‘I’ll Do Whatever It Needs to be Done’: Detroit Judge Who Placed Teen In Handcuffs for Sleeping During Courthouse Field Trip Doesn’t Believe He Was ‘Heavy-Handed’ with His Decision

A 15-year-old girl visited a Detroit courtroom to meet a judge and watch a real-life trial play out as part of a nonprofit summer program for teens. But the educational field trip devolved into a traumatic and humiliating experience when the judge slapped her into handcuffs and made her wear a jail uniform — all for falling asleep in the courtroom. Judge Kenneth King of the 36th District Court in Detroit wanted to make an example of the young girl, punishing her for her “attitude,” he told WXYZ Detroit. Her mother, Latoreya Till, later explained to the news outlet that her daughter was nodding off during the Aug. 13 courtroom visit because the family does not have permanent housing. After an internal investigation by the 36th District Court, Chief Judge William McConico ordered that King be temporarily removed from his docket on Aug. 15. He will undergo training to “address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident,” McConico said in a statement, per the Detroit Free Press. Judge Kenneth King (Photo: YouTube screenshot/CTRM 234 36th District Court) “The 36th District Court, known as ‘the people’s court,’ remains deeply committed to providing access to justice in an environment free from...