Detroit judge who ordered teen into jail clothes, handcuffs during field trip is sidelined

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit judge who ordered a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs on a field trip to his courtroom will be off the bench while undergoing “necessary training,” the court’s chief judge said Thursday.

Meanwhile, the girl’s mother said Judge Kenneth King was a “big bully.”

“My daughter is hurt. She is feeling scared,” Latoreya Till told the Detroit Free Press.

She identified her daughter as Eva Goodman. The 15-year-old fell asleep in King’s court Tuesday while on a visit organized by a Detroit nonprofit.

King didn’t like it. But he said it was her attitude that led to the jail clothes, handcuffs and stern words.

“I wanted this to look and feel very real to her, even though there’s probably no real chance of me putting her in jail,” he explained to WXYZ-TV.

King has been removed from his criminal case docket and will undergo “necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident,” said 36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that our court continues to uphold the highest standards of fairness and respect,” McConico said in a statement.

He said the State Court Administrative Office approved the step. King will continue to be paid. It wasn’t immediately known how long the training would last.

King didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment.