Attorneys for a teenager who was forced into jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip to a Detroit court filed a lawsuit against Judge Kenneth King on Wednesday, accusing him of humiliation, false arrest, and unlawful detention.
This incident stems from an August 13 visit to the 36th District Court, where 15-year-old Eva Goodman fell asleep and allegedly displayed behavior that King deemed inappropriate. In response, King ordered her into jail attire, handcuffed her, and scolded her publicly, actions which were captured on the court’s livestream and broadcasted.
Judge King has since been removed from his courtroom duties pending the completion of training, a process that has yet to commence. The lawsuit filed against him seeks damages exceeding $75,000, describing his conduct as “extreme and outrageous” and intended to instill “fear and severe emotional distress” in the teenager.
Goodman had been participating in a field trip organized by The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit group. Her mother, Latoreya Till, explained that Goodman may have been exhausted due to their lack of a permanent home. However, Judge King attributed his severe measures to what he perceived as Goodman’s poor attitude.
During the court session, King threatened Goodman with juvenile detention, though he ultimately released her. He later defended his actions to a TV station, stating, “I wanted this to look and feel very real to her, even though there’s probably no real chance of me putting her in jail.”
The lawsuit, prepared by attorneys Gary Felty Jr. and James Harrington, contends King overstepped his role, effectively acting as “producer, broadcaster, complaining witness, arresting officer, finder of fact, judge and disciplinarian.”
Since the incident, Goodman has been deeply affected. Her mother recounted that Goodman has become reclusive and anxious, asking, “Why the judge do me like this out of all the kids?” According to Till, the teenager now avoids social interaction and struggles with sleep, finding solace only in the presence of her family.
Efforts to obtain a comment from King’s lawyer were unsuccessful as of Wednesday.
