Just before the holidays, Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan went on trial for federal charges that she concealed a fugitive from federal law enforcement agents and that she obstructed the federal agents. Unbelievably, the jury came back with a split decision, finding her not guilty of the misdemeanor of concealment but guilty of the felony obstruction. The ICEtapo claimed that Dugan had hidden undocumented immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from them, even though video showed agents in the hallway with Flores-Ruiz and following him.
The reason for the split verdict was the jury receiving contradictory information from Judge Lynn Adelman. The jury had asked Adelman whether Dugan needed to know the identity of Flores-Ruiz for the misdemeanor count. Adelman said yes. However, when the jury asked the same question regarding the felony count, Adelman said no.
A juror who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity said that made all the difference:
In her opinion, the split verdict hinged on the questions the jurors asked U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman regarding what Dugan needed to know to be found guilty. Adelman gave different answers for the two charges.
“If it came back the same, we all would have found her not guilty, I am sure of it,” she said.
