Judge jails teen for falling asleep, showing disrespect during visit
A Detroit judge had a teen handcuffed and temporarily placed in jail for falling asleep in court during a classroom visit. (Credit: WXYZ/ 36th District Court)
A Detroit judge has been sidelined after ordering a sleepy teenager on a field trip to wear jail clothes and handcuffs in his courtroom.
The Associated Press reported that the court’s chief judge said Judge Kenneth King will be off the bench as he undergoes "necessary training."
The teenage girl’s mother, Latoreya Till, told the Detroit Free Press the judge was "a big bully," adding, "My daughter is hurt. She is feeling scared."
Till said her daughter was on a field trip to the courthouse organized by The Greening of Detroit, an environmental group.
Judge Kenneth King listens during a probable cause hearing in Detroit. (Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP)
While in King’s courtroom Tuesday, the 15-year-old fell asleep.
King was not happy about the teenager falling asleep. But, as he told WXYZ-TV, it was her attitude that led him to order the teenager to wear jail clothes, be placed in handcuffs and be given stern words.
"I wanted this to look and feel very real to her, even though there’s probably no real chance of me putting her in jail," he told the station.
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The 36th District Court building in Detroit March 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
King was temporarily taken off his criminal case docket to undergo "necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident," William McConico, the chief judge in the 36th District Court, said.
McConico also said the court "remains committed to providing access to justice in an environment free from intimidation or disrespect. The actions of Judge King on Aug. 13 do not reflect this commitment."
King will continue to be paid while off the bench, a move approved by the State Court Administrative Office.
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A gavel in a courtroom (iStock)
It is not clear how long King will undergo training or what the training involves.
King became a judge in 2006. At the close of his hearings Thursday, which can be viewed on YouTube, he made a heart shape with his hands.
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Till told the Free Press her daughter was tired during the court visit because their family does not have a permanent home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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