[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Hi, everyone, I'm Dan Abrams, and this is "Court Cam."
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I want dude off my case. [spits]
- Got a runner.
[people yelling]
- Get out!
- This is not TV court. This is for real.
♪ ♪
- First up, we're in Traverse City, Michigan
for a bond violation hearing.
♪ ♪
44-year-old Shannon Hughey has pled guilty to the crime
of attempted unlawful driving of an automobile,
while a second similar charge from the same incident
was dismissed.
She was sentenced to two years probation
with several conditions, including
drug and alcohol testing.
But after Hughey allegedly violated her probation,
she was arrested again and then released
on a personal bond.
And when she failed to appear at her sentencing,
she was arrested a third time.
♪ ♪
Today, she appears without an attorney
before Judge Michael Stepka
to discuss next steps in the case.
- You were before the magistrate
earlier this afternoon. - Yes.
- You had defense counsel with you.
You told both of those people
you wanted to waive a hearing, waive a lawyer,
and plead guilty to bond violation.
Is that right, ma'am?
- Yeah, I guess.
Whatever I need to do to get this done.
- Why can't we do it today?
Can't you sentence me right now?
- Your lawyer isn't here, ma'am,
so we can't sentence you.
- Can I do not guilty, please?
Can I have a bond, please?
- So I think you should call Janet Mistele.
She's your lawyer.
We're going to reset your sentencing that you missed--
- I'm not going to call her. Just sentence me.
Just get this over with. Sentence me.
Like, this is not who I am, and I just want this done.
I want to move on.
- So what we're going to do is enter a not guilty plea
on the bond violation.
The bond violation will be set
at the same time as sentencing.
I think we might be able to give you the date now.
- That will be April 12th at 10:00 a.m.
- So I've got to sit in jail until April 12th?
I'm sorry. - Yeah. Because you failed--
- I'm having a hard time hearing.
- You failed-- you failed to show--
- So another [beep] 30 days? Go [beep] yourself!
I [bleep] hate you. I hate it!
♪ ♪
- You failed to show--
- So another [beep] 30 days? Go [beep] yourself!
- Hughey suddenly loses it and smashes the computer.
♪ ♪
Officers quickly entered the room
and subdued the defendant.
- Why--
- It seems Hughey has cut her hands on her cuffs
during the outburst.
- After several minutes, the officers
remove Hughey from the room and take her into custody.
♪ ♪
While she was not charged for the outburst,
Hughey eventually pled guilty to violating her probation
and her bond was revoked.
She was later sentenced to a 180 days in jail,
credit for time served.
♪ ♪
Next, we go to the state of Pernambuco
in Northeast Brazil.
38-year-old Francisco De Moura has been charged with murder.
♪ ♪
11 years earlier, De Moura told local police
he was looking for a donkey that had strayed from his yard
when he ended up on the property of Francisco Alves.
Police say the men exchanged words,
and when Alves approached De Moura with a stick,
De Moura shot Alves once in the stomach.
♪ ♪
Alves was taken to a hospital but died 18 days later.
De Moura had fled the scene
and remained at large for more than ten years
until authorities tracked him down
in the city of Salgado,
about 200 miles from the crime scene.
Today, De Moura appears in court
for what's called a jury review hearing.
Sitting in the back of the room
is the victim's 27-year-old son,
Cristiano Alves Terato.
He can be seen here getting up from his seat,
making his way towards the defendant.
A warning, what we're about to show you is pretty intense.
♪ ♪
Just as this unidentified woman
appears to try to stop him,
Terato pulls out a .38 caliber handgun
and begins firing...
♪ ♪
Hitting De Moura six times.
Meanwhile, with seemingly no security in sight,
jurors, court staff, and spectators
scramble for safety.
An injured De Moura can be seen
taking cover behind a desk.
That's when Terato, using the butt of his gun,
strikes De Moura over the head.
And he's not finished.
Terato then comes around the desk
and hits De Moura two more times...
as the same woman tries to intervene.
Finally, Terato flees the courtroom
while this bystander calls for help.
♪ ♪
De Moura was rushed to a nearby hospital
and incredibly survived the attack.
He was allowed to return home pending a rescheduled hearing.
♪ ♪
As for Terato, he was chased down
and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Both his case and De Moura's are now pending.
♪ ♪
- Next, we're in Detroit, Michigan
for a pretrial hearing.
20-year-old Martin Orlowski II
has been charged with disorderly conduct.
Nine months earlier, Orlowski was at
a Detroit Tigers baseball game
when he decided to do this.
[whimsical music]
♪ ♪
After he juked a few members of the Tigers security team...
♪ ♪
[zany whistle]
And insulted them with this hand gesture...
