Waukesha Times

Waukesha Judge Jennifer Dorow, now running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, is facing mounting criticism over her recent decision to allow an Oak Creek man two extra days to report to jail after being sentenced to four months behind bars on domestic abuse charges.

In the 48-hour window Michael Liu, 36, was granted by Dorow on Nov. 30, authorities contend he traveled to Crete, Illinois where the parents of his estranged wife live and fired shots into their home. Not long after that, TMJ4.com reports Liu is alleged to have broken into the home and stabbed both victims before the man was able to defend the couple, stabbing Liu more than a dozen times.

With Liu now facing a felony charge of stalking and seven misdemeanor charges in Wisconsin that include battery, disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property and contact after a domestic abuse arrest, both the Waukesha Circuit Court and Dorow’s campaign did not respond to Wisconsin News' requests for comment by deadline.

In the domestic abuse incident, Liu faced charges stemming from an encounter over the summer where he grew agitated after one of his children was crying and threw a magnetic block across the room, according to TMJ4. As part of the criminal complaint, prosecutors alleged that he yelled at his wife and charged at her, punching her in the shoulder.

Shortly after Liu’s wife is reported to have taken the children into a different room to escape him, Liu is accused of forcing the door open and smashing one of the children's iPads with a hammer. A 72-hour no-contact order was then put in place, which Liu violated by repeatedly trying to call his wife.

Around the same time, a family friend reported that Liu made threatening statements, including “something similar to ‘I’m going to kill one of the kids and me.'” As part of her complaint, Liu’s wife told authorities that domestic violence issues had begun at least eight months prior to that incident, in December 2021.

  

Over time, Liu pleaded guilty to three of the eight counts: Battery, criminal damage to property and contact after a domestic abuse arrest, with Dorow sentencing him to four months in jail, work release and probation. On her decision to allow Liu two days to report to jail, Dorow's campaign said in a statement, “First off, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims for a speedy and full recovery. In this case, I sentenced Mr. Liu to jail despite it being his first offense. It's unfortunate he did not report to jail as ordered and instead went to Illinois."

In the aftermath of the latest violence, Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley said in a press release posted on Facebook, “My heart goes out to the victims in this senseless heinous attack. It was clear what the offender’s intentions were, the minute he left the state of Wisconsin. I want to thank the Will County Sheriff’s Office personnel that responded to the scene, the deputies that assisted in guarding Mr. Liu inside the hospital and the detectives and CSI personnel that put all the pieces together in order to make this quick arrest. It was fine work done by everyone.”

Kelley said that Liu and his in-laws were in critical condition when first responders arrived at the scene.

“If it were not for the quick action taken by the deputies on scene, three lives may have been lost that day. Deputies Harris and Swanson, who are in their first year in law enforcement, did an outstanding job at controlling the scene and providing the injured individuals lifesaving aid," Kelley said. 

The state's Supreme Court primary election will take place Feb. 21, and the general election will take place April 4, according to PBSWisconsin.org. Along with Dorow, former conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly and liberal circuit court judges Everett Mitchell of Dane County and Janet Protasiewicz of Milwaukee County are candidates for the high court.