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Detroit Judge Kenneth King has been temporarily removed from the bench following an incident where he ordered a teenager to change into jail clothes and wear handcuffs during a court field trip. The decision was announced by Chief Judge William McConico of the 36th District Court, who stated that King would undergo “necessary training” to address the issues that led to the incident.
The incident occurred when 15-year-old Eva Goodman, who was visiting King’s courtroom as part of a field trip organized by The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit organization, fell asleep. Judge King said he was more concerned about her attitude, which led him to have her wear jail clothes and handcuffs. “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,” King told WXYZ-TV.
Eva’s mother, Latoreya Till, expressed her frustration, describing King as a “big bully” and noting that her daughter was scared and hurt by the experience. Till explained that her family lacks a permanent residence, and the previous night had been challenging, leading to her daughter’s sleepiness in court.
In response to the incident, McConico emphasised the court’s commitment to providing a respectful and intimidation-free environment. “The actions of Judge King on August 13th do not reflect this commitment,” McConico stated. He added that the State Court Administrative Office approved the decision to remove King from his criminal case docket and begin training.
The duration and details of the training were not disclosed, but King will continue to receive his salary during this period. King, who has served as a judge since 2006, did not respond to a request for comment.
Marissa Ebersole Wood, the chairperson of The Greening of Detroit, criticized King’s approach, saying, “Although the judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable. The group of students should have been simply asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were disrespectful.”
The incident occurred when 15-year-old Eva Goodman, who was visiting King’s courtroom as part of a field trip organized by The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit organization, fell asleep. Judge King said he was more concerned about her attitude, which led him to have her wear jail clothes and handcuffs. “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,” King told WXYZ-TV.
Eva’s mother, Latoreya Till, expressed her frustration, describing King as a “big bully” and noting that her daughter was scared and hurt by the experience. Till explained that her family lacks a permanent residence, and the previous night had been challenging, leading to her daughter’s sleepiness in court.
In response to the incident, McConico emphasised the court’s commitment to providing a respectful and intimidation-free environment. “The actions of Judge King on August 13th do not reflect this commitment,” McConico stated. He added that the State Court Administrative Office approved the decision to remove King from his criminal case docket and begin training.
The duration and details of the training were not disclosed, but King will continue to receive his salary during this period. King, who has served as a judge since 2006, did not respond to a request for comment.
Marissa Ebersole Wood, the chairperson of The Greening of Detroit, criticized King’s approach, saying, “Although the judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable. The group of students should have been simply asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were disrespectful.”
