A bizarre report out of Detroit, Michigan, reveals how a 16-year-old girl found herself in handcuffs and a prison uniform after talking back to a judge. The incident occurred during a field trip organized by a nonprofit group that took students to the 36th District Court.
Students were taking part in a three-work program known as The Greening of Detroit. As part of the program, which focuses on enhancing the city’s ecosystem by planting trees and educating children about urban farming, students were also taken to the local court to learn about the legal system.
As the judge addressed the class, he noticed that one girl appeared to be sleeping and ignoring him. The judge immediately snapped at the young girl and told her that should she fall asleep in his courtroom again, he would “put her in back,” suggesting that he would put the girl in a holding cell. And he was serious.
Instead of respecting the judge or apologizing, the young student reportedly snapped back at the judge and made it clear that she wouldn’t be paying attention again any time soon. And that’s when the judge took action.
Speaking to 7 News Detroit about the story, which went viral locally, Judge Kenneth King said that he wasn’t so bothered by the fact that she was falling asleep, but more by the fact that she was refusing to pay attention.
King said that there have been many times that attorneys have fallen asleep in his court room, and that it’s “not too big of a deal.”
“It was her whole attitude and her whole disposition that disturbed me,” King said. “I wanted to get through to her.”
It was at this point that King decided that the girl should be ordered to wear a prison uniform and sit in an area where convicts are usually made to sit. King said that the decision was justified because it taught her a lesson about respect – and he even defended his threat to send her to juvenile detention.
King even got the other students involved, having them vote among themselves on whether or not she should be sent to juvenile detention…but luckily for her, they decided against it.
What should have been a learning moment for a troublesome teen, however, quickly became controversial. One local legal professional, former attorney Larry Dubin, argued that the entire event was “just totally inappropriate.”
What do you think?
