A Detroit judge was ousted after ordering a sleepy teenager on a field trip to wear prison clothes and handcuffs in court.
The Associated Press reported that the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice said Justice Kenneth King would leave the bench to undergo “necessary training.”
The girl’s mother, Latreya Till, told the Detroit Free Press that the judge had been a “horrible bully,” adding that her daughter was “hurt and scared.”
Till said her daughter was on a field trip to the courthouse organized by the environmental group Greening of Detroit.
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Judge Kenneth King is listening to the arraignment hearing in Detroit. (Todd McInturff/The Detroit News via The Associated Press)
The 15-year-old boy fell asleep while in King’s courtroom on Tuesday.
King was not happy that the girl had fallen asleep, but he told WXYZ-TV that her behavior prompted him to order her into a prison uniform, handcuffed and give her a stern talking-to.
“We probably won’t put her in prison, but we wanted this to look and feel very real to her.” He told the station:.
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March 19, 2010, at the 36th District Court Building in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancia, File)
36th District Court Chief Judge William McConnico said King had been temporarily removed from criminal cases to undergo “necessary training to address the underlying issues that led to this incident.”
“The Court remains 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 added.
King will continue to receive a salary after retiring as a judge, a decision approved by the state Office of Court Administration.
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Courtroom Gavel (iStock)
It’s unclear how long King will be training for or what the training will entail.
King became a judge in 2006. At the end of Thursday’s hearing, which was available to watch on YouTube, he made a heart shape with his hands.
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Till told the Free Press that the family does not have a permanent home and that her daughter was tired during court visits.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
