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A Detroit judge who ordered a teenager to wear handcuffs and a jail uniform for falling asleep in his courtroom during a field trip has been removed from the docket, per NBC News.
A 15-year-old girl was visiting Detroit's 36th District Court with Greening of Detroit, an environmental non-profit, on Tuesday (August 13) when Judge Kenneth King chastised her for falling asleep in his courtroom.
King "chose to make an example of a 15-year-old girl in front of her peers," Colleen Robar, a spokesperson for the Greening of Detroit, said in a statement.
"He made her wear handcuffs and a jail uniform and yelled at her for falling asleep in his courtroom," Robar continued. "Although the Judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable."
On Thursday (August 15), Chief Judge William McConico announced that King was removed from his docket following "a swift and thorough internal investigation." King will also "undergo the necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident," McConico said.
The chief judge noted that the court "remains deeply committed to providing access to justice in an environment free from intimidation or disrespect. The actions of Judge King on August 13th do not reflect this commitment." The court routinely welcomes students "to observe and engage with the judicial process, aiming to provide valuable educational experiences and foster familiarity with the justice system."
"We sincerely hope that this incident does not undermine our longstanding relationships with local schools," McConico added.
King told local outlets that the teen's "attitude" prompted him to teach her a lesson.
"It was her whole attitude and her whole disposition that disturbed me," King said.
"That's not something that normally happens. But I felt compelled to do it because I didn't like the child's attitude," he added. "I haven't been disrespected like that in a very long time."
The teenager's mom said her daughter was tired during the field trip because her family had been jumping between housing.
When asked about King being removed from his docket, the mom said: "That’s a lesson learned for him."
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