Judge Sidelined For Making Sleepy Teen Wear Jail Clothes, Handcuffs On Field Trip

DETROIT (AP) A Detroit judge who ordered a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs on a field trip to his courtroom will be off the bench while undergoing necessary training, the courts chief judge said Thursday.

Meanwhile, the girls mother said Judge Kenneth King was a big bully.

My daughter is hurt. She is feeling scared, Latoreya Till told the Detroit Free Press.

She identified her daughter as Eva Goodman. The 15-year-old fell asleep in Kings court Tuesday while on a visit organized by a Detroit nonprofit.

King didnt like it. But he said it was her attitude that led to the jail clothes, handcuffs and stern words.

I wanted this to look and feel very real to her, even though theres probably no real chance of me putting her in jail, he explained to WXYZ-TV.

King has been removed from his criminal case docket and will undergo necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident, said William McConico, the chief judge at 36th District Court.

The court remains deeply committed to providing access to justice in an environment free from intimidation or disrespect. The actions of Judge King on August 13th do not reflect this commitment, McConico said.

He said the State Court Administrative Office approved the step. King will continue to be paid. Details about the training, and how long it would last, were not disclosed.

King, who has been a judge since 2006, didnt immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Till said her daughter was sleepy because the family doesnt have a permanent residence.

And so, that particular night, we got in kind of late, she told the Free Press, referring to Monday night. And usually, when she goes to work, shes up and planting trees or being active.

The teen was seeing Kings court as part of a visit organized by The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit environmental group.

Although the judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable, said Marissa Ebersole Wood, the groups chairperson. The group of students should have been simply asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were disrespectful.

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