Detroit judge who berated teen for falling asleep reassigned to traffic court

DETROIT — A 36th District Court judge who was suspended last month after he ordered a teen handcuffed for falling asleep in his courtroom is back on the bench, although he's been reassigned from the criminal division to traffic court.

A livestream from Judge Kenneth King's courtroom to YouTube on Aug. 13 went viral after the longtime judge berated a 15-year-old girl who'd fallen asleep twice during the proceedings. King ordered the girl to change into a jail jumpsuit, threatened to have her put in jail and instructed a deputy to handcuff her. The teen was at the courthouse for an outing organized by the nonprofit the Greening of Detroit. Her mother later filed a lawsuit against the judge.

36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico said Thursday King has resumed his duties after attending a required training session.

"Judge King has successfully completed his training and began hearing cases on the traffic docket on Tuesday, filling in for another judge who is on vacation," McConico said in a statement. "On Monday, Sept. 30th, he will assume his own docket in the traffic division. We appreciate his efforts in preparing for this role and wish him success as he transitions into this new responsibility."

King said he had no comment "other than I'm glad to be back."

Days after the incident involving the 15-year-old girl, McConico responded with a statement explaining he wasn't able to remove King from the bench, although the State Court Administrative Office had approved the temporary suspension and training requirement.

Thursday's move wasn't the first time King has been reassigned. King served as chief judge from 2012 until he was removed the following year by the state Supreme Court because of "the financial and operational crisis" at the court.

Prior to removing King as chief judge, the Michigan Supreme Court had appointed Court of Appeals Judge Michael Talbot as special judicial administrator to supervise the court. The appointment came a week after a report commissioned by the State Court Administrative Office that found major budgetary and systemic problems at the district court.

When the state high court ordered King removed as chief judge, it cited the budgetary issues as a reason for the removal. The order added: "It further appears that the current chief judge, Judge Kenneth King, remains unable or unwilling to provide significant leadership or assistance to Judge Talbot, the Court hereby removes Judge King as chief judge of the 36th District Court."

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