DETROIT – A teen on a school trip to a Detroit court ended up in jail garb and handcuffs after a judge indicated he didn’t like her attitude.
Judge Kenneth King even questioned other children in the courtroom on Tuesday if the 16-year-old girl should be placed in juvenile jail.
King, who works for the 36th District Court, justified his actions.
“I wanted this to seem and feel extremely serious to her, although I’m unlikely to throw her in jail. “That was my version of ‘Scared Straight,'” King remarked, alluding to a documentary on juvenile offenders in New Jersey.
The teenager was visiting King’s Court as part of a tour arranged by The Greening of Detroit, a non-profit environmental organization. During the visit, King noticed the girl fall asleep.
“You fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, I’m gonna put you in back, understood?” the judge stated, according to a video of his remarks. King then ordered the girl to change into jail clothing and wear handcuffs.
“It was her whole attitude and disposition that disturbed me,” the judge told WXYZ. “I wanted to get through to her, show how serious this is and how you are to conduct yourself inside of a courtroom.” King allegedly threatened her with juvenile jail before releasing her.
“I’ll do whatever needs to be done to reach these kids and make sure that they don’t end up in front of me,” according to the judge.
The Greening of Detroit issued a statement, claiming that the “young lady was traumatized.”
“Although the judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable,” chairman Marissa Ebersole Wood stated. “The group of students should have been simply asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were disrespectful.”
Judge Aliyah Sabree, the court’s No. 2 leader, issued a statement Wednesday night, saying King’s behavior “does not reflect the standards we uphold at the 36th District Court.”
“I am committed to addressing this matter with the utmost diligence,” she stated.
The Associated Press’s inquiry seeking comment from King received no immediate response.
“There were so many other ways in which to have helped that young girl learn,” said Larry Dubin, a law professor at the University of Detroit Mercy.
King told WXYZ that he spoke with the girl’s parents and offered to be a mentor.’