Zoom Hearing Adjourned After Court Discovers Defendant Is in Same Place as Alleged Assault Victim

A Michigan court hearing in an alleged assault, being conducted over Zoom, was adjourned on March 2 when it was found the defendant was in the same place as the alleged victim.

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.

The alleged victim in the incident, Mary Lindsay, also appeared on the Zoom call, and recounted details of the incident.

At seven minutes, 44 seconds into the call, Deborah Davis, an assistant to the prosecuting attorney, told the judge she believed Harris was in the same place as Lindsay, and that she feared for the Lindsay’s safety.

The judge asked Lindsay where she was and she, after some hesitation, gave an address on Hatch Street, Sturgis. He then asked the same question of Harris, who gave an address on nearby Lafayette Street. However, police arrived at the address given by Lindsay, and both she and Harris were discovered to be there.

Harris then tried to protest, but the judge interrupted him, saying, "Mr Harris, my advice is, don’t say anything else. Take the cigarette out of your mouth. The hearing is adjourned. Your bond is canceled. If you have $10 million, you can’t bond out. In addition, the prosecutor’s probably also going to charge you with obstruction of justice.”

The judge continued: “We’re serious as a heart attack. It’s the first time I ever had anybody sitting in the next room potentially intimidating a witness.”

He said, “You’re digging your hole. You’ve hit bottom and you’re continuing to dig.”

Harris was then taken into custody. Credit: Judge Jeffrey Middleton via Storyful