I think I might recognize one or two people that I went to middle school with, were I to run into them on the street today. And that’s only because I went to high school with them, so I saw them up until I was 18. I can’t imagine running into somebody that I only went to middle school with, and recognizing them. Though I guess she has the benefit of recognizing the name, too.
Plus access to prior addresses… and his next known address too!
That’s a heartbreaking meeting. I’m with the judge: I hope he can straighten his life out.
Well, there’s his appeal right there. He was sentenced by a judge with a prior personal relationship to him; she said so herself. How can we expect her ruling to be objective? Yes, I know she said he was the nicest kid in middle school, but that could have been misdirection, when really she’s relishing the chance to finally get back at him for the time he started that awful rumor abut her…
His reaction is that of complete and utter shame. At first he’s embarrassed because someone knows him personally. Then he just melts as he realizes that they both started pretty much at the same place in their lives, and that he ended up as the criminal and she the judge.
They should show this video to kids in middle and high school who are making awful decisions for themselves. Embarrassment works where logic fails with these kids. Show them how embarrassing and shameful it is to have to be sentenced by a former classmate and maybe they’ll think twice.
This was not a trial. Only an arraignment. She did her due diligence and set his bond as well as offering good advice. Trial comes later and if he appeared before her then (unlikely) she would most likely recuse herself. No impropriety here.
Sounds like a frivolous role-playing exercise to me.
Thinking (at least) twice is always a good idea. But I’d argue that concerning oneself with the judgements and opinions of others tends to not contribute meaningfully to making optimal decisions. Shame and/or embarrassment are merely indicators that one does not truly know themselves or their motivations very well.
If it wasn’t still my parents address, I wouldn’t know my OWN address from middle school - much less someone elses.
There’s simply no way for you or I to know that this is true. In most schools, there are lots of dramatic differences between the kids themselves and the ways they’re raised. Was he abused? Neglected? Does he suffer from mental illness? Who knows?
Who are “these kids?” This is a grown man. When did he make his first bad choice? When he was 15? 25?
Shame and fear work to make some kids avoid bad decisions, but have demonstrably failed for many others. Generalizations aren’t useful in situations like this.
Surely you know what town you grew up in, and your own age. But who are we to judge? 
Right - the name and age would make it click. Address, not so much.
Funnily enough, I can remember every address and phone number I had from about ages 8-20… Then I started storing my contacts online and in cell phones, and now I couldn’t actually tell you my own home landline number.
Concerning oneself with the judgement and opinions of JUDGES, not others. Judges.
Being judged by your peers is the cornerstone of the US system, just not usually this way, for a reason
Keeping in mind what the civil government ‘thinks’ is called being civilized, not being unreasonable.
i bet they started out the same socio-economic class and race tool!
If the defendant didn’t plead guilty, that judge needs to be removed.
Isn’t the point of school reunions to show off (or pretend) how well you’re doing with your life? It’s pretty clear who won that one.
(It’s a sweet reaction from both, though.)
“I hope you are able to change your ways" and "I hope you are able to come out of this okay and just lead a lawful life” might have been directed at the direction his life has taken in general rather than an assumption of guilt for this particular set of charges. If he’s had prior arrests and convictions then those presumably would have been mentioned at the bond hearing.
ETA: though that link from @JeremiahC indicates that she could just be an “everybody’s guilty!” kind of judge after all.
I’m going to go with your original explanation; that made me feel better.
