A Michigan man was ordered to serve more than a year behind bars after boldly telling the judge in his trespassing case to “kiss my ass” during a videotaped court hearing that has since gone viral on social media.
The defendant, Darrell Jarrell, clearly underestimated Washtenaw County Judge J. Cedric Simpson, who has become a social media celebrity over the past year for his zero-tolerance approach and fiery reprimands against those who have dared to disrespect his authority.
Apparently Jarrell didn’t get the memo as video from his hearing, circulating online since Thursday, emerged as the latest in a steady stream of courtroom dramas involving Simpson, known for his irascible temperament on the bench.
Jarrell had an arraignment scheduled for July 24 and a court date for Wednesday, Aug. 7. However, Jarrell and his attorney did not have time to confer about his case because he has no phone number, no email and flies “under the radar.”
Judge Simpson then provided a new court date for September 4th to allow the defendant and his lawyer time to discuss the case.
When Judge Simpson tried to explain that the delay was due to his attorney’s difficulty reaching him, Jarrell’s frustrations boiled over.
“I’m tired of this state. I’m ready to leave this state as soon as possible,” Jarrell fumed at Simpson before spouting off a few more complaints. “It’s trespassing. I could technically leave, and you guys could issue a warrant and as long as I don’t return, you can just kiss my a**.”
The court members sat stunned at the man’s disrespect, but it was too late to warn him that Simpson was the last judge he should have crossed.
After a brief moment, the judge spoke: “You know what? No, no no. I’m gonna tell you what –” Simpson warned, but before he could finish, the bristling sound of profanities echoed through the courtroom.
“F–k you!” Jarrell roared at Simpson, prompting several gasps.
Anyone acquainted with Simpson’s reputation knew this was bound to end badly for the defendant.
“I think we all can see Judge Simpson is not to be played with. They been trying him this year lmfaoo,” @RealDealChris wrote on X, where he shared a portion of the video.
Back in the courtroom, Simpson kept adding three months each time Jarrell repeated the offensive phrase, but he refused to ease up and cussed at the judge again.
“That’s contempt. That’s 93 [-day misdemeanor],” Simpson calmly stated.
But Jarrell remained defiant. He ate the sentence and shouted, “F–k you” again, to which Simpson ordered him held another 93 days.
As the bailiff escorted Jarrell out of the courtroom, he kept shouting profanities at the judge, which only added to his legal toll.
By the end of the angry outburst, Simpson had sentenced Jarrell to a total of 558 days in jail.
“That’s six 93s, consecutive,” Simpson told the court as the fuming Jarrell vanished into the hallway.
It’s unclear if Jarrell realized the full extent of the trouble he created for himself.
As the judge called the next case, Keith Jenkins, already in the Zoom queue, watched in stunned silence with his eyebrows raised in disbelief while Jarrell’s outburst unfolded.
“How are you doing, your honor? How are you doing, sir?” Jenkins asked politely, seeming to suggest his hearing would be different.
“I’m doing great!” Simpson responded with a cordial laugh, saying he was unfazed by Jarrell’s disrespectful behavior. Despite his own legal troubles, Jenkins agreed.
Judge Simpson has built a career dealing with harebrained defendants, with videos of his comical yet no-nonsense courtroom takedowns frequently causing a sensation online.
Back in April, a Michigan woman already facing charges in a road rage incident found herself in hot water when she turned snippety with Simpson, who threatened to throw her in jail unless she calmed down.
“She better check herself,” Simpson warned the woman’s lawyer at the time.
The same month, another man charged with felony fleeing, who showed up in court acting as his own lawyer, tried to match wits with Simpson, who warned him, “You’re playing with the wrong judge.”
Another viral moment in Simpson’s courtroom happened in May when a man whose right to driver’s license was suspended appeared for court on a Zoom call from behind the wheel of his car.
Not one to tolerate any nonsense, Simpson revoked the man’s bond on the spot and ordered him to report to jail.
Days later, yet another man who accompanied his granddaughter to court found himself in hot water when Simpson told him to sit down and be quiet after the man complained the hearing didn’t start on time.
In June, Judge Simpson presided over a video hearing that involved a drug possession defendant who was observed in a Zoom waiting room rolling a blunt in plain view.
Simpson ordered the defendant to go to an official corrections facility for drug testing the same day, but when he didn’t show up the judge revoked the man’s bond.
