On Thursday, September 26, 2024, The Detroit News reported that Judge Kenneth King of the 36th District Court in Detroit has been reassigned to traffic court duties after completing training following a suspension last month.
Judge King came under fire in August after a livestream video went viral showing him berating a 15-year-old girl for falling asleep twice during courtroom proceedings. In the video, King ordered the teen to change into a jail jumpsuit, threatened to jail her, and instructed a deputy to handcuff her. The teen was attending a program organized by the Greening of Detroit nonprofit. Her mother later filed a lawsuit against Judge King.
Following the incident, 36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico suspended Judge King and required him to complete additional training. On Thursday, McConico announced that King had completed the training and began hearing cases in the traffic division on Tuesday, filling in for another judge on vacation. Beginning September 30th, King will assume his own traffic court docket.
McConico expressed appreciation for King’s efforts to prepare for his new role in traffic court and wished him success in the transition. When asked for comment, King only said “I’m glad to be back.”
This is not the first time King has been reassigned by the court administration. He served as chief judge of the 36th District Court from 2012 until being removed in 2013 by the Michigan Supreme Court due to budget and operational issues at the court. The state high court had also appointed a special judicial administrator to oversee the district court during that time following reports of major problems.
In reassigning King away from the chief judge, the Supreme Court order cited the ongoing budget issues and said King remained “unable or unwilling” to assist the administrator, removing him from that role.
Source: The Detroit News
