Judge orders teenager to wear prison garb and handcuffs during field trip

A Detroit judge is facing fierce backlash after ordering a 16-year-old girl to wear handcuffs and a prison uniform because she fell asleep in his courtroom during an outing. Fox 2 reports.

The incident between the teenager, who was on a trip with Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit environmental organization, and judge Kenneth Koenig took place on Tuesday (August 13) in the 36th District Court. The court recorded the hearing on video via Zoom.

“If you fall asleep in my courtroom again, I'll put you in the back, understand?” King said to the girl.

The judge further condemned the teenager for her behavior and claimed that she fell asleep twice in his courtroom.

“Why are you disrespecting this court?” King asked. “You sleep at home, in your bed – not in the courtroom. And quite frankly, I don't like your attitude.”

“What’s your problem?” the judge asked, to which the girl replied, “I’m sorry, I’m just tired.”

At one point, King ordered the teenager to be handcuffed and put on a prison uniform.

“I think maybe she should go to juvenile hall. Do you realize we have a prison for children?” King said to the girl.

King reportedly said he never intended to send the girl to juvenile detention, but the judge described the experience to all the children on the trip.

“Not a very pleasant place,” said King. “You enjoy your freedom, don't you?”

“Yes,” the teenagers answered.

At another point during the excursion, a lawyer attempted to intervene in the courtroom.

“She's nervous and doesn't speak well in public. She didn't really want to speak today and she's just tired, that's all,” the lawyer told King.

Greening of Detroit condemned the judge's conduct after the incident.

“It is unfortunate that he chose to make an example of a 16-year-old girl in front of her peers,” Greening, of Detroit, said in a statement. “Although the judge attempted to teach a lesson in respect, his methods were unacceptable. The group of students should have simply been asked to leave the courtroom if he found them disrespectful. We have spoken with the student and her parents and the young lady was traumatized by the judge's unnecessary discipline and scolding.”

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