UK court chaos: Judge gets angry, cancels hearing on seeing suspect making sandwiches - watch

A virtual court hearing in Detroit turned chaotic when a mother was caught making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during a Zoom session with a judge — and then argued with him on the call.Asja Outerbridge, who was charged for misdemeanour charged appeared late to her virtual hearing in the 36th District Court, wearing a robe. While on video, she began preparing a sandwich, prompting Judge Sean Perkins to admonish her

Outerbridge was facing a misdemeanour allegation for having an open alcohol container as a passenger in a vehicle.When the judge ordered her to stop making the sandwich, Asja Outerbridge responded that she was just trying to feed her sick daughter, who she showed on camera.“Put whatever you’re trying to prepare down,” Judge Perkins insisted.Judge Sean Perkins questioned Outerbridge's attire, asking, "Is that a robe?" and instructed her to "get dressed properly," emphasizing the seriousness of the court setting.Outerbridge defended her attire, claiming she was “properly dressed” and wore a t-shirt under the robe.The judge countered, “I’m sorry your daughter is sick, but again, you are in court, and we’re going to treat it as such.”

Due to the interruptions and her behaviour, Judge Perkins ended the call.Later, Outerbridge told CBS News that while she acknowledged her mistake, there was an explanation for her unusual behaviour. She explained she had multiple court dates and was initially told her hearing started at 1 pm but joined the Zoom at 9:22 am and waited until 11:30 am. She said the robe and sandwich incident occurred after she was placed on hold for two hours, during which she forgot the hearing had resumed.When she realized the session restarted, she rushed back to the phone while making the sandwich.“I definitely was wrong. I could have come dressed better and more prepared. I don’t want the judge to think I’m laughing at the situation—I’m not,” she said, offering a sincere apology.Outerbridge, a personal stylist and single mother, said managing court dates and caring for her sick three year old daughter made the day particularly challenging.After the clip of the incident was posted online, Outerbridge admitted she was embarrassed. “It was just a lot going on. I was having a mommy day,” she said. “I saw the video with the judge, the robe, and the peanut butter and said, ‘Oh my God.’”Asja Outerbridge expressed embarrassment and reiterated her apology, acknowledging she could have handled the situation more appropriately.