Miami burglary suspect weeps when he realizes judge is former classmate

Aflon graduating students have a life long lesson to learn from what happened recently in the USA.

A man arrested in Miami, Florida (USA) got the surprise of his life when he realized the judge presiding over his bail hearing was a middle school classmate many years before. Arthur Booth was arrested by the police following a car chase in Miami-Dade County. His charges include burglary, grand theft, fleeing and resisting arrest.

Court video (shown below) captures an accused burglar bursting into tears when a judge catches him off guard and asks him if they had gone to a Miami Beach middle school together. With Mr. Booth standing in front of Judge Mindy Glazer, she begins with an unusual question:

“Did you go to Nautilus for middle school?”

Mr. Booth then breaks down into a mixture of smiles and tears, repeating, “Oh my goodness.”

“I’m sorry to see you here, I always wondered what happened to you sir,” Judge Glazer said, as Mr. Booth continued crying. “This was the nicest kid in middle school, he was the best kid in middle school. I used to play football with him, all the kids, and look what has happened.”

Melissa Miller, Booth’s cousin, told a local news affiliate that she remembered him as “a scholar, well-rounded athlete, bilingual” before falling into a life of crime and drugs.

“I was heartbroken,” she says about Mr. Booth and Judge Glazer’s unusual reunion. “We’re really trying to find help, because there’s obviously a need for help.”

Judge Glazer maintains her composure in the video, smiling and shuffling the papers on her desk as she offers a measure of solace and encouragement to Booth. “I am so sorry to see you there. Mr. Booth, I hope you are able to change your ways, good luck to you,” she said. “What’s sad is how old we’ve become. Good luck to you sir, I hope you are able to come out of this ok and just lead a lawful life.”

According to an arrest report, Booth was spotted driving a gold Honda Accord that was a vehicle suspected of being involved in a home burglary. When an officer tried to stop the Accord, Booth took off, and a pursuit began, the report said.

Booth ran stop signs and was involved in two accidents before crashing the car in the area of Northwest 36th Street and North River Drive, the report said. Booth fled on foot but was caught a short time later, authorities said.

Mr. Booth’s bail bond was set at $43,000 US.

It’s unclear whether he’s hired an attorney, and he reportedly remains in jail.