Kenneth King, a Detroit judge who briefly detained a teenage girl who fell asleep in his courtroom during a school field trip was demoted to speeding tickets and other relatively minor offenses.
“Judge King has successfully completed his training and began hearing cases on the traffic docket (on Tuesday), filling in for another judge who is on vacation. On Monday, September 30th, he will assume his own docket in the traffic division,” McConico said in a statement late Wednesday.
“We appreciate his efforts in preparing for this role, and wish him success as he transitions into this new responsibility.”
King’s attorney, Todd Perkins, said the judge is willing to work anywhere at the court.
“He truly understands and wholeheartedly embraces the concept of teamwork,” Perkins said Thursday.
King got in trouble for singling out a 15-year-old girl for falling asleep and having what he considered to be a bad attitude while she was visiting his courtroom with other teens.
He ordered Eva Goodman into jail clothes and handcuffs — all while the field trip was on a livestream video. King also threatened her in front of her peers with juvenile detention before releasing her.
The girl’s mother, Latoreya Till, said she may have been tired because they don’t have a permanent address. King told TV stations that he apologized.
Till has filed a lawsuit, seeking more than $75,000 for “inflicting fear and severe emotional distress.”
Last month, Wayne State University had Judge King removed from teaching classes there.
“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. 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.”