A Florida man accused of stabbing two Publix employees who confronted him for stealing a chicken Caesar salad appeared in court Thursday, laughing when the judge read the charge of armed robbery with a firearm or a deadly weapon.
"Publix has shrinkets for these kinds of things. You're not supposed to apprehend people," said the suspect, Matthew Lawrence Miller, appearing in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court. Miller laughed when Judge Mindy Glazer mentioned the $7.99 salad, WSVN reported.
"It’s not funny," Glazer told Miller. "You could have killed the victim." At the bond hearing, the judge ordered that Miller can no longer return to the Miami Beach store or have any contact with the victims.
Miller allegedly stabbed the two employees Wednesday after they tried to stop him from shoplifting, police said. The victims were treated and have been released from the hospital, WSVN said.
Miller maintained that the employees are the ones who made a mistake. "They shouldn’t have gotten involved over a salad," he said in court.
Police said they found drug paraphernalia on Miller during his arrest.
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