Hi Nancy...

Would you please put Judge Goulee on your "Judges in Contempt" list? 

The headlines read...

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MAY 25, 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MILWAUKEE COUNTY COURT HOUSE

901 NORTH 9TH STREET

10:00 AM

Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

"MOM IN JAIL, BABY IS THE BAIL."

"Twenty seven year old, April Griffin has been in the Milwaukee County Jail since May 14th 2007, because she refuses to give up custody of her nine month old son.

Her battle began on October 24, 2006 when she was urged by the State of Wisconsin to settle the question of paternity of her son, born in August of 2006.

The State requires that paternity must be declared so that the father shares the cost of medical care for the child.

January 30th 2007, Matthew Sebuliba was declared the father.

May 14th 2007, Ms. Griffin was summons to the Milwaukee County Family Court because Mr. Sebuliba was trying to obtain full parental custody of Ms. Griffin’s son.

The questions that Ms. Griffin raised during the May 14th court session:

'How could a Judge give custody to a man who is not United Citizen? (Mr. Sebuliba is Ugandan National, who is trying to get sole custody of Ms. Griffin’s son, so that he may send the baby to Uganda so his Mother can raise the baby.'

'How could the Judge to give Custody to a man who is on record for beating Ms. Griffin in the early stages of pregnancy. (Late 2005)

How could the Judge give custody to a man who wanted the baby to be aborted, who openly had nothing to do with Ms. Griffin during her pregnancy?

How could the Judge force a mother to give up custody of her child for no other reason then not being able to afford the cost of medical care?

Because Ms. Griffin refused to relinquish custody of her son on May 14th 2007, Milwaukee County, Family Court: Judge Goulee sited Ms. Griffin to be in contempt of court and remanded to jail, because she was a threat.

May 15th 2007, Ms Griffin appeared before Judge Goulee and again was asked to give up custody of her son and again she refused.  Upon refusing to give up custody, Judge Goulee stated “Take her back to the dungeon” and further added “We will try this again on Friday the May 18th, 2007 and I can keep you here for forever.”   He also asked Ms. Griffin if she had ever seen an Abu Grave prisoner. 

May 18th 2007, Ms Griffin was shackled and put in wheel chair and rolled into the court room where she once again was asked to give up custody of her son and once again she refused.  Judge Goulee conceded in releasing her for weekend so Ms. Griffin could attend to her seven year old daughter.  Judge Goulee cautioned Ms. Griffin that she must bring the baby in on Monday, May 20, 2007 and give up custody of him and if she didn’t she would go back to jail, for as long as 12 years.  Ms. Griffin asked on what grounds again but was not given an answer.

May 20th 2007 Ms. Griffin appeared in court without her son and once again refused to give up custody.  Over the weekend Ms. Griffin secured Attorney Eisenberg to represent her.   In the courtroom Attorney Eisenburg advised Ms. Griffin to give up custody of her son.  Eisenberg told Ms. Griffin that the baby would end up in Foster Care for possibly  two weeks, two months, two years and that the remedy of the case would be a matter of money, he also advised her that what was going on in the courtroom was illegal.  Eisenberg withdrew from the case but kept the $500.00 retainer.

Again the Judge Goulee ordered Ms. Griffin back to jail, Ms. Griffin ask the Judge for a written explanation of what was going on in the courtroom.  Judge Goulee “The hell with putting it in writing”  “Quit being so macho, you think you can keep this up for twelve years” Per telephone conversation with  the Milwaukee County Jail, the terms for Ms. Griffins release is to bring in the baby. 

Ms. Griffin greatest fears:

Giving up custody means she will never see her son again, who in her mind will quickly be sent to Africa.

The father of the baby is being represented by D. Ellis of Legal Action of Wisconsin.

Ms. Griffin is part of a filed Federal Law Suite against the Milwaukee Police Department (which stemmed from the beating she suffered from Matthew Sebuliba in 05) Judge Goulee has made mention of the Federal Case several times during the court proceedings.

Ms. Griffin has no criminal record, no parental issues, and no mental health issues. Ms Griffin was a Hair Stylist until the difficulties of the pregnancy forced her to stop working.

Ms. Griffin is an aspiring nurse whose name has been entered on a waiting for nursing school; she is also a community activist...

Sincerely,

The Justice for Jude, Justice for All Coalition

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Thank you for helping free our  Constituent, April Griffin!

Justice I. Diva

I stumbled on this story and many others when i was googling Matthew Sebuliba whom i have known for a long time until he left for the USA. I knew him as an honest, hardworking and well cultured from a modest family in Kampala the capital of Uganda. In a similar story to this in one of the hints on google, The Baby's mother says Mathew has a wife and other children in africa! This is a HUGE lie, Mathew left Uganda in his early twenties. In fact by that time, i worked for the same employer as Matthew and we shared a house. I knew and still know his family well, he couldn't even hurt a fly. Matthew comes from an ethinic group known as the Baganda from central Uganda (where the capital Kampala is located)which honours women. Domestic violence is highly despised and boys are taught from childhood to respect women - the "mothers of the nation." Having known this young man for a long time, i strongly doubt he abused his partner. Alternatively, did justice system establish that he actully abused his partner. If he did and this information gets back to Matthews family, he will loose his credibility and heritage, mostlikely his familycould disown him and i guess this would matter much to Matthew.

On the other hand, i would advise Ms Grifth that Kamapal is too small for some one to disappear with a child, besides matthew's family cannot accept to hide the child as alleged because they perfectly understand the role of a mother. I'm willing to direct any one intrested to Matthew's home and even contribute significantly to buying an air ticket for this young mother or any of her folks if this would help to address her fears.

Is there any way they could work out a joint custody so that both of them are involved in raising the child? At the end of it,both parents have to realise that the child is growing up and needs boths parents regardless of who they are, what ever action taken, should consider this child's future, for heaven's sake its a little but growing life at stak