'Milwaukee...has turned into a sewer': Circuit court judge expresses outrage over deadly shooting
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski had strong words about violence in Milwaukee on Friday, March 4, specifically calling out the city's mayoral candidates during a homicide case.
"This community has gone to hell, the city of Milwaukee has turned, in some places, at some times, into a sewer," said Borowski.
Borowski was talking about a 2020 incident where a then 17-year-old Kidd-Chosen Cvikel, who was getting a ride home from a party, was flailing a gun around in the back seat before it went off -- killing another person.
The shooter, according to court documents, dumped the body in an alleyway.
Milwaukee has seen double the homicides since the start of 2022 over this same period last year; 36 people are dead.
Judge Borowski seemed to strike out especially after testimony from the state and the defendant's mom about Cvikel's troubled youth.
"I’m sick of the excuses in this community, for thuggery, for armed robberies, for murders, all of which apply in this case," said Borowski, who didn't stop there.
"Our so-called mayoral candidates don’t do a damn thing, the aldermen in this community don’t do anything, the police, who don’t have enough time to even keep track of the homicides, can’t keep up with it," said Borowski.
Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson said this is a country-wide issue he has talked about.
"Milwaukee, like many major cities in the United States, has some issues that we have to work on and that's no secret, and I've been talking about those issues over the course of my campaign for mayor," said Johnson.
Johnson's opponent, former Alderman Bob Donovan, said he spent 20 years trying to address the issue.
"A lot of times I ended up pounding my head on the wall," said Donovan, "I can understand the frustration of Judge Borowski, I'm frustrated as well, I think a lot of citizens in Milwaukee are frustrated."
Cvikel was sentenced to 25 years behind bars on armed robbery and felony murder.