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A teen sentenced to a month in jail after she gave a judge the finger apologized to him in a Miami court on Friday.
"I apologize," said 18-year-old Penelope Soto, whose coarse exchange with Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat Monday made headlines around the world. "My behavior was very irrational and I apologize not only to the court and you but to my family. And I normally don't act like that."
"I hope that you have learned a couple of lessons," said Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, who vacated her 30-day contempt of court sentence. "Obviously you have a drug addiction."
Her attorney had begged an emotional Soto to "please, please take it easy" in a whisper as she twice tried to apologize before Rodriguez-Chomat was done introducing the proceedings.
On Monday, Soto was appearing on drug charges after reportedly confessing to police she was both high and in possession of three green baggies with 26 Xanax bars, NBC6 reports.
She was giggly when appearing before Rodriguez-Chomat, who set her bail at $5,000 then bristled when she said "Adios!" as business concluded. The judge called Soto back and announced he was doubling her bail to $10,000.
"Are you serious?" she asked, mouth agape. "I am serious! 'Adios!'" Rodriguez-Chomat replied.
Then things got even worse for Soto. She flipped the judge off as she walked away muttering, "Fuck you," and he sentenced her to 30 days in jail for contempt of court. (Watch the initial encounter below.)
On Wednesday, a second judge reduced her bail back to $5,000 -- but there was no get-out-of-jail-free card until her tearfully apology to Rodriguez-Chomat.
Soto's behavior split opinions as video of the incident went viral. Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago labeled the judge a "gentleman" and Soto "a poster child of a flaky celebrity-worshiping generation," but others felt the judge misinterpreted her "adios" -- and Random Pixels dug up a few old stories showing it certainly wasn't the first time the "short-fuse" judge has been in a spat.
On Friday, Soto's attorney told Rodriguez-Chomat she had been impaired by "ingestion of drugs and alcohol before coming to your courtroom" and asked that she be admitted to treatment.
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