A judge in Detroit has been taken off the docket temporarily after facing backlash for having a teenage girl handcuffed and dressed in a jail uniform when she fell asleep during a field trip to his courtroom. This incident has sparked discussions about appropriate conduct and disciplinary measures in educational settings.
Chief Judge William McConico announced that 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King has been temporarily removed from the docket, and an internal investigation will be conducted regarding the incident.
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As we previously reported the child’s mother spoke out about the situation and explained why her daughter was tired. If you remember, Judge King stated that the measure was meant to instill a lesson in decorum and respect, but Hill believes the judge lacks a complete understanding of the situation. “Would you want someone to treat your child like that? Would you even treat your child like that,” the child’s mother, Latoreya Hill asked while fighting back tears.
Judge King noticed Eva Goodman dozing off during the trip and decided to put Goodman in handcuffs and a jail uniform. “I think maybe she needs to go to the juvenile detention facility,” Judge King said in court. “Why are you being disrespectful to this court? You sleep in bed at your home, not at court.” Hill explained that Goodman was struggling to stay awake because the family is currently without a stable home and she is single mother trying to make ends meet. “The fact that he was talking about ‘you go home and get in your bed’, how do you know my baby got a home, how do you know my baby got a bed, her own bed she could sleep in, she don’t have that right now, so she was tired,” Hill said.
RELATED: Detroit Judge Places Jail Uniform And Handcuffs On Student Who Was Sleeping During Field Trip
Judge King spoke about the situation on Tuesday and stands by his decision. “Do I have any reservations? Do I think I was heavy-handed in what I did? No, I don’t, because I’ll do whatever it needs to be done to reach these kids and make sure that they don’t end up in front of me,” Judge King said. “That was my own version of scared straight.”
Hill stated that her daughter doesn’t need any lessons taught to her, as she is already facing significant challenges at home and is just trying to cope with the difficulties life has presented.
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