Teen who flipped off judge apologizes
In this image taken from video from the Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Penelope Soto, who is charged with drug possession, right, reacts after Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, left, reset her bond from $5,000 to $10,000, in Miami. Immediately afterward, Soto flipped him off and blurted an expletive as she walked away. Rodriguez-Chomat summoned her back and sentenced her to 30 days in jail on contempt charges. (AP Photo/Miami Dade Circuit Court)
MIAMI>> A Miami woman has apologized for flipping off a judge, who then dropped contempt charges and vacated her 30-day jail term.
Eighteen-year-old Penelope Soto admitted Friday she was under the influence of Xanax and alcohol when she made the obscene middle-finger gesture and rude comments earlier this week directed at Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat. Video of the confrontation quickly went viral.
Soto tearfully apologized to the judge, who said the episode should be a lesson in how to properly treat people. Rodriguez-Chomat said Soto would have been a convicted felon if he allowed the contempt charge to stand.
Her lawyer said Soto will complete a drug court program. That includes treatment for drug addiction and usually results in charges eventually being dropped for first-time offenders.
