Why This Judge Abused His Power When A 15-Year-Old Fell Asleep 

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Zain Murdock
September 11, 2024

Fifteen-year-old Eva Goodman was on a field trip visiting a Detroit courtroom when she dozed off. Then 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King woke her, ordering her to put on a jail uniform, having her handcuffed, and threatening to throw her in juvenile detention. Why? He says her “attitude” and “mainly her body language” were disrespectful.

Eva was humiliated, fearing she was being surveilled by security cameras as she undressed. After banishing her to a separate room for hours, King’s “Scared Straight” act continued when he ordered Eva back to court and asked her classmates to decide if she should be incarcerated.

Eva’s mother says working and moving around without permanent housing has taken a toll on her daughter. Sleep is a basic human need. A now-suspended King claims he wasn’t trying to “punish” her, but that’s precisely what he did. It’s what the criminal legal system does.

State authorities claim to “know best,” acting as paternal arbiters of discipline and morality. But, much like an abusive parent, the system weaponizes fear, intimidation, and power to punish - all without addressing the structural and root causes of the challenges we face.

Eva’s trip was supposed to teach her about the judicial system. But falling asleep didn’t rob her of that experience. Judge King’s behavior showed her and everyone watching exactly how criminalizing Black youth who are fighting their own personal battles works.

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