Retired Judge John Roemer, a 1983 graduate of Hamline University School of Law, was found brutally murdered on June 3, 2022, in Wisconsin. The suspect in the case was sentenced in a criminal matter by Judge Roemer back in 2005, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice said the murder appeared to have been a “targeted act.” Gov. Tony Evers’ said Judge Roemer’s killing is “abhorrent to our judiciary.”
Mitchell Hamline President and Dean Anthony Niedwiecki added the following: “We grieve Judge Roemer’s death and offer our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We work tirelessly at Mitchell Hamline to encourage our students to use their law degrees to serve the public. Judge Roemer had set such an example for our students and alums. In addition to a long career on the bench, he also served in the military.
“The work to continuously make our justice system fairer and more equitable is built upon a bedrock that the public servants in those roles feel safe to do their jobs. Judge Roemer’s murder is a tragic reminder that the work towards a safer environment also remains. But as a law school, we remain steadfast in our focus and drive to graduate law students who will do that work for the greater good.”
Additional reading
Slain retired Wisconsin judge attended law school in St. Paul (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
Retired judge and Hamline law graduate killed in Wisconsin (KARE11)