; "I'm sorry.". : Enjoy. District Judge Jeffrey Middleton first drew national attention in March, when an attorney noticed a man accused of domestic violence was in the same room as his victim, despite a restraining. 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. J: "And 30 days in county jail!" The crowd erupts into cheering, people high-fiving each . He also faces obstruction of justice charges in connection with the virtual court incident, the judge said. The balance of rights under the law absolutely does not require this, she said. But Cuomo's raise is being challenged in court by theGovernment Justice Center, a conservative-leaning nonprofit that argues the constitution prohibits the governor from getting a raise in the middle of his term. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 'Buttfucker 3000' Does Not Fly in Zoom Court - Gizmodo Heres how Lexis Search Advantage | Transactional unites internal and external research to create better deals faster. Judge not amused by 'fool' who logged into court as 'Buttf----r 3000' } Do not sell my information. 0 comments. Knocking on the door.. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { font-size: 1.2em; Lindsey said she put her daughter in the care of family after a nasty fight in December. Take the cigarette out of your mouth, the judge said. Some Work Things Are Optional. .widget-row.value-only { He said he didnt want to appear in court while at someones house. .infobox p { If this was a real court hearing in a real courtroom, there would be two people in the courtroom. 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. "At this time, it would not be in accordance with good fiscal practice to establish any multi-year pattern of salary increases for the judiciary.". margin-bottom: 1px; What Do Millennials Think Of Law Firm Life? The judge ultimately agreed to put Keokuk on a payment plan of $100 per month for the insurance violation. width: 150px; But as a repeat offender, Harris is looking at up to 15 years behind bars. .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Our Judges. Video of the March 2 hearing is publicly available on Judge Jeffrey Middleton's YouTube channel. 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.. Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors, Nationals relievers see benefit in tinkering with new pitches, Roger Goodell, Muriel Bowser discussed future of RFK site in December call. Middleton asked: "It's not Buttf-----3000 logging into my court with that as your screen name? Next, two decades of service were noted. Absent that, judges won't get a raise until 2024 at the earliest. That's when Davis interrupted the defense lawyer and told the court: Your honor, I have reason to believe that the defendant is in the same apartment as the complaining witness right now and Im extremely scared for her safety.". A community to discuss everything related to Judge Jeffrey Middleton's YouTube .