2024-06-10
UPDATE: Newly discovered evidence shows that Corey Harris was actually allowed to have his driving privileges reinstated years ago.
You can read the updated story here, while the original piece is below.
Michigan man Corey Harris probably thought he was doing the right thing when he dialed into a court Zoom call for his case about driving on a suspended license.
The problem was, he joined the May 15 call while driving a vehicle, something that isn’t allowed when a driver’s license is suspended ― trust us on this!
The whole bizarre story began with Harris’ public defender announcing to the Ann Arbor courtroom that her client “should be present via Zoom.”
When Harris joined the call, something about him caught the eye of District Judge J. Cedric Simpson. Not only was there a seat belt across the defendant’s body, but he was in a moving vehicle.
Simpson asked if Harris was behind the wheel of a car, and the defendant told the court: “Actually, I’m pulling into my doctor’s office, actually. So just give me one second. I’m parking right now.”
Harris’ lawyer then requested an adjournment for a few weeks. However, the judge needed clarity on a key point in the case.
“OK, so maybe I don’t understand something,” Simpson said. “This is a driving while license suspended [case], and he was just driving, and he didn’t have a license.”
The public defender initially replied that “those are the charges, your honor,” but eventually agreed, “That is correct, your honor.”
“I don’t even know why he would do that,” Simpson said, before revoking Harris’ bond and ordering him to turn himself in at the county jail by that evening.