♪ ♪
[zany boinging]
♪ ♪
Orlowski seemed to run out of gas.
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
And after this security officer
took him to the ground...
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
Orlowski was taken into custody
and officially charged.
Today, he appears before Judge Sean Perkins
to discuss next steps in the case.
- Where is Mr. Orlowski?
- Right here.
- Orlowski's represented by attorney Elwood Berry.
If found guilty, he could face a penalty of up to 90 days
in jail and a fine of $500.
- All right, raise your right hand, please.
- After swearing him in, the judge
wants Orlowski to explain his actions.
- Let me draw your attention back
to August the 9th, 2023, at around 7:35 p.m.
in the city of Detroit.
Were you in that area around that date and time?
- Yes, sir. - What's over in that area?
- Tiger Stadium. - Comerica Park too.
- And you were in the stadium at that date and time. Correct?
- Yes, sir.
- And is it true that you jumped over the fence
and ran across the playing field
during the game?
- Yes, sir.
- What would possess you to do something like that?
- At the time, I was trying to impress my friends,
and I was not in the right state of mind.
I know that it affected a lot of people that were there.
I really apologize for that.
Since then, I've been getting closer to God.
I have a job. I'm going to college.
I really have changed my life around, I feel like,
because at that time, clearly that's not something
that should even happen, just interfering with a game.
I know that it won't happen again.
- How old are you, sir? - I'm 20 years old.
- And when you say to the court
that you weren't in your right mind,
what state of mind were you in?
- Oh, just pure stupidity and acting like an idiot.
- Did anything-- outside forces
contribute to that?
- What do you mean by that, sir?
- Was there any kind of mind-altering substances
that you took or anything that day?
- No, sir. - No alcohol involved?
- No, sir.
[tense music]
- Just a prank, huh?
- Basically, yeah. It's not too funny of a crime.
- I'm going to find him guilty as charged
to the disorderly conduct. You satisfied, counselor?
- Satisfied, your honor. - I'm going to fine him $240.
I'll take it under a six-month delayed sentence.
I'm going to have you pay it in a month though.
- OK. Thank you.
- Sir, have a very good day.
Best of luck to you, all right? - You as well.
- Orlowski paid his fine of $240,
and, as long as he stays out of trouble for six months,
his case will be dismissed.
♪ ♪
- Next, we head to Orlando, Florida,
for a resentencing trial.
38-year-old Bessman Okafor has been convicted of murder.
♪ ♪
11 years earlier, police say Okafor arranged
to have 19-year-old Alex Zaldivar
shot in the head and killed
because he was scheduled to testify against Okafor,
who allegedly robbed him
and his roommates four months earlier.
Okafor pled not guilty, but was tried and convicted.
A jury then voted 11 to 1 that he be sentenced to death.
But a year later, the Florida Supreme Court
invalidated death sentences that were
not voted for unanimously,
so Okafor's sentence was overturned.
Today, he appears with his attorneys
before Judge Mark Blechman
to hear for the second time
if he'll be sentenced to death.
12 new jurors who've all been sequestered,
have just heard closing arguments
and are preparing to retire to their hotel for the night,
but first, Judge Blechman has instructions for them.
- I'm ordering you not to discuss this case.
You can only deliberate when all of you are together.
Thank you all so very, very much.
I'll see you tomorrow morning at 8:30.
- Minutes later, with the defendant
still in the courtroom, juror number 370
asked to speak with the judge.
- After giving the juror a microphone,
Judge Blechman tries to get a handle on the situation.
- Tell me what you know about the case.
- I know somebody that went to school with the defendant.
- And how long have you known this?
- I just found out a couple of days ago.
- And you spoke about this case when I ordered you not to?
- It wasn't on purpose.
- Juror 370 claims to have had
a phone conversation with a friend
who knew both the victim and the defendant.
After sending the juror to a waiting room,
Judge Blechman checks in with the defense.
- My question is, what do you want to do?
- Judge, we have to move to strike her
and ask the court for a mistrial.
- State?
- I don't know what else to do.
- State agrees that the record is clear.
The juror can no longer be a juror.
We join the defense motion to strike the juror.
- OK, let's bring juror 370 in first.
- After the judge officially declares a mistrial,
juror 370 is brought back into the courtroom.
- Ma'am, take off your juror badge, please.
I'm dismissing you as a juror in this case.
I'm going to find that you're in indirect criminal contempt,
instruct the State of Florida to file charges against you.
You'll receive the charges.
You'll be arrested on that charge
for intentionally violating the court's order
and causing a mistrial in this case.
♪ ♪
You're dismissed at this time. Please leave.
♪ ♪
- Juror 370, whose name is Kayla De Pena,
was charged with direct
and indirect criminal contempt.
