(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/16/2024) A Detroit judge who ordered a teenager to be handcuffed and detained for appearing to fall asleep in his courtroom has been temporarily removed from his docket. 

Judge Kenneth J. King also will undergo “necessary training to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident,” said Chief Judge William C. McConico in a Thursday statement. 

“We hope that these steps will help to reassure the public of the 36th District Court’s dedication to serving our community with integrity and fairness,” McConico said in a statement.  

“The 36th District Court, known as ‘the people’s court,’ remains deeply committed to providing access to justice in an environment free from intimidation or disrespect. The actions of Judge King on Aug. 13 do not reflect this commitment,” he noted. 

McConico, who did not provide details on the training, said the State Court Administrative Office approved the court’s action. 

Wayne State University also said it will no longer employ King as an adjunct professor. 

“In light of the 36th District Court's temporary suspension of Judge Kenneth King, Wayne State University has reassigned two Fall 2024 courses to other instructors,” the university said in a statement. “As a contracted part-time faculty member, Judge King has never had an ongoing faculty appointment. Since 2022, he has taught a total of five sections of courses between Wayne State’s Law School and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.” 

The teen, identified by her mother in an interview with the Detroit Free Press as Eva Goodman, 15, fell asleep in King’s court Tuesday while on a visit organized by The Greening of Detroit, an environmental group. 

Goodman reportedly fell asleep and King ordered her to change into jail clothes and be handcuffed.  

“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," King told WXYZ-TV. 

Goodman’s mother, Latoreya Till, told the Free Press that her daughter “is hurt” and “feeling scared.” She said the reason her daughter was sleepy is that the family doesn’t have a permanent home.