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