Abusive Wisconsin Mom Beat Lake County Judge On Train: Police

KENOSHA, WI — A Kenosha woman beat a fellow passenger—who happened to be a Lake County judge—during a Union Pacific North train ride, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times. The mother began berating her son as the train was leaving, prosecutors said, and the judge intervened, according to the report. The incident happened Saturday around 12:30 a.m. as train No. 301 was leaving the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the Sun-Times reported.

Elizabeth M. Pope, 33, was taking the train to her home with her son, according to the report. The mother began a profanity-laced rant at her 14-year-old son, and allegedly told him, "You are a f-- idiot."

The 57-year-old judge, who was sitting on the lower level of the train, made eye contact with the boy and told him, "You are not an idiot," according to prosecutors.

Pope, who allegedly smelled of alcohol, told the woman to stop talking to her son, then walked to the lower level and began beating the judge, prosecutors said. Pope threw punches, hit the judge in the face with a cellphone and threw the phone down the aisle, according to the Sun-Times.

The judge was bleeding from the beating and pleaded with a fellow passenger to call the conductor, according to the report. Pope went back up to sit with her son, and was arrested at Ogilvie, court records show.

Prosecutors said the judge, identified by the Chicago Tribune as Associate Judge Elizabeth Rochford, a Lake Forest resident, was taken to Rush University Medical Center and received five stitches in her upper lip, as well as treatments for bruising and swelling on her face.

Pope was charged with aggravated battery in a public place. She has two previous battery convictions in Kenosha County and another pending battery case, according to court records. Her bail was set at $70,000, and she was ordered to be placed on electronic home monitoring if she posts bond.

Patch editor Amber Fisher contributed

Top photo: via Chicago Police Department