Michigan Man Feels “Embarrassed” After Attending Virtual Court Session While Driving on Suspended License

A Michigan man who went viral for attending a virtual court session while driving with a suspended license is speaking out about the incident.

A few weeks ago, Corey Harris attended a court hearing via Zoom for charges related to a prior arrest. In a now-viral video, Harris is seen joining the call while driving a vehicle. Once the car was parked, Judge J. Cedric Simpson confirmed that Harris was driving on a suspended license. Simpson then reiterated that Harris did not have a valid driver’s license. The 44-year-old man was seen holding his mouth open in disbelief as he realized his mistake.

Moments later, Judge Simpson revoked Harris’ bond and ordered him to turn himself in to the Washtenaw County Jail by 6 p.m. that day. As Simpson detailed the terms, Harris remained silent, but the shock on his face was evident.

Harris avoided jail time by following the judge’s orders and was released two days later. The video quickly gained traction on social media, with many users creating memes from still shots of the clip. Despite the humorous reaction from most people, Harris did not share the same sentiment. He told 7 News Detroit that he found the situation “embarrassing” due to his status within the community.

“With the type of ties that I have with the church and the community, it’s very embarrassing,” Harris said. “What was I thinking? I was thinking about getting my wife medical help. That’s what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I got a suspended license. I don’t care about all that.”

Harris was initially charged with driving with a suspended license last year but says the whole ordeal was a mix-up. In 2010, Harris had his first run-in with the law after Secretary of State records showed his license was suspended due to unpaid child support payments. Years later, in 2020, a judge rescinded the suspension, granting Harris the privilege of driving again. However, the news never made it to the Secretary of State, and they still considered his license suspended, leading to the entire incident.

Judge Cedric Simpson was astonished when defendant Corey Harris, who has a suspended driver's licence, joined a court hearing while driving his car ⬇️

The judge before ordering Harris to turn himself into the local county jail 🔗 https://t.co/Bbz2ZagmzT pic.twitter.com/SLeL2Tcpqx

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 29, 2024