Prosser
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Newly reelected Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser says claims that he physically attacked a fellow justice -- grabbing her around the neck -- will be "proven false."
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Prosser allegedly attacked Justice Ann Walsh Bradley in Bradley's chambers on June 13. That was the day before the state's high court released an opinion upholding Gov. Scott Walker's controversial Budget Repair Bill.
"Three knowledgeable sources" told the Center that Prosser and Bradley were arguing about the ruling in front of the other justices. When Bradley asked Prosser to leave her chambers, Prosser then grabbed her neck with both hands, the sources said.
Bradley, herself, recounted the attack to the Journal Sentinel on Saturday.
"The facts are that I was demanding that he get out of my office and he put his hands around my neck in anger in a chokehold," she told the newspaper.
However, others told the Journal Sentinel that Bradley charged Prosser and that the justice put up his hands to defend himself, coming in contact with Bradley's neck.
Late Saturday, Prosser issued the following statement to the newspaper:
"Once there's a proper review of the matter and the facts surrounding it are made clear, the anonymous claims made to the media will be proven false. Until then, I will refrain from further public comment," he said.
Earlier this month, Wisconsin Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg conceded defeat to Prosser. Kloppenburg then had to decide if she would take legal action after losing the recount to the incumbent justice by about 7,000 votes.
According to results received by the state's Government Accountability Board in April, Prosser received 752,323 votes to Kloppenburg's 745,007 in what was a hotly contested race.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by e-mail at jessica@legalnewsline.com.