Judge Vonda Evans
In 2016, the family of Robert Ybarra was going through painful times.
Tywaun Coakley, the man accused of murdering the 81-year-old Ybarra, was on trial before Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans. Ybarra tried to break up a fight in southwest Detroit involving Coakley, who ran him over with his car.
So each day, the family showed up on time for the trial. But the judge often showed up late.
Evans is under fire by the court administration for showing up late for court cases and lying about her attendance, WXYZ says.
In this particular case, Ross Jones reports:
The Ybarras showed up to court as early as 8:30 AM, saying they were told by the Wayne County Prosecutor to be in place by 9:00 AM, or risk not getting a seat.
"I knew the courtroom was going to be busy," said Ybarra' son Rafael.
But while the attorneys and jurors and defendant were there on time, the judge was often missing.
"The very first day we were there, the judge was a no show that day. We weren't given a reason," Ybarra said. "The very next day, she shows up at 11:30 AM."
Evans' attendance was so bad that the Ybarras started keeping notes of just when she arrived and court began, Jone reports.
"12:10 PM," reads their notebook. "10:40 AM. 11:00 AM. 10:57 AM. 10:30 AM."
"We were there on time, every single day we were told to be there," Ybarra tells WXYZ. "And to know now that the judge just came and went as she pleased, not important to her, just another case. Another file. Let's move on."
“Let me tell you something,” Judge Evans told Jones on Monday. “People are not sitting in any court, and I challenge you, from 9 o’clock to 4:30. No one is doing that.
