useapen
2024-06-07 09:27:58 UTC
The Michigan man who went viral for joining his remote court hearing for a
suspended license while driving his car never had a license to start, a
judge said at a hearing on Wednesday.
In a video that went viral last month, Corey Harris shocked Judge Cedric
Simpson when he dialed into his May 15 Zoom court appearance for charges
of driving on a suspended license while parking his car.
I dont even know why he would do that, the judge said, perplexed as
Harris explained that he was pulling into his doctors office.
The judge then ordered Harris to turn himself into the Washtenaw County
Jail by 6pm the same day, before Harris replied: Oh my God, looking
skyward in disbelief. Harris spent two days in jail
It was initially thought that the viral moment had been the consequence of
an unfortunate clerical error, with WXYZ reporting the order to halt his
license was rescinded in January 2022, but never reported to state
authorities.
But now it has been revealed that Harris never had a valid Michigan
license in the first place.
Let me make it very clear, based on what the court looked at. [Harris]
has never had a Michigan license. Ever. And he has never had a license in
the other 49 states and commonwealths that form up this great union. He
has never had a license, a judge said as Harris appeared in Washtenaw
County Court on Wednesday, wearing a yellow shirt that said trust me
across the front.
During the 30-minute hearing, Simpson explained the order to halt Harris
license, which stemmed from a 2010 unpaid child support case, was
rescinded. But he never paid his fees to the clerks office so a clearance
was never sent to the Secretary of State.
The person that needed to be blamed is the person that he was staring at
in the mirror, Simpson told Harris. He didnt do what he should have
done.
In Michigan, a person can have suspensions on their driving record and
also not have a valid drivers license. If that person was able to obtain
a drivers license, they would still not have the privilege of driving
until they cleared their suspensions.
At the hearing, prosecutors confirmed Harris knew he had been driving on a
suspended license because he admitted it to officers at a traffic stop in
October 2023.
Simpson also noted additional evidence that Harris knew he did not have a
drivers license by the fact that Harris has faithfully renewed his state
identification every year.
The way I know that hes never had a license is because - on May 3, 1999,
he was 19 at the time - he applied for his first Michigan ID, Simpson
said. He has religiously, every year, gotten a new ID. And so he knows
that he doesnt have a license.
In Michigan, you cannot have both a drivers license and a state ID. i
Harris previusly told WXYZ that he did not make an attempt to correct his
license in 2023 because he was housebound. However, Simpson said that was
completely untrue.
The reason I know that is because, Mr. Harris, on December 28, 2023 - do
you know where you were?
Harris said he believed he was laid up from his accident.
You were at the Secretary of States office. You were at the Secretary of
States office because redid and and got your new Michigan ID, Simpson
said.
Harris then turned towards his attorney and looked stunned before Simpson
warned him to stick to the truth.
His falsehoods and misstatements are not going to fare him very well,
Simpson said.
Harris defense attorney Dionne E.Webster-Cox said her client is working
to secure his license and has paid the reinstatement fee. Hes also due
for a permit test this week.
Harris was taken into police custody following the hearing for an
outstanding arrest warrant for driving with a suspended license from 2015.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/zoom-suspended-
criver-corey-harris-b2558145.html
suspended license while driving his car never had a license to start, a
judge said at a hearing on Wednesday.
In a video that went viral last month, Corey Harris shocked Judge Cedric
Simpson when he dialed into his May 15 Zoom court appearance for charges
of driving on a suspended license while parking his car.
I dont even know why he would do that, the judge said, perplexed as
Harris explained that he was pulling into his doctors office.
The judge then ordered Harris to turn himself into the Washtenaw County
Jail by 6pm the same day, before Harris replied: Oh my God, looking
skyward in disbelief. Harris spent two days in jail
It was initially thought that the viral moment had been the consequence of
an unfortunate clerical error, with WXYZ reporting the order to halt his
license was rescinded in January 2022, but never reported to state
authorities.
But now it has been revealed that Harris never had a valid Michigan
license in the first place.
Let me make it very clear, based on what the court looked at. [Harris]
has never had a Michigan license. Ever. And he has never had a license in
the other 49 states and commonwealths that form up this great union. He
has never had a license, a judge said as Harris appeared in Washtenaw
County Court on Wednesday, wearing a yellow shirt that said trust me
across the front.
During the 30-minute hearing, Simpson explained the order to halt Harris
license, which stemmed from a 2010 unpaid child support case, was
rescinded. But he never paid his fees to the clerks office so a clearance
was never sent to the Secretary of State.
The person that needed to be blamed is the person that he was staring at
in the mirror, Simpson told Harris. He didnt do what he should have
done.
In Michigan, a person can have suspensions on their driving record and
also not have a valid drivers license. If that person was able to obtain
a drivers license, they would still not have the privilege of driving
until they cleared their suspensions.
At the hearing, prosecutors confirmed Harris knew he had been driving on a
suspended license because he admitted it to officers at a traffic stop in
October 2023.
Simpson also noted additional evidence that Harris knew he did not have a
drivers license by the fact that Harris has faithfully renewed his state
identification every year.
The way I know that hes never had a license is because - on May 3, 1999,
he was 19 at the time - he applied for his first Michigan ID, Simpson
said. He has religiously, every year, gotten a new ID. And so he knows
that he doesnt have a license.
In Michigan, you cannot have both a drivers license and a state ID. i
Harris previusly told WXYZ that he did not make an attempt to correct his
license in 2023 because he was housebound. However, Simpson said that was
completely untrue.
The reason I know that is because, Mr. Harris, on December 28, 2023 - do
you know where you were?
Harris said he believed he was laid up from his accident.
You were at the Secretary of States office. You were at the Secretary of
States office because redid and and got your new Michigan ID, Simpson
said.
Harris then turned towards his attorney and looked stunned before Simpson
warned him to stick to the truth.
His falsehoods and misstatements are not going to fare him very well,
Simpson said.
Harris defense attorney Dionne E.Webster-Cox said her client is working
to secure his license and has paid the reinstatement fee. Hes also due
for a permit test this week.
Harris was taken into police custody following the hearing for an
outstanding arrest warrant for driving with a suspended license from 2015.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/zoom-suspended-
criver-corey-harris-b2558145.html