Over two months later, De Pena appeared
in court before Judge Blechman again
and admitted she was just trying
to get out of jury duty.
- I'm extremely sorry for lying.
- De Pena blamed depression,
discomfort with law enforcement,
and financial stress for her actions.
The judge did not sympathize.
- You thwarted justice more than anybody I have seen
in my 42 years as an attorney.
Your case deserves the maximum punishment
that I can impose.
Your actions were as premeditated
as a first-degree murder,
as somebody putting a gun to somebody's head
and pulling a trigger.
♪ ♪
- Judge Blechman then sentenced De Pena
to the maximum,
179 days in jail and a $500 fine.
As for Okafor, he was eventually resentenced,
and this time, received the death penalty again.
♪ ♪
- Next, we're in Detroit, Michigan
for an arraignment.
♪ ♪
18-year-old Susie Bradley has been charged with assault.
Six months earlier, police say Bradley
asked a man she met at a gas station for a ride
and then pulled a knife on him.
The man escaped unharmed,
and after Bradley asked another customer for money,
police were called and she was arrested.
Bradley was later released on $10,000 bond,
but when she failed to appear at a hearing,
a warrant was issued for her arrest.
Today, Bradley appears with an officer from the local jail
before Magistrate William Burton
to discuss next steps in the case.
She's represented by public defender
Jessica Cheaib.
Right away, there seems to be some confusion
over the defendant's name.
- All right. Is this the Elijah Lake?
- This is Susie Bradley.
- Susie Bradley? - Hi, my name is Sue.
- Susie. What's the last name?
- Bradley. Bradley.
- Stop talking. - They're asking my last name.
I can talk if I want.
- The magistrate temporarily steps away.
♪ ♪
- You like my jacket? - What's that mean?
- It means bait. - What's this one mean?
- Oh, this thing? - NHTO.
- NBHD. - What's that mean?
- NBHD. No bitches, hoes, [beep].
♪ ♪
- That's great. - I know.
♪ ♪
Means no bitches, hoes, and [bleep].
- Ms. Bradley, it's all part of the record right now, OK?
We're still in-- - It's all being recorded.
I know. - Don't say anything.
- I'm not saying anything inappropriate.
- Just don't say anything at all.
- OK. Thank you.
- For your own protection. OK? Thank you.
- Thank you.
- After a few minutes, Magistrate Burton
returns to the hearing.
- Ms. Bradley, I'm gonna ask you to do two things.
- OK.
- First of all, remove your hoodie.
♪ ♪
Second of all, stand still.
OK.
Go ahead with your argument as to bond, Ms. Cheaib.
- Your Honor... - You can put you arms down.
♪ ♪
Thank you.
- Your honor, she lives with her grandma.
She does not know the complaining witness.
There shouldn't be any issue with the no contact.
She's employed at Qdoba. She's 18 years old.
I'm respectfully asking the court
to release her to her grandma's house.
- My officer, your thoughts and recommendation as to bond?
- Well, just to let you know, Your Honor,
this is a failure to appear.
So I don't believe she has any intentions
on taking care of this matter.
- I'm going to go to court.
- You received a thousand dollar
10% cash bond.
I'm not sure if that bond was paid.
- It was. - Or she was just released.
- It was paid.
- I'd have to check with the court on Monday.
- Ms. Bradley, please be quiet.
You said that bond was $1,000, 10%?
- Yes, Your Honor.
- And it was paid.
- That was the original bond. Correct?
- That's correct.
- And she failed to appear for a prior court date?
- That's correct. - Thank you.
The court's going to reinstate the original bond.
$1,000, 10% cash bond.
No contact with the complainant witness.
If you're able to post bond, I'm going to make sure
we're able to track you.
You'll be fitted with a GPS tether,
no restrictions other than... - No, I know--
Other than the no contact provisions.
♪ ♪
- Can I get out?
- Yeah, with a tether. - Free?
- No. No free. - For free?
- No free. Nothing's free for you today.
- OK, Ms. Bradley, I'm going to call your grandma.
OK? - She's not going to pay $100.
She just kicked me out. - OK.
Ms. Bradley? - Yes?
- Can you be quiet, please?
♪ ♪
All right.
Miss Bradley, your probable cause conference
is November 22nd.
Preliminary examination, November 29th
at 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights.
- What time do I got to be home on my tether?
- Shh, shh.
- Just show up for court. Have a good day.
- I will. - Thank you, Your Honor.
Have a good day.
- Bradley pled not guilty,
and her grandmother posted a $100 bond.
Case is pending.
♪ ♪
That's it for this edition of "Court Cam."
I'm Dan Abrams. Thanks for watching.
♪ ♪