A Detroit judge has been demoted to handling traffic court after he detained a teenage girl who fell asleep during a school field trip to observe the justice system. Judge Kenneth King was reassigned following the incident that occurred on August 13 and is currently facing a federal lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by 15-year-old Eva Goodman and her mother, Latoreya Till. It alleges that Goodman was handcuffed, forced to wear jail clothing, and placed in an isolated holding cell while visiting King’s courtroom. The field trip group had been observing a murder hearing when Goodman fell asleep, an event that the lawsuit claims triggered traumatic memories for her.
Judge King had livestreamed the hearing, during which he criticized Goodman for falling asleep. However, the video was later removed from the court’s YouTube channel.
Till explained at a press conference that her family was experiencing housing instability, and Goodman had a late night prior to the field trip. They were unaware of the nature of the trip, and it was Goodman’s first time in a courtroom. Till expressed her frustration, saying, “I just want Judge King to take accountability for the way that he humiliated my daughter. I feel like he owes her a public apology. Not only that, he owes her more than just a public apology.”
Goodman’s lawyers argue in the lawsuit that King violated her civil rights and acted beyond his authority. They stated, “Common sense and the facts demonstrate that a grown man became rattled by a young girl that he falsely concluded to be, and cast as, a delinquent.”
In response to the incident, King claimed he did not act inappropriately and was attempting to teach Goodman about the seriousness of courtroom proceedings.
Chief Judge William McConico expressed appreciation for King’s prior efforts in his role, wishing him success in his new responsibilities in the traffic division.
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