Milwaukee County Judge Dugan trial: Impact of staircase on the trial

Milwaukee County Judge Dugan trial: Impact of staircase on the trial

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan is on trial for allegedly steering a man, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, out a back jury door to help him avoid ICE agents.

MILWAUKEE - One of the key elements in the Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan trial is a staircase that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz never took. 

Judge Dugan directed ICE agents to see the chief judge. Then, federal prosecutors say Dugan steered Flores-Ruiz out a back door. 

Staircase never taken

Timeline:

After directing ICE agents to the chief judge's office, Judge Dugan returned to her courtroom where Flores-Ruiz and his attorney were waiting. Instead of letting them leave through the usual public entrance to courtroom 615, the government says Judge Dugan directed them to go out a jury door at the back of the courtroom. That leads to a non-public hallway typically used by court staff and security personnel. 

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Federal prosecutors say Dugan expected them to take a doorway to a stairwell that leads down to the fifth floor, which would have avoided ICE agents entirely. Instead, the public defender, who had only been on the job for a month, led her client right back into the public hallway. 

While four ICE agents were still huddled in the chief judge's office, two others were waiting in the hallway – and one of them followed Flores-Ruiz down the hallway and onto an elevator at the far end of the courthouse. 

The federal DEA agent continued following Flores-Ruiz out of the courthouse while summoning other agents. 

When the agents finally identified themselves, they said Flores-Ruiz took off running before they caught up and arrested him. 

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The question for the jury will be why and what was Judge Dugan's intent.