Detroit, MI

Detroit chief judge hopes other judge handcuffing sleepy teen won’t undermine court

Published

5 months ago

August 16, 2024

Detroit chief judge hopes other judge handcuffing sleepy teen won’t undermine court

The teen girl was sleepy because she had no permanent spot to stay. But the Detroit judge who caught her nodding off in his courtroom wanted to send a message.

Days after having the teen don jail garb and handcuffs while threatening jail time, 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King is receiving death threats and was temporarily removed from his docket. The girl is traumatized and afraid. Her family hired a lawyer.

It’s a situation antithetical to “the people’s court” atmosphere that one of Detroit’s busiest courts aims to provide, acknowledged Chief Judge William McConico. He also announced King’s temporary removal from the docket and required training.

“We sincerely hope that this incident does not undermine our longstanding relationships with local schools. Our thoughts and actions are now with the student and her family, and we are committed to taking these corrective measures to demonstrate that this incident is an isolated occurrence,” McConico said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that our court continues to uphold the highest standards of fairness and respect.”

‘My daughter is hurt’

Eva Goodman, 15, works with The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit that aims to improve the “green infrastructure” of the city. On Tuesday, Goodman and peers with the project attended King’s courtroom to both watch proceedings and learn from the judge.

While speaking to the teens, King noticed Goodman sleeping. Video of King’s courtroom showed he yelled at her to wake up, but minutes later saw her sleeping again. At that point he ordered her taken into custody.

Latoreya Till said her daughter acknowledged sleeping, but did not understand the gravity of the situation. She has never been in a courtroom before, and never been in trouble before, Till explained.

After court staff led Goodman out of the room, Till said they told her daughter to undress and put on a green jail jumpsuit. Till said her daughter refused to take off certain clothing items, but was given the opportunity to change in an empty room. While there was no staff present in the room observing the minor changing, Till said her daughter believes there was a security camera.

After she changed, Goodman was handcuffed. Video shows she remained out of King’s courtroom for roughly two hours before he brought her back. At that point, he held a hearing, asking a defense lawyer to help her before berating her for sleeping and threatening her with jail time.

Ultimately, King allowed Goodman to leave, but not before asking her peers for a show of hands to decide whether she needed to spend time in jail.

“My daughter is hurt. She is feeling scared. She didn’t want to go to work. She feels like as if her peers went against her. She was real nervous and intimidated,” Till told the Free Press in a phone interview.

“We have to bounce around currently because we don’t have a permanent address. And so, that particular night, we got in kind of late. And usually, when she goes to work, she’s up and planting trees or being active.”

King told the Free Press on Wednesday he thought he acted appropriately.

“I wasn’t trying to punish the young lady. What I was trying to do was, I was trying to serve as a deterrence,” King said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon.

“I wanted to instill in this kid that this is not a joke, this is a very serious situation.”

But Till said her daughter did not need the lesson: she’s a kind, smart, funny, athletic teen.

“(King) basically was being a big bully to a child that was sleeping and unaware of the etiquette of a courtroom, because she’s never been there, she’s never been in trouble,” Till said. “She’s not a problem child.”

‘You guys are making me tear up’

King did not return a phone message seeking additional comment on Thursday.

Before being removed from his docket, King conducted court as usual on Thursday, according to YouTube footage of his courtroom. Throughout the morning, viewers commented with messages of support for King.

About 27 minutes into the footage, in between hearings, King appears to review the YouTube comments. Then someone posting under the name “CTRM 234 36^th District Court” typed in the chat “receiving death threats.”

King typically presides over courtroom 234.

At the end of his morning docket, he turned to the camera and gave the “heart hands” symbol.

“That concludes the docket for today, folks. Hope to see you tomorrow, same bat station, same bat time,” he said, making a reference to the classic Batman television show.

Later, he appears to type several more times in the chat.

“You guys are making me tear up,” he writes, wiping his eyes, as commenters wish him well.

His final post indicated he’s not allowed to comment on his situation.

It’s unclear how long he will be removed from the docket.

Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com and on X, previously called Twitter, @Dave_Boucher1.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Tigers Must Pursue Free Agent Gold Glove Infielder To Solve Major Issue

Published

8 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Detroit Tigers Must Pursue Free Agent Gold Glove Infielder To Solve Major Issue

The Detroit Tigers were expected going into the offseason to try to make a huge splash in free agency after their unlikely playoff run.

Trailing the final Wild Card spot by 9.5 games in late August, the Tigers went on one of the most impressive stretches in franchise history in order to make the playoffs before eliminating the Houston Astros and coming within a game of their first ALCS appearance in a decade.

After the young core proved firsthand they are not far away from contending, the hope was ownership may be willing to make a huge investment in the roster and try to make a move to put them over the top.

Of course, the big hope in the area of a splash was the possibility of stealing away Astros third baseman Alex Bregman to not only fill a need in the lineup and on defense, but to bring in a veteran presence with a winning mentality. While Bregman still remains unsigned and Detroit still is in the equation, there’s another option out there who would come at a significantly cheaper number than Bregman.

One of the names the Tigers were connected to early on in free agency and has gone quiet since is San Diego Padres Gold Glove infielder Ha-Seong Kim.

