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Bird-flipping drug suspect back in court in a subdued mood

AP
In this image taken from video from the Miami-Dade Circuit Court

MIAMI >> A teen who flipped the bird at a Miami-Dade judge after laughing her way through a court hearing was back in the halls of justice Thursday in a quieter, somber mood.

A day earlier, 18-year-old Penelope Soto appeared animated and agitated as she ticked off a judge during a bond hearing. After telling the judge " adios," shooting the bird and saying the f-word, Soto found herself in contempt of court and sentenced to 30 days in the slammer.

Soto appeared in drug court today, where a different judge, Jeffrey Rosinek, told her she would be released once she served the contempt sentence and that her case would be dismissed with the completion of a drug program.

She answered questions softly, with no mouth-off moments.

Soto had been charged with 26 counts of Xanax possession. It was her first criminal offense.

Appearing earlier this week in front of Circuit Court Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, she acted as if her bond hearing were a big joke.

You just made me laugh, Soto told the judge after he asked how much her jewelry was worth.

Her bond, set at $5,000, then was raised to $10,000 after she laughed and said, " Adios" to the judge.

"Are you serious?" she asked, mouth open, eyes wide.

As she walked away, she flipped the bird and used the f-word.

Rodriguez-Chomat, who had heard enough, called her back to the stand, then sentenced her to 30 days in the county jail.

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