My New Favorite Judge

Video: http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/18046966-418/story.html

Updated: February 6, 2013 8:57AM

MIAMI — A Miami woman was jailed on contempt charges after flipping off a judge during a drug possession hearing.

Miami television station NBC 6 reports 18-year-old Penelope Soto laughed Monday when Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat asked how much her jewelry was worth as he inquired about her financial assets.

The judge told Soto “we’re not in a club, be serious about it.” Soto said she was being serious.

He set Soto’s bond at $5,000 and said, “bye-bye.” Soto laughed again and replied, “Adios.” He summoned her back to the podium and reset bond at $10,000.

Soto asked, “Are you serious?” The judge replied, “I am serious. Adios.”

Soto flipped him off and blurted an expletive as she walked away.

The judge then sentenced her to 30 days in jail.

I saw the vid clip on the new yesterday. I wanted to slap her, and high-five him.

Far as I'm concerned the Judge was an shiny happy person.

Someone upped my bail by five berkeleying grand because I said adios I'd probably flip them off too.

Grizz wrote: Far as I'm concerned the Judge was an shiny happy person. Someone upped my bail by five berkeleying grand because I said adios

Then said adios to her back... I heard that this morning.

The guy should be reprimanded. He abused his power. It might be funny, but it's irresponsible.

In reply to Grizz & zomby woof:

The judge = Brad Pitt in fight club, and you = the commissioner, hog tied, no pants, lying restrained and gagged on the bathroom floor...meaning, he is someone YOU DO NOT BERKLEY WITH....

As far as Im concerned, if youre in court, facing a bond hearing, because you were caught in possession of illegal substances, and you do anything but "Yes Sir, No Sir", then you deserve some time in stocks in the center of town while random passers by are given the opportunity to beat your ass with golf clubs...

dont be a sh!thead, and you have nothing to worry about...

4cylndrfury wrote: In reply to Grizz & zomby woof: The judge = Brad Pitt in fight club, and you = the commissioner, hog tied, no pants, lying restrained and gagged on the bathroom floor...meaning, he is someone YOU DO NOT BERKLEY WITH.... As far as Im concerned, if youre in court, facing a bond hearing, because you were caught in possession of illegal substances, and you do anything but "Yes Sir, No Sir", then you deserve some time in stocks in the center of town while random passers by are given the opportunity to beat your ass with golf clubs... dont be a sh!thead, and you have nothing to worry about...

100%

At 18 years old I had a lot of nerve, but I never would have laughed at nor flipped off a judge hearing my case. Nope. Not even once.

Zomby Woof wrote:

Grizz wrote: Far as I'm concerned the Judge was an shiny happy person. Someone upped my bail by five berkeleying grand because I said adios

Then said adios to her back... I heard that this morning. The guy should be reprimanded. He abused his power. It might be funny, but it's irresponsible.

Agreed. I think it's foolish to be flip to a judge, but the judge should be held to a standard of behavior which includes not doubling bail for replying "adios" to "bye-bye".

There were serious charges. A serious verdict was handed down. And then a mockery was made of the process by the judge being petty. Soto did not have the ability to make a mockery of the process without the judge stooping to that level. She would only have looked dumb if the judge had played it straight.

I do not want my institutions of justice behaving anything other than earnestly.

4cylndrfury wrote: dont be a sh!thead, and you have nothing to worry about...

Oh yes, it's perfectly acceptable for people in positions of power to abuse that power simply because it isn't happening to you.

4cylndrfury wrote: dont be a sh!thead, and you have nothing to worry about...

A judge who swings his cock around because he can is something to worry about. Sometimes people who don't think they did anything wrong and haven't been convicted of anything get surly when treated like criminals.

Professionals ought to act like professionals. Thirty days for not being polite is being a E36 M3head.

Watched the entire video, I'd say she was in contempt from the start and that the judge was trying to impress upon her the seriousness of the situation. Looks like he had to bop this one a little harder to get her to understand.

I'd say we need more judges like Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat and fewer stupid, arrogant criminals like Soto. Are we really going to disagree about this?!

1988RedT2 wrote: Are we really going to disagree about this?!

Yep.

There is a certain level of decorum expected in a court of law because it is a place where serious matters are discussed and decided. A judge is expected to keep control of his courtroom at all times, which is why he/she has absolute authority within those walls. It is not a place for some smartmouth kid to show her ass.

Yeah, I side with the judge. I think he should have given her six months, not 30 days. Maybe then she might take her breaking of the law more seriously.

For all you folks who think the judge was in the wrong, have you watched the video? Because I had the same reaction until I did.

There was a total lack of respect for the court and the judge from the start w/ that girl, she deserved it.

The girl wasn't taking it serious at all.

Bet she does next time.

mtn wrote: For all you folks who think the judge was in the wrong, have you watched the video? Because I had the same reaction until I did.

Yes, I did. The judge was also being an shiny happy person from the start.

Yes, we must be nice to criminals. It's not their fault they were breaking the law.

I still haven't watched the video. If she was in contempt from the beginning, perhaps she should have been punished for that transgression specifically.

I dunno, maybe the judge was trying to coax a reasonable reaction out of her by not socking her for that immediately.

I'm not going to get all wound up about it. I just don't like the idea of authority figures making sentencing decisions with their tempers.

Video doesn't work for me, for some reason.

Try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjqyfTw6pM0

1988RedT2 wrote: I'd say we need more judges like Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat and fewer stupid, arrogant criminals like Soto. Are we really going to disagree about this?!

Yeah, he was kind of a dick - but I was raised with the yes sir/no sir attitude in court. She was an idiot - flipping off a judge?

Once I was helping my nephew and took him to his court appearance. He comes out all baggy pants and gang banger style from his house - I ask why he doesn't have slacks and a tie on? NOBODY goes to court like that any more, he laughed. Today? He's sitting in jail......

In reply to Bobzilla:

She was brought in for having xanax, it's not like she committed an actual crime or anything.

But yes, we must punish people for being mildly snarky. It's not their fault the judge was on the rag that morning.