Milwaukee judge caught on body cam denying that she hid an immigrant wanted by ICE

Milwaukee – MILWAUKEE (AP) – A Milwaukee judge accused of having obstructed a federal agency and of concealing a sought after person who was in the country illegally said days after the incident in his courtroom that “I did not do anything.”

The comments were captured on the images of the body camera by milwaukee police inside the home of the County Circuit of Milwaukee, Hannah Dugan, three days before her arrest in April. Dugan told the police that she was not aware of a criminal investigation into his conduct.

Dugan was charged in May and faces accusations of concealment of an individual to prevent arrest, an offense and obstruction, which is a crime. Prosecutors say that she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, and her lawyer for her hearing room by a rear door on April 18 after learning that US immigration and customs application had arrived to arrest him to be in the country without permanent legal status.

Four days later, on April 22, Dugan called the police at home about a leaflet from an antigan group that family members had received at home and workplace.

Friday, his conversation with police officers, as captured on their body cameras, was released by the police at the Associated Press. It was reported for the first time by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Dugan tells the police that she did not know that the person in his courtroom that day was illegally in the country and denied having given special treatment.

“These are all lies,” Dugan told the police. She said later, “I didn’t do anything they say.”

Dugan pleaded not guilty and fights to make him reject the accusations. The accusations against it underline a confrontation between the administration of Donald Trump and the local authorities on the repression of the immigration of the Republican president.

Democrats accused the Trump administration of having tried to make an example of Dugan to cool the legal opposition.

Dugan did not publicly comment on allegations.

She told the police that she did not know the immigration status of Flores-Ruiz.

“I don’t know if he is an illegal immigrant, that’s what they claim,” said Dugan. “I am not supposed to know. When they come in front of me, I am not supposed to know. ”

Dugan denied having hidden Flores-Ruiz who, federal agents, entered his courtroom to stop.

“I haven’t hidden this migrant in the jury room or in my rooms,” she said. “I made it leave the back door, which I do when the circumstances justify it.”

The corridor video showed Flores-Ruiz and its lawyer leaving a side door about 12 feet (3.6 meters) from the main entrance.

According to an Affidavit of the FBI, witnesses heard Dugan say something to “wait, come with me” before satisfying Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer by the door generally used only by deputies, jurors, judicial staff and defendants in body care, according to the affidavit.

In his request in dismissal, Dugan argued that his conduct was to direct the circulation of people in and around his courtroom and that she enjoys legal immunity for the official acts which she performs as a judge.

Dugan told Milwaukee police that she was heading federal agents “in the corridor to administrative offices. What happened after that is their business.”

The agents arrested Flores-Ruiz outside the courthouse after a brief on foot.

“We live in very difficult times,” Dugan told the police. “We all know it. Very difficult. “

Dugan’s defense lawyers published a statement noting that her comments to the police came before she was aware of the criminal investigation.

“Her comments have strengthened that she did nothing wrong in this case and treated the Creet case like any other in her courtroom,” said her lawyers in the statement.

Dugan could incur up to six years in prison and a fine of $ 350,000 if he was found guilty of the two counts.