Defendant catches beloved judge off guard  when asked if he was 'coerced' into pleading guilty

Few individuals outside the legal profession enjoy finding themselves in a courtroom. Even more distressing is trying to navigate the role of defendant. With the pressure of potentially losing a court case that could result in jail time, most would find it an uncomfortable, if not frightening, experience.

In this instance, the judge presiding over the case found himself in an uncomfortable position. Judge J. Cedric Simpson of the 14A-1 District Court inadvertently found himself part of the defense after the defendant claimed the judge was the reason he pleaded guilty.

Judge unwillingly inserts himself into the defense strategy

In a since-deleted video posted on Reddit, the defendant, Mr. Hampton, is charged with aggravated assault, attempted resisting arrest, and obstruction. Upon the advice of his attorney, he begins to plead guilty. As the defendant describes the altercation of a fight in a college campus locker room, from the discourse, Judge Simpson begins to grow uncomfortable. The question arises is the defendant admitting guilt or avoiding possible jail time by making a plea. The Reddit video depicts the moment when the judge asks if Mr. Hampton has been pressured to plead. Hampton responds, "Well, technically you, your honor."

Not shown in the video, upon further discourse, the case is postponed to a later date. According to court records, the case was dismissed by the accusing officer. No fees or sentencing followed, and the case was disposed.

Navigating an unusual circumstance like this would be challenging for anyone. The judge appeared to handle the situation rather well by instructing the defendant of his rights, giving ample time for the lawyer to communicate about the situation with the defendant, and then postponing to give the defendant appropriate time to figure things out. With the eventual dismissal, it appears things worked out as best they could for Hampton.

Honorable J. Cedric Simpson at work in the courtroom.Image from YouTube video.

Honorable Judge J. Cedric Simpson

A 2021 article in The Washtenaw Voice, a student publication of Washtenaw Community College, J. Cedric Simpson was the first African American male to sit on the Washtenaw County bench. Simpson grew up wanting to be a veterinarian until he was shot by a pellet gun by a young neighbor. Seeking an apology, his parents hired an attorney. The case went to trial, where it was later settled. Watching the evolutionary process of the court case fascinated Simpson and changed his future.

A close up of Judge Simpson.Image from YouTube video.

Redditors have some opinions on what happened in the video

After watching the video, some Redditors had their own ideas of what happened:

"I can only imagine the talking-to the lawyer gave him for almost blowing up the plea deal."

"Judge Simpson is my favorite judge, he's so fair and always considers the human aspect."

"The best hack for never going to jail."

"Ha I actually like the judges response there, it really was the whole “well he’s not exactly wrong here and I’ve never thought of it that way”.

"A plea deal. If you plead guilty a lot of districts will lessen your sentence rather than if you 'waste the court's time'"

"Radical Authenticity!"

"Okay, but did this strategy work? Cause I got a thing first thing Monday morning so...."

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Judge Simpson seems to have a great personality

Because a court camera is made available to the public, there are many interactions to watch with Judge Simpson. He seems to demonstrate fair analysis and has a good sense of humor. The ability to bring levity to a stressful situation, some might argue, is inappropriate. But the courtroom can be an aggressive place with aggravated people. It's nice that the judge can maintain order and keep a level head.

You can watch a longer version of the Hampton trial with Judge J. Cedric Simpson below:

- YouTube www.youtube.com