MADISON, Wis., June 27 (UPI) -- Two investigations are under way into an allegation by a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice that a colleague attacked her in her office, officials said.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley said in a statement issued by her office that Justice David Prosser put her in a chokehold June 13 after she demanded he leave her office.
The Dane County Sheriff's Office said Monday it was investigating the allegation and the Wisconsin Judicial Commission said Monday it has authorized an investigation, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
"After consulting with members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, I have turned over the investigation into an alleged incident in the court's offices on June 13, 2011, to Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney," Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs said in a statement. "Sheriff Mahoney has agreed to investigate this incident."
When asked Monday whether Prosser should resign, should Bradley's allegation be proved true, Gov. Scott Walker told the newspaper: "I don't even want to go down that path … other than to say that just based on the allegations that were made, I can't overemphasize how serious I think the situation is there."
Six of the court's seven justices were in Bradley's chambers when the incident occurred. Some agreed with Bradley's version of what happened but one source told the newspaper Bradley, 60, attacked Prosser, 68.
"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," Bradley said. "You can try to spin those facts and try to make it sound like I ran up to him and threw my neck into his hands, but that's only spin."
"Once there's a proper review of the matter and the facts surrounding it are made clear, the anonymous claim made to the media will be proven false. Until then I will refrain from further public comment," Prosser said in a statement.
