People v. Muoi Phuong

Following a bench trial, defendant, Muoi Phuong, was found guilty of misdemeanor retail theft and sentenced to one year of supervision with a $90 fine. Defendant appeals, raising the following issues: (1) whether defendant, a Chinese-speaking recent immigrant with minimal education in this country and no criminal history, . understandingly waived her right to a jury trial where she was not advised that she could have members of the community decide her guilt or innocence; (2) whether defendant received a fair trial where the trial court expressed its bias by repeated and gratuitous remarks…