Winning the Gold Glove in 2023 in the utility role for his services not only at shortstop but at second and third base as well, Kim is a versatile defender who will provide elite defense no matter which position you stick him at.

Following the signing of Gleyber Torres and announcement of Colt Keith moving over to first base, the right side of the infield appears to be pretty well set. It’s the left side where Kim could prove to be extremely useful.

The combination of Javy Báez and Trey Sweeney will get the first crack at holding down the position, though if things go in the wrong direction there again, Kim – a natural shortstop – could slot in there.

In a more ideal world however, a Sweeney and Báez platoon is able to give at least playable production, Kim would play third base, and Matt Vierling would play a super utility type role.

While Kim would of course raise the overall level of defense in the infield, he could be exactly the type of hitter the lineup is desperate for as well. Being a right-handed bat would obviously help to balance things out, though it’s Kim’s contact that is his bread and butter at the plate.

Kim is an extremely disciplined hitter, ranking above the 90th percentile in whiff rate and in the 96th percentile in walk rate in addition to over the 80th percentile in strikeout rate. He does not take bad swings and is extremely difficult to get out, an asset which would push the Detroit lineup to the next level.

Obviously he does not provide the level of excitement to the fanbase that someone like Bregman would. That being said, the argument can be made that given what each will end up signing for, Kim would be the much better acquisition.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions fan still making trip to Super Bowl following team’s early playoff exit

Published

16 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Detroit Lions fan still making trip to Super Bowl following team’s early playoff exit

Lions fans says she still plans to attend Super Bowl despite playoff loss

02:02

(CBS DETROIT) – The Detroit Lions’ disappointing end to the season isn’t just leaving fans with a bad taste in their mouth.

For some who are planning trips to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the early exit means they might have to reconsider how to spend that weekend. However, one fan who still plans on making the trip will be proudly wearing her Honolulu Blue.

Samantha Stonecipher received an invite from the Lions to attend the 2024 Thanksgiving game after they noticed her unique style of philanthropy. Just before kickoff on Thanksgiving Day, the Lions surprised her with two tickets to the Super Bowl LIX.

“I decided I would donate for every interception the jersey number dollar amount to the Lions’ Foundation. They figured it out and said, ‘This is really cool. We should do something really nice for her.’” said Stonecipher.

She says her spot in New Orleans is still secure even though the Lions are out of the playoffs. Despite the heartbreaking ending for their season, Stonecipher is calling the experience a win-win.

“I will have my blue hair, and I have a whole bunch of jerseys I plan to wear, so I’m absolutely going to be representing the Lions the moment I get on the plane to the moment I get back home,” she said. “Obviously disappointed that the season ended abruptly, but they did such great work, and it’s such a memorable season. I don’t think myself or any other Lions fan is going to forget.”

Jack Springgate

Jack Springgate joins the CBS News Detroit team after working for nearly seven years as a news reporter and anchor in South Bend, Ind., and Minot, North Dakota.

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Detroit, MI

Senior apartment complex residents say they've had no heat on Detroit's east side

Published

23 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Senior apartment complex residents say they've had no heat on Detroit's east side

Senior apartment complex residents say they are living with no heat

Elonda Gist is one of a number of residents who say they are living with no heat at the Sheridan Apartments on Jefferson across from Belle Isle.

DETROIT (FOX 2) – The winter blast rocking Metro Detroit is wreaking havoc on seniors in one apartment complex on Detroit’s east side.

Elonda Gist is one of a number of residents living with no heat at the Sheridan Apartments on Jefferson across from Belle Isle.

Big picture view:

FOX 2: “How long has it been with no heat?”

“Since Friday,” she said. “I use the oven, I turn my oven on, I had to do it this morning.”

And this morning, Elonda got out of cold bed with extra blankets, felt the cold air, and got hot water by boiling it on the stove.

Keith “Twin” Blanks is another resident who says he doesn’t have any heat either.

“I called emergency services last night and they still haven’t showed up,” said Blanks.

Blanks, who wants to be president of the complex, called maintenance again.

FOX 2: “This is management?”

“Yeah this is a voicemail and it’s gonna play out and then go – boop,” Blanks said.

But while FOX 2 was there, a message was heard over the loudspeaker.

“We do have heat and we do have hot water thank you,” a man said overhead.

FOX 2: “Do you believe that?”

“No, come on,” Blanks said.

FOX 2: “Why do you think you made that announcement?”

“Because y’all are here,” said Blanks.

We need to get to the bottom of this. FOX 2 caught up with the maintenance supervisor.

“The heat was never off,” he said. “We have four boilers and we had three running, and we turned on the extra boiler for the colder weather.”

FOX 2: “But they said they had no heat and no hot water?”

“Absolutely not,” he said.

FOX 2: “Twin, come back. He said the heat is back on.”

“It’s not back on. It wasn’t on. He know that,” Blanks said.

“He hasn’t been here all night like you said,” Gist said.

Well, even if the heat wasn’t on – the heat should be on now – especially with the extra boiler.

But not everyone was convinced.

“I’m freezing,” said another resident.

The Source: This story was gathered from information gathered by multiple residents and the maintenance department of the Sheridan Apartments in Detroit.