A Michigan judge who had a 15-year-old girl handcuffed during a field trip to his courthouse was demoted upon his return to court.
Judge Kenneth King has returned to courtroom duties following his suspension in August after he ordered 15-year-old Eva Goodman to be put on jail clothes and handcuffed while on a field trip in Detroit, Michigan.
Goodman and his family are now suing Judge King for $75,000, accusing her of violating their civil rights.
Judge King has “no reservations” about his actions and believes he acted in such a way to teach children a valuable lesson.
He ordered 15-year-old Eva Goodman to put on jail clothes and handcuffs while on a field trip in Detroit, Michigan.
The teenager was also threatened with spending time in a youth center because she fell asleep in court and the judge believed she was showing ‘attitude’ while on an information trip organized by the non-profit organization she works for, Greening of Detroit.
Her mother, Latoreya Till, told the Detroit Free Press: ‘My daughter is hurt. She feels scared. She didn’t want to go to work. It feels like his teammates are against him. I was very nervous and intimidated.
Footage of the incident, captured on the court’s live feed, captured the moment King raised his voice to wake her up and told her: “You fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, I’ll put you in the back, understand?” “.
Eva was on a trip organized by the nonprofit she works with, Greening of Detroit.
King ordered the teen to be handcuffed and put in a jailer’s uniform after she fell asleep in the courtroom and showed “attitude,” according to the judge.
Goodman’s mother, Latoreya Till, said her living situation contributed to the teen falling asleep in the courtroom and that the judge’s actions only made her feel worse.
King then ordered the teen to be handcuffed and threatened her with juvenile detention in front of the tour group, saying, “I’m going to sleep tonight while you’re sitting in the juvenile detention facility.”
He also told the group: “One thing you will learn about my courtroom is that I am not a toy, I am not to be played with.”
Till explained that the teen was likely tired because her family currently had no permanent place to live, plus Goodman’s job at the nonprofit kept her busy, the Detroit Free Press reported.
He added: “Currently we have to go from one place to another because we have no permanent address.” And so, on that particular night, we were a little late. And normally, when she goes to work, she’s up and planting trees or doing physical activity.’
King later told WXYZ-TV, “That’s not something that normally happens, but I felt compelled to do it because I didn’t like the kid’s attitude…I haven’t been disrespected like that in a long time.”
He also told the outlet that he wasn’t realistically going to put her in any juvenile detention center, saying he wouldn’t want to do that to a kid on a field trip, but he easily could have.
A week later, her mother says she continues to have difficulty going outside or interacting with anyone outside her family, as well as having difficulty sleeping at night, according to the New York Post.
Her mother tearfully told WXYZ-TV that the treatment of her daughter was degrading, adding that the fact that the judge told her to sleep in her bed and not in the courtroom only made her daughter feel worse because of his family’s living situation.
Judge King has returned from his suspension with a demotion following his “extreme and outrageous” discipline of a teenager on a field trip.
Till said her daughter “gets good grades, stays out of trouble” and had barely been out and had trouble sleeping since the incident.
Goodman and his family are now suing the judge for $75,000 for “violating their civil rights”
King said, “That’s not something that normally happens, but I felt compelled to do it because I didn’t like the kid’s attitude… I haven’t been disrespected like that in a long time.”
King’s actions, according to the lawsuit, were considered “extreme and outrageous” and were intended to incite fear and emotional distress, the outlet reported.
36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico said King had resumed duty after attending mandatory social-emotional training, the Telegraph reported.
The nonprofit’s president, Marissa Wood, issued a statement to WXYZ-TV saying, “Although the judge was trying to teach a lesson in respect, his methods were unacceptable…the young woman was left traumatized by the disciplinary treatment.” unnecessary and the judge’s scolding. ‘
King’s return to work also came with a demotion in which he would no longer handle felony hearings but instead work in the traffic division, handling speeding tickets, the outlet reported.
McConico also explained in a statement that he was unable to remove King from the bench, although the temporary suspension and training were approved by the State Court Administrative Office.
King made no comment on his return other than that he was “glad to be back.”
According to WXYZ-TV, he has “no reservations” and does not believe he was “clumsy,” saying his actions were his way of helping keep children out of his courtroom later in life.
He added: “That was my own version of scared heterosexual.”
Till made it clear that she didn’t think her daughter needed to be taught any lessons, adding: “My baby has been struggling, but she’s held on tight, she’s been going to school, she’s getting good grades, she’s not getting into trouble.
King reportedly approached the family and offered Goodman tutoring, but was rebuffed.
Goodman’s mother created a GoFundMe in August after the incident with a goal of $1,000 and has currently received more than 200 donations.