February
2007
A Father’s view on Annette Ziegler: Unqualified for the Supreme Court
She may be the darling of republicans in this springs election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court but Judge Annette Ziegler has some explaining to do.
The big question Ziegler needs to answer is “how could you have given a man convicted of molesting his 10 year old step-daughter just one year in prison”?
The website Progressive Majority resurrected the story (written by Mike Nichols of the Journal-Sentinel) recently, pointing out “the pre-sentence report recommended 15 years — five less than the prosecutor demanded. The defendant’s own attorney suggested five to seven years. But Washington County Circuit Judge Ziegler stayed a 25 year sentence — meaning it wouldn’t apply unless the man failed to go through with treatment. Ziegler also gave him 20 years of probation and one year on work release in the county jail.”
As a father I’m utterly disgusted. What kind of cretin gains pleasure from violating a child? This sicko even molested his step daughter as she watched the killer whale movie “Free Willy“.
What was Ziegler thinking? Could she have sleeping through the trial?
It will be curious to see how republicans defend her. It will be interesting to see how they manage to play their “family values” angle while supporting a candidate who let a pedophile walk after just a year.
Jim McGuigan
Oh my god, the silence on the right is deafening. Sykes, McBride Nothing!! Peter Digaudio is usually all over stuff like this. Where’s the Media? This was posted at Progressive Majority Since last Month. Judge Annette Zeigler has an obligation to explain to the public this outlandish ruling since she wants to be on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Strange that they are not saying anything about this…not that long ago they were rightfully taking one of her fellow Washington County judges to task for doing something that was almost identical (see link below). Why the silence now? I could offer a few “guesses.”
http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/one_wisconsin/blog_entry/what_is_going_on_with_washington_county_judges/
This disgusting case is not the only time Ziegler has let a pedophile walk with a slap on the wrist. Here in Washington County everybody remembers the case of an old guy who lived at a local nursing home (it was a favorite charity of Daddy Ziegler). The perv sexually abused a child and Ziegler gave him probation and no jail time.
She should be ashamed of herself as a judge and more importantly as a human being. She is a disgrace.
Let’s all be careful what we wish for. Its easy to be tough on crime when we don’t know the facts. For instance, Channel 4 TONIGHT will be running a presumably dumb story about a “tough” local judge who criminals dodge. We live in a state with a spiraling incarceration rate and no meaningful rehabilitative system (this is how liberals talk, btw).
I am almost certain its a bad sentence. I am almost certain I will not vote for her. But I am also certain that the reason I will not vote for her has nothing to do with her being “soft on crime”. Its the tough on crime nonsense of the last 30 years that have led to inequitable drug laws, expanding prison populations and costs, torn asunder families and all the other things people who care about the legal system are actually concerned about.
I appreciate the irony. I appreciate that this will hurt the right (who might choose a tougher candidate, btw). I don’t appreciate the rush to toughness that seems to happen every time.
What facts would change the crime that happened?
The case in question was flawed from the start.
The defendant’s second lawyer moved to have the case overturned due to malpractice because the first defense lawyer didn’t mount an adequate defense to a poor set of facts brought to court by the prosecution.
Ziegler has been one of the toughest judges in Wisconsin.
And it’s very refreshing to see all of these liberals get so excited about locking up criminals for once.
Ziegler’s the experienced tough judge in the race.
Linda Clifford’s never been a judge and she’s spent her career as an immigration lawyer and ACLU activist.
Clifford’s never put anyone in jail for one day because she’s never been a judge.
Raul,
Ziegler did the sentencing. The guy was found guilty. Don’t try to sidestep this by suggesting to others that she did anything other than give a pedophile a light sentence.
There’s no simple way to spin this to make Ziegler look good.
And who cares if Clifford hasn’t been a judge. Is that a pre-requisite for the bench? It seems that someone like Clifford who has dedicated her career to fighting to uphold constitutional rights would be well qualified. Had she opposed constitutional rights, well that would be another story.
Raul,
First, I think I can speak for us liberals when I say that whether you are a conservative or liberal, we all can agree that child sex offenders need to be severely punished. Both sides should be equally outraged by this sentence.
Second, where on gods green earth did you get your information from? According to the original Journal Sentinel article dated Feb. 4th 1999 this defendant was found guilty by a jury of his peers of repeated sexual assault of the same child. The Prosecutor from the case recommended 20 to 30 years in prison.†The assaults themselves were violent . . . and the defendant always managed to find a way to keep (her) quiet, and it worked,” words from the prosecutor. The suspects own lawyer was expecting prison time. The victim and mother where shocked over the sentence. The defendant even apologized in court for any pain that he caused. The defendant then lost subsequent appeal of the conviction.
Everyone knows I am a conservative, but THIS was uncalled for. Ziegler dropped the ball on this one in a very distasteful manner.
I can’t believe any Judge and Mother would let a Child Rapist off on probation–the child gets punished with a lifetime sentence of nightmares, and the rapist walks away to do it again. Sawdust for brains, eh, Judge Ziegler? So glad you didn’t get to sit in for the John Couey trial. COUEY BURIED THAT KID ALIVE, JUDGE, AFTER RAPING THE CHILD FOR FOUR DAYS.
I also see, Judge Ziegler, that you ruled against people who sued your hubby’s company. I hope you don’t get elected to ANYTHING. Maybe someday you will develop a conscience and justice will finally be done for the anyone who happens to have the misfortune of being in your court.