Detroit Judge Suspended For Making Homeless Teen Who Fell Asleep In Court Field Trip Wear A Jail Uniform
A Detroit judge has been suspended for handcuffing a teenage girl and threatening her with jail time after she fell asleep in his courtroom during a field trip.
District Court Judge Kenneth King has been temporarily removed from his duties following an internal review. Chief Judge William McConico announced Thursday that King will "undergo the necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident."
The 15-year-old girl was in Judge King's courtroom Tuesday for a field trip organized by the Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit organization aimed at educating young people about the legal system.
A now-deleted YouTube video captured her falling asleep between sessions, prompting King to shout at her and command that she be handcuffed and dressed in a Wayne County Jail jumpsuit, according to the 'Detroit Free Press.'
"You fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, I'm gonna put you in back, understood?" King told the teen. "One thing you'll learn about my courtroom is I'm not a toy, I'm not to be played with."
After the teenager was handcuffed after seemingly responding to the judge, he then threatened to send her to a "dangerous" juvenile detention center — one he says is full of "mentally ill kids."
He told the girl that "The last time I was there, I had a kid who was actually sticking a spoon up their rectum and spreading feces on the wall."
The girl's mother explained to 'NBC News' that her daughter, whose name was not released, was exhausted due to their lack of stable housing and their late arrival at their temporary accommodation the night before. She also shared with the Free Press how the teenager "is hurt. She is feeling scared."
Read more: Ohio Judge Suspended And Indicted After Being Accused Of Unlawfully Securing Public Contracts
King's harsh response to the girl's napping has faced widespread criticism.
In an interview with 'WXYZ-TV,' King, who graduated from Michigan State University and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, according to the district's website, stated that his issue was less with the girl sleeping and more with her "whole attitude and her whole disposition."
"That's not something that normally happens. But I felt compelled to do it because I didn't like the child's attitude," he shared with the outlet Tuesday. "I haven't been disrespected like that in a very long time."
King, who defended his actions and was not overly strict, per the outlet, said he was trying to teach the girl a lesson about the legal system.
