US judge apologises for mocking elderly Bangladeshi immigrant in court

US Judge Alexis Krot, who berated and fined elderly Bangladeshi immigrant Burhan Chowdhury for overgrown weeds outside his home has apologised, saying she's "very embarrassed" by her actions in court.

Judge Alexis Krot has admitted that she went too far after she ridiculed the 72-year old Burhan Chowdhury, who is suffering from cancer, during a hearing on 10 January, reports the New York Post. 

"I made a mistake. I acted intemperately. I am very embarrassed that I did so. I apologise to the person who appeared before me and to our entire community for having failed to meet the high standards that we expect of our judicial officers, and that I expect of myself," Krot said in a statement Tuesday.

Krot said she reported herself to a state commission that looks into judicial misconduct. Footage of the proceeding when the irate judge ordered Chowdhury to pay a $100 fine went viral last week.

Alexis G Krot has reported herself for judicial misconduct.

"I had no legal duty to report myself to the commission," she said. "But I did so because, like apologising to the community, it was the right thing to do. I will continue to hold myself to the standards I set for others," she said. 

The abrupt about-face comes after more than 230,000 people signed an online petition demanding Krot be ousted from the bench.

"The judge, Alexis G Krot, shamed him, spoke over him, and told him he could not use cancer as an excuse," according to the petition, which alleged the judge has a history of being bigoted toward immigrants.

Burhan Chowdhury, who fell behind on maintenance of his yard after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2019, got a ticket in August. Krot went off during the 10 January hearing, telling the cancer survivor to take immediate action.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Krot told him.

"If I could give you jail time on this, I would. You've got to get that cleaned up. That is totally inappropriate."