ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Corey Harris, 44, went viral in May when he appeared during a virtual hearing for a suspended driver’s license while driving his car.
On Wednesday, Harris appeared before the same judge as in the video for a pre-trial hearing in 14A District Court in Washtenaw County. During the hearing, Judge J. Cedric Simpson revealed that Harris did never had a driver’s license.
“He knows he doesn’t have a permit,” Simpson said.
He said Harris has chosen time and time again to renew his Michigan identification card, but has never obtained a driver’s license.
“The person who should be blamed is the person he was staring at in the mirror,” Simpson said. “He didn’t do what he should have done.”
During the hearing, Simpson also revealed that there is a long-standing warrant for Harris’ arrest in another city for the same crime.
Harris’ attorney, Dionne Webster-Cox, said this information was new to her.
“Well, I didn’t know that, Your Honor,” she said.
“Counsel, I have no doubt that that is true,” Simpson told her.
Prosecutor Konrad Siller called Harris’ statements to local media about a possible administrative error an “insult to the justice system.”
“I have been a prosecutor for over 30 years and it is ridiculous to see this kind of fuss surrounding a driver’s license suspension case,” Siller said. “And it was not caused by this court, nor by the Pittsfield Township Police Department. It was caused by extrajudicial statements made outside this courtroom.”
“I heard some things I didn’t expect today,” Webster-Cox said. “I didn’t expect it, but I heard it. So all I can tell you is I’m going to focus on: What can he do to change that? What can he do to put it right? That’s it All we can do is make it right.”
Harris was taken into custody at the end of his hearing.
Simpson said he hopes he will do the right thing and obtain a driver’s license at his next hearing in August.
Meredith Bruckner
