Miami fugitive mistakenly released from jail surfaces — in Zoom court, a dog on his lap

After a paperwork error, Miami-Dade jailers accidentally released an inmate named Eduardo Cabana Orama. By Thursday morning, TV news stations were airing his mug shot, authorities were warning the public not to approach him, and cops were scouring South Florida looking for the fugitive.

Then Orama showed up in an unlikely place — on Zoom, for his own court hearing.

Appearing from an undisclosed location Thursday morning, Orama logged on to the video conferencing program with a sleeping Chihuahua on his lap. By the time the judge finally called the case, Orama had logged off. But his lawyer said Orama, after his mistaken release, went home, got into an argument with his wife and had to leave.

“He intends to fully cooperate with authorities,” said Assistant Miami-Dade Public Defender Fadya Salem. “He has only but a few possessions left to his name and a dog. He’s merely asking for the court to give him a date to surrender so that he can find somebody to take those possessions.”

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos wasn’t moved.

“He needs to surrender today. He was sentenced on Monday, and he was released in error,” the judge said.

Orama’s legal troubles stem from a 2010 conviction for throwing “a deadly missile.” He served five years in prison and then was put on probation. But he was jailed for violating probation, and on Monday, the judge sentenced him to six years in prison. With credit for all the time he’s already served, Orama has only under a year left.

But the Miami-Dade corrections department accidentally released him on Monday.

Miami-Dade Corrections Division Chief Enrique Rodriguez, testifying via Zoom on Thursday, said that he’d spoken by phone with Orama twice since the accidental release. Orama had promised to turn himself in, but never did, the chief said.

Salem asked for one more day of freedom for her client. “He’s not a flight risk. Someone that answers the authorities’ calls, appears in court on Zoom, is not a risk for flight. He has but a few months left on his sentence,” she said.

“He’s had that day,” the judge said before issuing an arrest warrant.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all Miami-Dade court hearings are happening via Zoom. Trials remain suspended through Feb. 28.

A Miami-Dade corrections spokesman said “our review of the circumstances surrounding this inmate release is ongoing, to include a full internal investigation.”

This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 11:59 AM.