DETROIT, Michigan — The family of a Michigan teenager has filed a lawsuit against Detroit Judge Kenneth King after he ordered her to be handcuffed because she fell asleep in the courtroom.
Fieger Law is representing the family and will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss the lawsuit.
“Subjecting a minor to such public humiliation and violating her rights is irresponsible,” attorney James Harrington of Fieger Law said in a statement. “Our legal system is based on the principles of fairness and respect for all individual rights, and those who violate those rights should be held accountable for their actions.”
The lawsuit comes after 15-year-old Eva Goodman was handcuffed during an outing with a local nonprofit. King noticed she was falling asleep and called her over, after which he ordered her to be handcuffed. The lawsuit alleges King then told her to dress in prisoner clothing, locked her up and held a mock trial while livestreaming the events.
The lawsuit alleges that King violated Goodman’s constitutional rights.
King was temporarily removed from his duty roster following the incident and will undergo training “to address the underlying issues that contributed to this incident,” according to a statement from 36th District Court Presiding Judge William McConico.
Wayne State University, where King served as an adjunct professor, also announced that two courses he was scheduled to teach in the fall had been reassigned. His profile on the university’s website was also removed.
In his statement, McConico said, “We regularly and actively welcome students to observe and participate in the court process with the goal of providing valuable learning experiences and promoting familiarity with the justice system. We sincerely hope that this incident does not undermine our long-standing relationships with local schools,” McConico said. “Our thoughts and actions are now with the student and her family, and we are committed to taking these corrective actions to demonstrate that this incident is an isolated incident.”
McConico also clarified that he does not have the authority to remove a judge from office, but that he has “used the authority granted to him by the Michigan Court Rules to approach this situation with the utmost seriousness and determination.”
CBS News Detroit has reached out to King for comment and is awaiting a response.
