Katharina Buczek
In 2019, a seventy-two-year-old man named Burhan Chowdhury was diagnosed with lymphoma. As Burhan battled this cancer, his home’s landscaping was understandably not a top priority.
Still, Burhan was subpoenaed by local officials in Hamtramck, Michigan, for his overgrown front lawn.
His court hearing took place over Zoom on January 10th and has since gone viral after the judge berated and fined Burhan.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” said Judge Alexis G. Krot, “You’ve got to get that cleaned up. That is totally inappropriate.”
Burhan’s thirty-three-year-old son, Shibbir, was present at the hearing and tried to explain his father’s situation to the judge.
He had been very weak from cancer treatments and unable to care for the lawn. Shibbir was also unable to help his father since he had been in Bangladesh for three months.
Still, the judge was not hearing any of it.
“Do you see that photo? That is shameful. The neighbors should not have to look at that,” the judge responded.
After the hearing went viral, the community was outraged at the judge’s treatment of Burhan’s case, and a Change.org petition was promptly launched to remove Judge Alexis G. Krot.
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