Teen Sues Detroit Judge over Handcuffing Incident
Hostile Courtroom Encounter Leads to Lawsuit
In a case that has drawn significant public attention, a 15-year-old girl, Eva Goodman and her mother are suing the Detroit judge who reprimanded her for falling asleep twice during a courtroom field trip. They claim the 36th District Judge, Kenneth King, violated her constitutional rights when he exceeded his judicial authority by detaining, berating, and threatening her with imprisonment.
Accusations Against District Judge Kenneth King
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that Judge King unjustifiably cast Goodman as a delinquent. The plaintiffs suggest that in doing so, the judge demonstrated a lack of common sense and compassion for a vulnerable teenager facing past trauma. The family’s legal representation by James Harrington and Gary Felty of Fieger Law has also directed a lawsuit towards the private security services employed at the court and two unidentified court officers in Judge King’s courtroom.
Public Humiliation and Unorthodox Punishment
While on a field trip with environmental non-profit, Greening of Detroit, Goodman watched a hearing related to a homicide charge before falling asleep in the courtroom. Judge King took offense to this breach in courtroom etiquette, detained Goodman, then ordered her to put on a jail garment and handcuffs. The teen also alleges she was left alone in an isolated holding cell with a camera on her for approximately two hours.
Public Response and Actions
In response to the public outrage and pending lawsuit, Chief Judge William McConico has temporarily removed Judge King from his docket until the completion of suitable training. The details of this training or the overall duration of his removal have yet to be clarified. Despite this preventive action, McConico maintains that Judge King will continue to receive his annual salary of nearly $170,000. Wayne State University in Detroit has also acted in response to the allegations by removing King from two classes he was scheduled to teach in the coming fall semester.
Constitutional Violation Allegations
The lawsuit lists a multitude of alleged violations of constitutional rights involving unreasonable search and seizures, being detained without due process, and being forced to provide evidence against oneself. In a notable assertion, Goodman’s legal team argues that she was never formally charged with a crime, rendering Judge King’s threat of contempt of court, null and void. Ultimately, they point out that King stepped outside of his judicial role, reverting to the role of a teacher during the incident. They maintain that his actions fall beyond the reach of the immunity that judges usually enjoy from lawsuits directly linked to their actions on the bench.
Seeking Justice Outside the Courtroom
As part of the lawsuit, Eva’s family is seeking more than $75,000 for each of the eight alleged violations. They hope this legal action will result in public acknowledgment of the traumatic incident, and a heartfelt apology from Judge King. Till, mother of Eva, seeks more than a mere apology. She wants real accountability for actions that she believes humiliated and unnecessarily punished her daughter.
