A Detroit judge has been removed from the court docket just days after handcuffing a 15-year-old girl who fell asleep in court during a summer field trip.
On Tuesday, the Detroit-based nonprofit Gleaning of Detroit brought a group of minors into 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King’s courtroom to learn more about what’s happening in the courtroom.
As the day progressed, King “chose to make an example of a 15-year-old girl in front of her peers,” Green Detroit spokeswoman Colleen Rober said in a statement Tuesday.
“The judge handcuffed her and put her in a prison uniform and yelled at her for falling asleep in court,” Robar said in a statement. “The judge was trying to teach her a lesson in respect, but the way he handled it was unacceptable.”
Rober said if a judge was unhappy with minors’ behavior in the courtroom, he could simply ask them to leave.
Chief Judge William McConnico said in a statement Thursday that after a “prompt and thorough internal investigation,” King will be removed from the docket and “will undergo the necessary training to address the underlying issues that led to this incident.”
The nonprofit, which works to improve Detroit’s infrastructure and landscaping, said it spoke with the girl and her mother on Tuesday and that “the girl was traumatized by the judge’s unnecessary reprimand and scolding.”
King did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment. He told WXYZ-TV in Detroit that it wasn’t her falling asleep that prompted him to accuse her. “Her whole attitude and personality just made me feel uneasy,” he said, adding that his goal was to “understand her feelings” and educate her about the seriousness of being in court.
“That doesn’t normally happen, but I had to do it because I didn’t like the way my kid was behaving,” King told the station. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been disrespected like that.”
According to a live court video obtained by WXYZ, King threatened to send the girl to juvenile detention, but he eventually released her.
Latreya Till, the mother of one of the boys punished in court, told NBC News she was glad the case was getting attention because speaking out against those in power often gets swept under the rug.
Ms Till said her daughter doesn’t understand why the judge “did that to her” and has had trouble sleeping and eating since the incident.
She said her daughter had been moving from house to house on Tuesday and had arrived at her accommodation late the previous night, so was very tired.
Asked about King being removed from the court record, Till said, “This was a lesson for him.”
“He was trying to prove something to my daughter, make an example of her in front of her classmates, that’s what it was,” Till said.
“He was supposed to show love and compassion and enforce the law, and he did none of that,” she said.
In a statement on Wednesday, Interim Chief Judge Aliyah Sabry acknowledged the “concerning events” of the previous day.
“The 36th District Court does not tolerate Judge King’s behavior, and his conduct is contrary to the standards to which the 36th District Court adheres,” Sabry said. “I am committed to addressing this issue with the utmost diligence.”
Announcing his decision to remove Judge King from the docket on Thursday, Judge McConico said, “This court, known as the ‘People’s Court,’ is deeply committed to providing access to justice in an environment free of intimidation and disrespect. Judge King’s actions on August 13 do not reflect this commitment.”
McConnico said the court regularly welcomes students “to observe and be involved in the judicial process, provide a valuable educational experience and deepen their understanding of the justice system.”
“We sincerely hope that this incident does not tarnish our long-standing relationship with the local school,” he said.
After King’s decision to fire him was announced, the Detroit Gleaning said in a new statement that it was “encouraged” by the court’s decision and hoped “this disciplinary action will lead to improved decision-making and treatment of all students who come before King’s court.”
