Detroit, MI
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 36th 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.
Detroit, MI
Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know
How to anonymously submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan
Here are the three ways to submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan safely and anonymously: by phone, online, and through the P3 Tips mobile app.
Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.
Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.
Here’s what to know:
Shooting outside cocktail bar
“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.
The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.
Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.
There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.
Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.
Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.
He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.
His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.
When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.
What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?
Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.
How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting
Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills
Former Detroit Lions QB Hendon Hooker reflects on his time in Detroit
Former Lions QB Hendon Hooker joins to discuss his time in Detroit and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s skill on the basketball court.
The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.
Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.
Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.
In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.
“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.
But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.
The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.
But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.
Detroit, MI
Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning
Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit.
DETROIT (FOX 2) – A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.
The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.
The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.
Local perspective:
A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.
Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.
The backstory:
This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.
This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.
Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.
The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story.
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