An eagle-eyed Michigan prosecutor, a quick-witted judge and an agitated police caught a man violating a restraining order in a dramatic confrontation that unfolded during a virtual hearing.
Coby Harris, 21, was ordered not to keep in touch with his girlfriend after his alleged attack on her on February 9 in Sturgis, Michigan, about 45 miles south of Kalamazoo.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a March 2 hearing on the case, in front of St. Joseph County District Court judge Jeffrey Middleton, was virtual, via Zoom and YouTube. The hearing included appearances by Harris and the victim, probably from different locations.
After seven minutes of hearing, while Harris’ lawyer was opposed to a question by prosecutor Deborah Davis, the woman seemed to look away from the camera on her right.
That was when Davis interrupted the defense attorney and said to the court, “Your Honor, I have reason to believe that the defendant is in the same apartment as the complaining witness and I am extremely scared for his safety.”
Middleton immediately asked Harris and the woman where they were showing up and they both gave different addresses. The judge then asked Harris to come out with his cell phone and show the address.
“Umm, why? I don’t even think this phone is charged for that, sir,” replied Harris, who was inside the house and admitted to being near an electrical outlet. “I’m at 2 percent now.”
The brief shuttle bought enough time for the police to show up at the woman’s apartment.
Shortly after the woman let the cops in, her Zoom box disappeared and Harris’s also disappeared.
A minute passed before the victim’s zoom box returned to the screen – with Harris speaking to the judge while the police appeared to be handcuffing him inside the woman’s apartment. The prosecutor dropped his head in his hands.
“Your Honor, we both don’t want the order of non-contact,” said Harris, with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. “I asked for it to be discarded. I’m sorry for lying to you. I knew the cops were out there. I don’t know why I lied to you. “
Middleton revoked the bail and told Harris to stop talking, for his own sake.
“Mr. Harris, my advice is to say no more. Take the cigarette out of your mouth,” said Middleton. “You hit rock bottom and continue to dig.”
Harris is accused of assault, which is usually punishable by up to 10 years in prison. But, as a repeat offender, Harris can stay up to 15 years behind bars. He also faces charges of obstructing justice in connection with the virtual court incident, the judge said.
Middleton attributed the episode to another oddity of life in a pandemic.
“This is the first time that I have anyone sitting in the next room, potentially intimidating a witness,” said Middleton. “This is a problem that we didn’t have when we had a live court.”
The judge acknowledged that Harris’ defense attorney clearly had no idea that his client was violating a court order and thanked the Sturgis police for arriving at the woman’s apartment so quickly.
Harris’ attorney and attorney could not be reached immediately for comment on Thursday. Harris was still in custody on Thursday for breach of bail, a deputy sheriff said.
