State Appeals Court Ruled Racine County Judge Properly Moved Teen into Adult System to Protect Him

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state appeals court says a judge properly moved a teen offender into the adult system after saying he thought the boy would be safer there than in the state's troubled youth prison.

The teen was accused of sexually assaulting a fifth-grader. Prosecutors asked Racine County Circuit Judge John S. Jude to waive him into adult court, citing the "cloud over Lincoln Hills" and newspaper articles detailing problems there. Federal investigators are probing allegations that the youth prison's staff abused inmates. Jude said he believed the teen would be safer in the adult system.

The teen argued Jude improperly considered news coverage and out-of-court information about Lincoln Hills.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the evidence supported waiver into the adult system.