Detroit judge puts teenager in prison garb and handcuffs for taking a nap in the courtroom

A teenager visiting Detroit's 36th District Court on a field trip on Tuesday was dressed in a prison uniform and handcuffed to teach him a lesson for nodding off in the courtroom, a video of the incident shows.

Judge Kenneth King of the 36th District Court disciplined the 16-year-old girl for falling asleep during a field trip to his courtroom as part of a visit by the nonprofit organization The Greening of Detroit.

“If you fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, I'm going to put you in the back, understand?” King tells her, according to a video from the court's YouTube page that was broadcast by WXYZ-TV (Channel 7). At another point, he tells her, “One thing you'll learn about my courtroom is that I'm not a toy. I'm not a toy to play with.”

The Detroit News could not immediately reach the judge for comment on Wednesday. He told WXYZ on Tuesday: “It was her whole demeanor and her whole being that bothered me. I wanted to get through to her, show her how serious this is and how to conduct yourself in a courtroom.”

The head of the non-profit organization criticized the judge's behavior and said it was “regrettable that he decided to make an example of her in front of her colleagues.”

“He forced her to be handcuffed and put on a prison uniform and yelled at her for falling asleep in his courtroom,” said Marissa Ebersole Wood. “Although the judge tried to teach her respect, his methods were unacceptable. The group of students should have simply been asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were being disrespectful.”

She added that the judge's treatment and insults had traumatized the teenager.

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