A Michigan judge who berated a 72-year-old cancer patient for failing to tidy up the weeds in his yard has apologized after more than 200,000 people signed a petition demanding her resignation.
Burhan Chowdhury, 72, appeared in a Zoom hearing on Jan. 10 after getting a ticket for overgrown grass outside his home in Hamtramck. Wheezing as he spoke, Chowdhury tried to explain to the judge: “I am a cancer patient, very old, ma’am... I was then very weak... I cannot look after this thing.
” However, Judge Alexis Krot chose to humiliate the man, telling him: “You should be ashamed of yourself... If I could give you jail time on this, I would... If you come back here, you’re going to jail.” AfterI made a mistake... I acted intemperately. I’m very embarrassed that I did so. I apologize to the person who appeared before me and to our entire community for having failed to meet the high standards that we expect of our judicial officers, and that I expect of myself.