Earlier I wrote about day two of the trial of Judge Hannah Dugan. It started off relatively slowly with prosecutors calling each member of the arrest team who all told basically the same story about what happened that morning. I promised to update that story if there were any dramatic developments but this one is dramatic enough that I’ve decided to make it a stand-alone post.
The judge who was with Judge Dugan confronting the arrest team in the hallway took the stand and I think it’s fair to say her testimony did not help Judge Dugan. Judge Kristela Cervera testified that the courthouse is a public building, meaning anyone is allowed in.
Cervera testified that the Milwaukee County Courthouse is a public building and, once they pass through security, “technically” anyone is free to enter the courthouse for any reason.
She then testified that Judge Dugan had summoned her out of her courtroom, which is next to Dugan’s, in order to check a warrant. Judge Dugan asked her to keep her robe on, though Judge Cervera was uncomfortable with this. She also confirmed the testimony from earlier today that Judge Dugan seemed angry or irritated when she spoke to the arrest team.
Cervera testified that she was summoned from the bench by Dugan, who told her to keep on her robe so they could approach federal immigration agents in the hallway.
She testified that she hesitated. Cervera said she and other judges don’t typically wear their robes in the hallway, as the robe conveys authority.
“I didn’t want to walk in the hallway with my robe on,” she said.
She also said the federal agent was professional, and in contrast Dugan could have been more “diplomatic.”
“Her irritation seemed to progress to anger,” Cervera testified.
After Judge Dugan ordered members of the arrest team to go to the chief judge’s office, Judge Cervera walked down the hall to show them where to go. But when she looked back, Judge Dugan was gone.