DETROIT (AP) – A teenager on a field trip to see a Detroit court ended up in jail clothes and handcuffs because a judge said he didn’t like her attitude.
Judge Kenneth King even asked other children in the courtroom Tuesday if the 16-year-old girl should be taken to juvenile detention, WXYZ-TV reported.
King, who works in the 36th District Court, defended his actions.
“I wanted this to look and feel very real to her, even though there’s probably no real chance I’m going to put her in jail. It was my own version of ‘Scared Straight,'” King said, referring to a documentary on juvenile delinquents in New Jersey.
The teenager visited King’s court as part of a visit organized by The Greening of Detroit, a non-profit environmental group. During the visit, King noticed the girl falling asleep, WXYZ reported.
“You fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, I’ll put you back, understand?” the judge said, according to video of his remarks.
King then had the girl change into prison clothes and wear handcuffs.
“It was her whole attitude and her whole disposition that bothered me,” the judge told WXYZ. “I wanted to get through to her, show how serious this is and how you behave in a courtroom.”
King also threatened her with time in juvenile detention before releasing her.
“I will do whatever needs to be done to reach these children and make sure they don’t end up in front of me,” the judge said.
The Greening of Detroit released a statement saying “the young lady was traumatized.”
“Although the judge tried to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable,” said chairwoman Marissa Ebersole Wood. “The group of students should have simply been asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were being disrespectful.”
Judge Aliyah Sabree, who holds the No. 2 leadership post on the court, released a statement Wednesday night saying King’s behavior “does not reflect the standards we uphold at the 36th District Court.”
“I am determined to address this matter with the utmost care,” Sabree said.
There was no immediate response to a message from The Associated Press seeking comment from King.
“There were so many other ways to have helped the young girl learn,” said Larry Dubin, a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy Law School.
King told WXYZ he spoke with the girl’s parents and offered to be a mentor.