Penelope Soto returned to Miami-Dade court Friday to show she’s been making progress following her arrest on a Xanax possession charge last month.
Soto, 18, who flipped off a Miami-Dade judge during her bond hearing Feb. 4, appeared before another circuit judge, Jeri Cohen, on Friday.
Cohen, who had not handled Soto’s case before, asked the teen when she would start getting her GED.
Soto said she is starting to work toward the degree. She has a tutor, the judge noted, as Soto’s mother nodded in agreement.
Soto also told Cohen that she is doing clerical work.
Soto is actively going to rehab classes and passing her drug tests, officials said in court.
In February Soto flipped the bird at Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, who gave her a 30-day jail sentence for contempt of court.
Video: See Woman Give Judge the Middle Finger
But the sentence was dropped four days later after she apologized to the judge, saying that she was wrong for insulting him. Soto’s lawyer said she was impaired by her ingestion of drugs and alcohol when she made the obscene gesture.
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At a court appearance Feb. 25, officials said that Soto had passed eight drug tests and attended all counseling sessions.
"Eight out of eight, that's perfect, congratulations!" said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jeffrey Rosinek, who applauded Soto’s efforts and wished her continued success in the drug treatment program.
