A teenager on a field trip to see a Detroit court ended up in jail clothes and handcuffs because a judge said he didn’t like her attitude.

The teen was seeing King’s court as part of a visit organized by The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit environmental group. During the visit, King noticed the girl falling asleep, WXYZ reported.

  • paddirn@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    How is it that a judge can just decide somebody can be arrested for no other reason than “they didn’t like their attitude”? If a crime hasn’t been committed and a person hasn’t been arrested, how does the judge have any say over what a private citizen is doing? I would expect them to have to have slightly more leeway over their courtroom and they can have people escorted out or whatever, but just being able to detain people for no reason seems like an abuse of power? Across the board it seems like the Judicial branch has too much power.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      but just being able to detain people for no reason seems like an abuse of power?

      Welcome to America, friend. First time?

      • Cadeillac@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        We should have written something when the country was formed. Maybe some stuff about unlawful detention or false imprisonment. A fair and speedy trial would be cool. Maybe we prevent cruel and unusual punishment while we are at it

    • catloaf@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Judges have a lot of leeway to hold people in contempt of court. But because the US is so big and has so many judges, you’re bound to get a few shitty ones.

    • protist@mander.xyz
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      3 months ago

      Do be clear, it doesn’t sound like she was actually arrested or actually detained at any point. The judge said he intended having her put on jail clothes and handcuffs to frighten her into taking court seriously, like a “life lesson” thing. It sounds like she mouthed off at him after he asked her to pay attention. His goal was to “scare her straight,” but he definitely should not have tried to reach her this way

      Edit: I guess I’m being downvoted by people who think this judge did the right thing? Geez

      • zaph@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        A teenager on a field trip to see a Detroit court ended up in jail clothes and handcuffs because a judge said he didn’t like her attitude.

        First sentence in the article. This is called being detained.

      • MrPoopbutt@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        The judge is definitely am example of “if you have a hammer, then everything looks like a nail”.

      • Cadeillac@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Unlawful police detention is when law enforcement, without legal justification, restricts your freedom to leave.

        You are being downvoted because you are wrong. Don’t try to spin it as if anyone thinks this was the right thing to do. It sounds EXACTLY like she was detained

      • systemglitch@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        If what you say is true, I’m on the judges side on this one. shrug In the end nothing outrageous happened.

        • Cadeillac@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          The entire situation is outrageous. A child should not be handcuffed and forced to put on other clothes for falling asleep. Absolutely absurd

  • Today@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    He said he couldn’t arrest her so it was really just a display to show the kids what the system is like. It sounds like he singled her out because of the sleeping rather that asking for a volunteer. I can see that being embarrassing to a teenager to be called out, but is it really traumatic?

          • Leate_Wonceslace@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            3 months ago

            I don’t wish trauma on anybody

            Are you sure? Because there’s a fairly substantial list for me; I’m sure you can guess most of them.

            • Cadeillac@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              I mean, if I really had to. It’s hard for people that have never experienced trauma or anxiety or the like to empathize with it. They just can’t comprehend it. It doesn’t mean they have to be fucking ass holes about it

    • Cadeillac@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Unlawful police detention is when law enforcement, without legal justification, restricts your freedom to leave.

      Sounds to me like she was unable to leave. What he said doesn’t change his actions. He is a power tripping piece of shit

    • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      While in cuffs and being physically detained, the judge told her to go sleep in her own bed, not his court.

      Her mother talked to the press. It turns out they are homeless, so this girl literally has no bed of her own to go to.

      On learning of this, the judge offered to “mentor” the child. Not financial support, not an offer to get them assistance, just a vague offer to provide “guidance,” as if that puts food in your belly and a roof over your head. No apology, no statement of empathy, no mea culpa.

      So yes, power tripping on a teenager that had the audacity to nod off in your court room can indeed be traumatic. Her difficult life was made more difficult for no good reason, and now because of how extreme and ugly that act was, it now in the national eye.

      His actions should have been tempted by good judgment, but were instead short sighted, unprofessional and petty. His role calls for wisdom and a steady sense of equality, and instead he was idiotic and vindictive.