Former Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan spoke at her sentencing on July 8 in federal court in downtown Milwaukee, breaking a silence that has stretched more than a year.
The former judge said she was trying to do the right thing when she steered an undocumented defendant in her courtroom away from federal agents. At that time, she noted people were afraid to come to court for fear of encountering immigration agents.
“I have been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am just a person who was trying to do my job,” Dugan said, at one time getting choked up as she spoke to U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman.
Dugan, 67, did not apologize for her actions. She said she takes the conviction seriously, adding that she came to court with a “heavy heart.”
Dugan also said she has had to curb her public service of appearing at public events. She hopes to return to that eventually.
“I will not let those minutes on April 18 define my life,” she said.
A jury found Dugan guilty of obstructing a federal immigration proceeding, a felony, and not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing a fugitive whom ICE agents were seeking to arrest, in December.
Dugan received a $5,000 fine, but got no prison time or probation.
Adelman said prison and probation were unnecessary, noting Dugan has lived a life of public service and is not at risk of re-offending.
“This is the case of a good person, upset by immigration enforcement in this country, a sentiment widely shared, making a bad decision in the moment,” Adelman said.
Adelman said Dugan has suffered major consequences, including losing her job, having to move and withdrawing from public life, which amounts to “significant punishment” regardless of his sentence.
Isabella Russomanno and Zachary Suri of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan says she was ‘trying to do my job’
Reporting by John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
